The Breakfast Club (1985) - A Problematic Cult Classic
The Breakfast Club (1985) - A Problematic Cult Classic
Written, produced and directed by John Hughes. Starring, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy.
Look, I love The Breakfast Club. It’s a quintessential classic which everyone should watch at least once in their life.
However, I watched it again recently and I have some thoughts.
I always knew that there was blatant sexism and terrible treatment of female characters in the film, however in the aftermath of the #MeToo movement. I had never realised how bad the sexism and treatment of Claire and Allison was.
I’d always just dismissed it as something that was the norm for time is was made.
But now that I’m older and more educated on the subject matter, I realised that the stuff they get away with in in the Breakfast Club would just be completely unacceptable now.
To be honest it shouldn’t of been acceptable back then!
I think the most obvious problem with the film is how Bender treats Claire terribly the ENTIRE film and then somehow she still ends up having romantic feelings for him.
And, before anyone says anything, yes I am very aware that Claire is also a flawed character but Bender is just a whole other level of bad.
He bullies and belittles her the entire film, makes derogatory comments - most of a sexual nature. All in the aim of what? Provoking her? Making her cry?
Let’s face facts okay. Bender may have his own problems, but that doesn’t give him the right or an excuse to act like a piece of trash towards the rest of the group, especially Claire. At one point he even goes so far as to touch her in an inappropriate and unconsenting manner.
John Hughes’ films are praised for their portrayal of teenage angst. BUT christ there are some inappropriate moments in his writing, thankfully most get scrapped before they make the final product.
In the original script for The Breakfast Club there was a scene where an attractive female gym teacher is swimming NAKED in the schools pool while Mr Vernon, the teacher in charge of saturday detention, is spying on her.
I will now explain why not only is this scene completely degrading and gross but it’s also totally unrealistic.
- No one is freely going to go into their workplace on a day off.
- This character has only been written for the purpose of objectification.
- WHO THE HELL SWIMS IN A PUBLIC POOL NAKED?????
Even some of the fun positive moments are slightly tinted with sexism and misjustice, like when Allison is given a make over by Claire and suddenly she’s 10 times more attractive.
Yet you feel happy for Allison at this moment, she’s got a brand new look and Andrew’s romantic interest in her suddenly seems right because she’s beautiful now but, she was beautiful to begin with and shouldn't need to change for anyone. If Andrew truly liked her he wouldn’t of cared what she looked like.
In terms of feminism and portrayal of female characters, its flawed.
But a big positive to The Breakfast Club is that it tackles stereotypes and the dangers they can cause. At the beginning of the film each teen fits into a stereotype, the criminal, the athlete, the princess, the brain and the basket case, and looks down on some of the others in their group because of the stereotype that character fits into. As the film progresses the walls begin to fall down and the characters begin to realise that they are more similar than they think.
Another positive is John Hughes ability to portray the constant struggle of teenagers and their struggle to be understood by adults and find themselves.
The Breakfast Club can still be considered a cult classic but the blatant sexism, horrid treatment of Clair and misjustice of Allison should be taken into bigger consideration.
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