Mischief (1985 film)

Last updated
Mischief
Mischief 1985 film poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Mel Damski
Written by Noel Black
Produced byJere Henshaw
Sam Manners
Michael Nolin
Starring
Cinematography Donald E. Thorin
Edited byO. Nicholas Brown
Music by Barry De Vorzon
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
  • February 8, 1985 (1985-02-08)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$8,692,426 [1]

Mischief is a 1985 American comedy film starring Doug McKeon, Chris Nash, Catherine Mary Stewart and Kelly Preston. The film was directed by Mel Damski and written by Noel Black. The original music score was composed by Barry De Vorzon.

Contents

Set in Nelsonville, Ohio, in 1956, its soundtrack features many popular songs from the era.

Plot

In Nelsonville, Ohio in 1956, nonconformist, extroverted Eugene "Gene" Harbrough moves from Chicago, living next door to the introverted, clumsy Jonathan Bellah. They soon develop a friendship, with Gene deciding to take him under his wing and teach him how to attract women.

Jonathan's main objective is to win over the sexy Marilyn McCauley, in spite of his shyness. Gene proclaims that he can guide him to win her over in a month.

Gene has his own love life to maintain with his crush, Bunny Miller, who reciprocates his feelings. He also defends Jonathan and himself from the wealthy class bully, Kenny, Bunny's jealous jock boyfriend.

After a confrontation at the drive-in, Kenny challenges Gene to a game with their cars, center line chicken. Neither backs down in time, so both cars are damaged. Gene's father hits him for damaging the car and grounds him. This shows the dysfunctional relationship he has with his widowed father, who has zero tolerance for Gene's often wild escapades.

Jonathan gives Gene much needed support and friendship; in return Gene helps him with his self-esteem. Marilyn agrees to go out with Jonathan and they become very involved. At the same time, Gene and Bunny progress their relationship, with him talking about his future dream to own a horse stable.

After an evening scuffle at the local diner (instigated by the pompous Kenny) that results in some damage to the premises, Gene's father kicks him out. Having disappeared for weeks, Gene reappears on the night of the prom. Hunting down Jonathan, they go to the prom without tuxes. Marilyn has gone to the prom with her ex, a quarterback she dated the previous year, and Bunny has attended with Kenny.

The guys take off, with Bunny trying to chase after Gene. Just outside of town Jonathan and Gene stop and catch up. It turns out that Gene has relocated to Kentucky, where he has gotten work in a stable. He decided to come back for Bunny, but now feels she won't go with him. Jonathan goes to find her, Gene and Bunny reconcile, and they take off for Kentucky on his motorcycle.

Back in town, Jonathan informs Bunny's father that she's gone, stands up to Kenny by totaling his car and finally asks out classmate Rosalie, who recently had her braces removed.

Cast

Production

Doug McKeon later called the film the most enjoyable he worked on. He said this was because "I turned 18 during the making of the film, and thus I was an “adult” for the first time in my career and didn't need a guardian with me anymore. Moreover, all the actors on that film (Chris Nash, Kelly Preston, Catherine Mary Stewart, and Jami Gertz) were so much fun to be around. Furthermore, the film took place in the 1950s, and driving the old cars, listening to that era's music, wearing the clothes, etc. It was really enjoyable." [2]

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 57% based on reviews from 7 critics. [3]

Jay Carr of The Boston Globe said the film "falls out somewhere in the middle of the nostalgia pile. It's not as bad as the worst, not as good as the best. It's likable, but it's stolen by its props. They're more specific than the characters, starting with the locale. The filmmakers were lucky to find the real-life town of Nelsonville, Ohio, for their look back at high school life in 1956. " [4]

Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times said, "Neither terrible nor outstanding, it's the kind of middle-of-the-road picture that's hard to remember a week after seeing it. " [5]

Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote, "if Norman Rockwell had wanted to make Porky's he might have come up with something like Mischief a small-town fable about a sex-obsessed teenager. With its summery settings, pretty costumes and pastel hues, Mischief is nostalgic and then some; it has the quality of something remembered in especially flattering light." [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nelsonville, Ohio</span> City in Ohio, United States

Nelsonville is a city in northwestern Athens County, Ohio, United States, located about 60 miles (97 km) southeast of Columbus. The population was 5,373 at the 2020 census. It is home to Hocking College as well as Rocky Brands. Nelsonville is surrounded by Ohio's only national forest, the Wayne National Forest.

