# RESOLVED: Ferris Bueller's Day Off is the greatest movie ever made **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 6, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196 "2013-09-06T19:03:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/41 "2013-09-08T22:31:25Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > 1. I own over 700 movies on DVD. I’ve got you beat, but not by a lot (just shy of 1000). We need to get together over a bottle of good Scotch and compare to see what we can trade. > [@silenus](#): > > 1. It ain’t one of them. And I own DVDs of some really shitty movies ([Water](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_(1985_film)), anyone?). “I have never seen it, but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific.” – Michael Caine, speaking of _Jaws: The Revenge_, but this could have been about nearly any film he was in from the period starting 1978 through the end of 1987, with the exception of _Educating Rita_. Hey, actors have to eat like everyone else. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/42 "2013-09-09T00:26:24Z")
It’s one of the very few movies I’ve seen multiple times. I’m not going to call it the best, by a long shot, but I like it. Yeah, looking at it with a critical eye, it’s got unlikeable characters, but I love it nonetheless. (It helps that I like unlikeable characters, whether they are intentionally unlikeable or not.) It’s just a fun, quintessential 80s movie, which I understand for a lot of people automatically makes it suck. I put it up there with _The Blues Brothers_ for my favorite iconic movies set in Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/43 "2013-09-09T00:44:49Z")
Not in my top ten, probably in my top 100. I can’t see watching it multiple times (though movie channels make it easy to do). ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/44 "2013-09-09T02:29:10Z")
> [@Minnie\_Luna](#): > > Dear Happy- > I feel like I can call you Happy because you and me are so much alike… > > If you didn’t post that link, I would have had to. Dear Minnie, you may indeed call me Happy. You don’t even need to be like me, but it’s a nice touch. And to all the Ferris haters, did you even \*watch \*the links I posted? Come on! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/45 "2013-09-09T03:07:54Z")
What about them? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/46 "2013-09-09T03:33:05Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > What about them? He thinks if you watch them over and over again, somehow a miracle will occur and it will suddenly become a great movie. Ditto for people who love on _Pretty Woman_, _Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones_, and _American Beauty_. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/47 "2013-09-09T03:46:24Z")
Ah! Got it. Sort of a movie version of the Stockholm Syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/48 "2013-09-09T03:51:44Z")
Well for a couple of guys who dislike “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” as much as you say you do, you sure spend a lot of time in this thread. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/49 "2013-09-09T03:53:22Z")
Check out the top of the page, right under the name. That’s why we’re here. Just another service offered with membership. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/50 "2013-09-09T04:39:50Z")
If it is, that makes me sad. Because I don’t much care for the movie and I’d like to think I’d like the best movie ever. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/51 "2013-09-09T04:40:13Z")
You didn’t even link to the best scene. The two musical numbers, Danke Schone and Twist and Shout. Now those are great scenes. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/52 "2013-09-09T20:00:29Z")
> [@Aquadementia](#): > > It couldn’t possibly be the greatest. Think about this: what would happen if Ferris Bueller got into a contest with Parker Lewis? > That is the nightmare scenario that Ferris Bueller fans are afraid to face. Well, since Parker Lewis Can’t Lose, it would be pretty moot. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/53 "2013-09-09T22:51:50Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > I could not agree more. Ferris Bueller is a pimp. He’s the guy you go to in order to get you out of a final, or to hook you up with some skank, or to buy weed. You would not want to hang out with Ferris Bueller because he’s just trying to figure out some way to scam on you, hence why his only friend is the guy who will later become “Tourist on Bus” in _Speed_. While I agree that Ferris is an unflawed character, I totally disagree that he’s trying to scam everyone he knows. And Cameron is far from his only friend. To quote Grace the secretary, “Well, he’s very popular, Ed. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wasteoids, dweebies, dickheads — They all adore him. They think he’s a righteous dude.” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/54 "2013-09-10T00:37:45Z")
They “adore” him. That doen’t mean they are his _friends_. He’s a slightly larger-than-life scumbag con artist who has everybody but his sister fooled. ---
**Author:** ![LinusK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@LinusK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LinusK)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/55 "2013-09-10T00:48:13Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > I could not agree more. Ferris Bueller is a pimp. He’s the guy you go to in order to get you out of a final, or to hook you up with some skank, or to buy weed. You would not want to hang out with Ferris Bueller because he’s just trying to figure out some way to scam on you, hence why his only friend is the guy who will later become “Tourist on Bus” in _Speed_. If you want a true friend you have to go with Lloyd Dobbler, who is at least honest about not knowing what he wants to do in life and cool enough that you can hand with him and share your troubles without being concerned that he is going to rip off your father’s vintage Ferrari. > > Stranger Yeah. Ferris is basically a psychopath. He lies to his parent (who obviously love him) manipulates his best friend, and then when he trashes said friend’s father’s most prized possession, he shrugs and walks off. Best part: he actually says he’s doing him a favor, because now he’ll finally have to confront his father love for him (or some such bullshit.) It’s true he’s charming. They say psychopaths usually are. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/56 "2013-09-10T01:44:50Z")
The fellows from [Men on Film](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZHwxIL9oYo) said it best for me. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/57 "2013-09-10T01:45:36Z")
