Alex Carson
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is one of the most popular comedy films of all time. The 1986 film from writer and director John Hughes was a hit with audiences of all ages, thanks in no small part to it’s densely layered gags. While the film resonated with audiences on an emotional level, as well, it’s onslaught of jokes is one of the main reasons the film has persevered with audiences. The film is certainly full of amazing jokes, many of which have stayed in the audience’s mind. However, there are so many jokes in the film that it’s almost impossible to catch them all on a single viewing. Thankfully, Facts Verse has put together this video of things you missed in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off!
The 1986 comedy film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was just one of many hits that writer and director John Hughes scored throughout the decade. Coming off of Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Weird Science, Hughes aimed to retain those films’ high school setting while offering up a much more universal brand of comedy. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was a hit with both audiences and critics alike. As well, it appealed to a much broader audience than the filmmaker’s prior films. The film follows young troublemaker Ferris Bueller as he fakes an illness to get a day off of school. Though the tone is always light, the film manages to maintain a lot of suspense as we follow Ferris’ journey and hope that he doesn’t get caught. Thankfully, Hughes wasn’t afraid with audience expectations. The troublemaking Bueller never gets his comeuppance, as the same character might in a more typical film. Instead, it’s the authority figure and school principal, Mr. Rooney, who is made the fool in the end. While the film certainly has plenty of sequences that have stayed in the public consciousness, there are just as many little bits that the audience has likely missed.
One of the most popular side characters in the film is Ferris’ best friend, Cameron. Cameron is the somewhat unwilling sidekick that Ferris is trying to pull out of a depressive slump. When we first meet Cameron, we see him hidden under a pile of blankets, too sick to get out of bed. He at first declines Ferris’ invitation to join him on his “day off”. However, Ferris refuses the refusal. Although Cameron claims that he is too sick to get out of bed, Ferris says that he doesn’t believe him. According to the wise, young troublemaker, the illness that his friend is suffering from is “all in his head”. Cameron reluctantly gives in to Ferris’ pestering, but ends up experiencing some misfortune along the way.
While nothing bad ever happens to Ferris, something bad does happen to Cameron. Ferris convinces Cameron to steal his father’s precious car. While this goes well at first, they leave the car at a parking garage where some attendants take it for a joyride. When the friends come to collect the car, they see that there are many more miles on the odometer than they initially bargained for. Cameron becomes fearful that his father will notice this discrepancy, and immediately falls into a panic. Ferris suggests that they put the car in reverse to see if doing so might make the miles roll back, but Cameron ends up kicking the car and making it fly out of the garage window. Although Cameron was in a fit of rage when he performed this action, he likely only meant to slightly dent his father’s car, not to completely destroy it!
Cameron remains stiff throughout most of the movie, but he eventually lightens up. While lounging with Ferris and his girlfriend at a pool near the end of the film, Cameron turns the tables on Ferris with a prank of his own. Cameron pretends to drown in the pool, severely scaring Ferris. After Ferris tries and seemingly fails to resuscitate him, Cameron reveals that it was all a trick.
Ferris himself has a hard time taking anything too seriously, but his relationship with his girlfriend might be the thing he cares the most about. His girlfriend, Sloane, accompanies Ferris and Cameron on their “day off”, as well. Though Ferris rarely ever breaks his trickster facade, there is a moment near the middle of the film that shows he genuinely cares for Sloane. While they are visiting the Chicago Board of Trade, Ferris proposes to Sloane the idea that the two of them should spontaneously get married. While both Sloane and the audience initially assume this proposal is in jest, Ferris later points out during one of his trademark monologues to the audience that he was serious. If you’re enjoying this video so far, be sure to hit the like button to show your support! As well, subscribe to the channel if you’d like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are coming!
In order to allow Sloane to join them on their “day off”, Ferris and Cameron have to come up with a plan to get Sloane out of school. In order to do so, Ferris dresses up as Sloane’s father and the two of them drive to the school in Cameron’s father’s car. The school principal, Mr. Rooney, is watching as Sloane embraces her supposed “father” and passionately kisses him. Mr. Rooney is understandably confused, before realizing much too late that it was actually Ferris in disguise. Throughout the film, Mr. Rooney plays Ferris’ main foil. While Ferris’ plan works on nearly everyone, there are two people that are constantly suspicious of him. These people are his sister, Jeanie, and Mr. Rooney. While Jeanie usually just rolls her eyes at her brother’s shenanigans, Mr. Rooney is actively trying to foil Ferris’ plot throughout the entire film. However, he fails, and miserably.
Although Ferris is the one who’s causing all the trouble, Mr. Rooney is the one who seems to be behaving the most erratically. The principal completely abandons his post at the school in order to unsuccessfully stalk Ferris, Cameron, and Sloane through the streets of Chicago. While attempting to track the trio down, the principal ends up getting into some trouble of his own. One time, he approaches someone from behind who looks like Ferris. When the person turns around, it’s actually a woman. Understandably, she is upset, and spits soda into Mr. Rooney’s face. However, this is only the beginning.
Mr. Rooney’s greatest comeuppance befalls him when he decides to take things a little bit too far. Having been unsuccessful in his efforts to track Ferris down in the city, he attempts to break into Ferris’ home and prove that he isn’t there once and for all. However, Mr. Rooney isn’t expecting that Jeanie is there, instead. When the two come face to face, Jeanie is so shocked to see him that she kicks Mr. Rooney in the face three times. She then goes to report the intruder to the police, where she has a romantic encounter with a convict played by Charlie Sheen. Jennifer Grey, who played Jeanie, also starred alongside Charlie Sheen a few years prior in the film Red Dawn.
While Jeanie doesn’t fall for Ferris’ act, the same can’t be said for their father. Ferris’ father is clueless throughout the entire film, even when he accidentally runs into Ferris on three separate occasions! Firstly, the trio of Ferris, Cameron, and Sloane run into Ferris’ father at a fancy restaurant soon after arriving downtown. Secondly, they end up stopping next to a car containing his father at a red light. Lastly, Ferris has one last close encounter while running to beat his parents’ home. He runs past his parents’ car, causing his father to do a double-take. However, he ends up getting away before his father can tell for sure if it’s him. Ferris definitely put a lot of energy into faking his illness, even planting the seeds of a rumor at school the previous day that he was falling ill. His illness certainly wins over his fellow students’ sympathy. It’s not specified who, but one of Ferris’ fellow students felt so bad for him that they sent a stripper dressed as a nurse over to make a house call!
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is packed from beginning to end with more memorable gags than any single viewer could ever catch. Comment down below to share your favorite moment from the film, or if you think there’s another gag in the film that much of the audience might not have picked up on. As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way!