<i>Endless Love</i> (1981 film) 1981 American film by Franco Zeffirelli

Endless Love is a 1981 American romantic drama film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, and starring Brooke Shields, Martin Hewitt, Shirley Knight, Don Murray, Richard Kiley, Penelope Milford and Beatrice Straight. It also marked Tom Cruise's film debut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jami Gertz</span> American actress (born 1965)

Jami Beth Gertz is an American actress. Gertz is known for her early roles in the films Crossroads, The Lost Boys, Less than Zero, and Quicksilver, the 1980s TV series Square Pegs and 1996's Twister, as well as for her roles as Judy Miller in the CBS sitcom Still Standing and as Debbie Weaver in the ABC sitcom The Neighbors. Along with her husband Tony Ressler, she is a part-owner of the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association.

<i>Crossroads</i> (1986 film) 1986 film by Walter Hill

Crossroads is a 1986 American musical drama film inspired by the legend of blues musician Robert Johnson. Starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz, the film was written by John Fusco and directed by Walter Hill and features an original score by Ry Cooder featuring classical guitar by William Kanengiser and harmonica by Sonny Terry. Steve Vai appears in the film as the devil's virtuosic guitar player in the climactic guitar duel.

<i>Tucker: The Man and His Dream</i> 1988 American biographical film

Tucker: The Man and His Dream is a 1988 American biographical comedy-drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, starring Jeff Bridges as inventor Preston Tucker. The film recounts Tucker's story and his attempt to produce and market the Tucker 48, which was met with scandal between the Big Three automobile manufacturers and accusations of stock fraud from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Joan Allen, Martin Landau, Elias Koteas, Frederic Forrest and Christian Slater appear in supporting roles. Landau won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and was nominated for the Academy Award in the same category.

<i>Dont Bother to Knock</i> 1952 film by Roy Ward Baker

Don't Bother to Knock is a 1952 American psychological thriller starring Richard Widmark and Marilyn Monroe and directed by Roy Ward Baker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cameron Mitchell (actor)</span> American actor (1918–1994)

Cameron Mitchell was an American film, television, and stage actor. He began his career on Broadway before entering films in the 1950s, appearing in several major features. Late in his career, he became known for his roles in numerous exploitation films in the 1970s and 1980s.

<i>Corvette Summer</i> 1978 adventure comedy film by Matthew Robbins

Corvette Summer is a 1978 American adventure comedy film directed by Matthew Robbins. It was Mark Hamill's first screen appearance after the unexpected success of Star Wars the previous year. Hamill stars as a California teenager who heads to Las Vegas to track down his beloved customized Corvette Stingray. Co-star Annie Potts, playing the quirky young woman he meets along the way, was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in her first film role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip McKeon</span> American actor (1964–2019)

Philip Anthony McKeon was an American child actor and radio personality, best known for his role as Tommy Hyatt, the son of the title character on the television sitcom Alice from 1976 to 1985.

<i>Less than Zero</i> (film) 1987 American drama film

Less than Zero is a 1987 American drama film directed by Marek Kanievska, loosely based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis. The film stars Andrew McCarthy as Clay, a college freshman returning home for Christmas to spend time with his ex-girlfriend Blair and his friend Julian, both of whom have become drug addicts. The film presents a look at the culture of wealthy, decadent youth in Los Angeles.