> [@LinusK](#): > > Yeah. Ferris is basically a psychopath. He lies to his parent (who obviously love him) manipulates his best friend, and then when he trashes said friend’s father’s most prized possession, he shrugs and walks off. Best part: he actually says he’s doing him a favor, because now he’ll finally have to confront his father love for him (or some such bullshit.) > > It’s true he’s charming. They say psychopaths usually are. They could have made a sequel where he cheated his way through college and then got a job on Wall-Street only to eventually end up in prison because of a Bernie Madoff type conviction but that movie was never made for some reason. A lot of you who claim you don’t like the movie seem to know a lot about it and the psychologist profiles of the characters. That is rare for any movie so I think that is a point in its favor. Have you ever considered it from different angles (not the superficial ones)? It may work better that way. Granted, it isn’t even the best 1980’s high school movie ever. That title goes to Heathers with The Breakfast Club in 2nd place but Ferris Bueler is an easy 3rd. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/58 "2013-09-10T13:45:51Z")
From a [“lost tape” (an interview with Ferris and Cameron)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QfhaxZXYyM): The interviewer asks why Cameron likes Ferris. And he replies with: > [@](#): > > Why do I like Ferris? Because he’s the Sausage King of Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/59 "2013-09-10T14:04:17Z")
> [@LinusK](#): > > Yeah. Ferris is basically a psychopath. He lies to his parent (who obviously love him) manipulates his best friend, and then when he trashes said friend’s father’s most prized possession, he shrugs and walks off. Best part: he actually says he’s doing him a favor, because now he’ll finally have to confront his father love for him (or some such bullshit.) I can’t really imagine any scenario from that long overdue “confrontation” that works out well for Cameron. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196/60 "2013-09-10T21:38:49Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > A lot of you who claim you don’t like the movie seem to know a lot about it and the psychologist profiles of the characters. That is rare for any movie so I think that is a point in its favor. Have you ever considered it from different angles (not the superficial ones)? It may work better that way. I’ve seen the film three times in three different decades. My opinion of it has declined each time. There are films in which I can enjoy erecting a _Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead_ style background story, e.g. Ilsa’s slick manipulation of the unfortunate dupe Rick in _Casablanca_, which I think may even enhance the film, but _Ferris Bueller_ is just an almost unwatchable film of characters that aren’t really very interesting and really don’t have any existence beyond the scope of the film; that is, they exist purely to drive some element of the plot, such as Principal Rooney, who is too absurdly obsessed with “getting” Ferris, to the point of actually leaving the school in the middle of the day to track him down. It’s not just that it is unrealistic that a principal, who has many different constant demands throughout his day, would be able to flit out for hours tracking down a single truant student, but that someone capable of even attaining that position would be so obsessed with nailing one wise ass kid. It goes beyond just being unrealistic; it doesn’t even make sense in the context of the movie except that Ferris needs some kind of foil to complicate his day of scamping around, else it would just be a completely unchallenging movie with no payoff by having him “beat” Rooney and like Darth Vader, turn his sister to the dark side. Let’s compare this film to another movie steeped in absurdity and with unlikeable, exaggerated characters: _The Big Lebowski_. This film works–and it works brilliantly–because while the characters are completely absurd, they also have quirks and issues that we see in the people around us. Sure, John Turturro’s “Don’t fuck with The Jesus”, licking-his-bowling-ball schtick is completely over the top and fundamentally irrelevant to the rest of the movie, but we all know someone who is obsessive about some activity or sport to the point of being creepy and unsociable, and the cutaway showing him having to go door to door to tell his neighbors that he is a registered sex offender gives him the external context to ground the character, i.e. he’s actually a sick, pathetic loser who only shines on the bowling lane. Or John Goodman’s buddy/asshole Walter; we all know someone who just doesn’t know when to let go and has completely unreasonable ideas about how to respond to conflict. Hopefully none of them pull out a 1911 and rack the slide just because another bowler had a toe over then line, but after all, it’s a league game. “Has the whole world gone crazy? Am I the only one around here who gives a shit about the rules? Mark it zero!” All of these characters can and do exist (in the viewers mind) outside of the portion of their lives we see on screen, and just come together to give us this incomprehensible mystery about what happened to Bunny Lebowski and how that rug really tied the room together. _Ferris Bueller_ doesn’t do that. Not even a little bit. The parents, the girlfriend, the principal, the wacked out secretary, and even Ferris himself, are all pasteboard characters who would wilt in the first dramatic rainstorm. The only character with any depth at all is Cameron, and he just isn’t interesting enough to carry the movie by himself. Stranger [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-ferris-buellers-day-off-is-the-greatest-movie-ever-made/668196.md?page=4)