<i>Quicksilver</i> (film) 1986 film by Thomas Michael Donnelly

Quicksilver is a 1986 American drama film written and directed by Thomas Michael Donnelly and starring Kevin Bacon. The film, which was distributed by Columbia Pictures, also stars Jami Gertz, Paul Rodriguez, Louie Anderson, Laurence Fishburne, and Rudy Ramos.

<i>Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil</i> 1991 film by Clay Borris

Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil is a 1991 Canadian slasher film directed by Clay Borris and starring Nicole de Boer and J.H. Wyman. The film follows a deranged Catholic priest who targets four teenagers on their prom night. It is the fourth and final film in the original Prom Night film series. Like the previous film, it was released briefly in theaters before later being released to video.

<i>Alphabet City</i> (film) 1984 film by Amos Poe

Alphabet City is a 1984 American crime-drama film directed by Amos Poe. The story follows a young New York City gangster of Italian descent named Johnny, who has been given control over his own neighborhood by the Mafia. Then unknown actors Vincent Spano, Jami Gertz, and Michael Winslow are featured in this low-budget thriller. Acclaimed film and stage actress Zohra Lampert plays Johnny's mother. The film is set in Alphabet City, a part of the East Village in New York Cit].

<i>Renegades</i> (1989 film) 1989 film by Jack Sholder

Renegades is a 1989 American action crime film directed by Jack Sholder and starring Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips and Jami Gertz. It was released on June 2, 1989, by Universal Pictures.

<i>I Went Down</i> 1997 Irish film

I Went Down is a 1997 Irish crime comedy film by director Paddy Breathnach.

<i>Still Standing</i> (American TV series) American television sitcom (2002–2006)

Still Standing is an American television sitcom created by Diane Burroughs and Joey Gutierrez, that aired on CBS from September 30, 2002, to March 8, 2006. It stars Mark Addy and Jami Gertz as Bill and Judy Miller, a working-class couple living in Chicago, Illinois. Taylor Ball, Renee Olstead, and Soleil Borda portray their children and Jennifer Irwin portray Judy's sister Linda.

Paul Hampton is an American actor, singer, lyricist and writer.

"Kiss Me Red" is a song written by the songwriting duo of Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, and first released in 1984 for the soundtrack of the short-lived TV series Dreams, where it was performed on the show by the fictional title band. The song was notably covered by Cheap Trick in 1986 on their ninth album The Doctor, and by ELO Part II in 1990 for their album Electric Light Orchestra Part Two.

The Comeback Kid is a 1980 American made-for-television romantic comedy sports film starring John Ritter, Susan Dey and Doug McKeon which was broadcast on ABC on April 11, 1980. The film features many actors well known from their TV appearances: Ritter, Dey, Gregory, Licht, Lembeck, McKeon, and Kim Fields. It also stars Patrick Swayze in an early minor role.

<i>Dracula Reborn</i> 2012 American film

Dracula Reborn is a 2012 vampire-themed direct-to-video horror film, directed and written by Patrick McManus, making his feature film directorial debut. Produced by Ray Haboush, the film stars Corey Landis, Victoria Summer, Krash Miller, Stuart Rigby and Keith Reay. It is a modernized, loosely based take on Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula, taking place in Los Angeles, California, where a wealthy Count Dracula looks to purchase an abandoned building and pursue the wife of his realtor, Jonathan Harker.

References

  1. ↑ Mischief at Box Office Mojo
  2. ↑ "Interview with Doug McKeon". Melissa Sue Anderson Fan. Archived from the original on July 1, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Mischief (1985)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 2020-09-13.
  4. ↑ Carr, Jay (8 February 1985). "'Mischief' Super on '50s, Shallow on Plot". Boston Globe . p. 49.
  5. ↑ Thomas, Kevin (8 February 1985). "MOVIE REVIEW : Getting into 'Mischief' in the '50s". Los Angeles Times .
  6. ↑ Maslin, Janet (8 February 1985). "Film: 'Mischief,' a Tale of 50's Youth". The New York Times .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.