History Film / SixteenCandles

* TitledAfterTheSong: "16 Candles", by Music/TheCrests. A cover was recorded by Music/StrayCats for the film.

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** When Ted is driving the plastered Caroline home, he gets a glimpse of her panties. This reduces him to stunned incoherence.

-->''"I don't believe it: They fucking forgot my birthday."''
-->--'''Samantha Baker.'''

''Sixteen Candles'' is a 1984 film written and directed by Creator/JohnHughes, the first of his teen comedies. It stars Creator/MollyRingwald as Samantha "Sam" Baker, a girl facing numerous emotional challenges on her sixteenth birthday. Her family, focused on the wedding of her older sister, Ginny, forgets her birthday; she's in love with senior Jake Ryan, who she thinks doesn't know she exists; and she's pursued by a geeky freshman, Ted (Anthony Michael Hall).

* NoAntagonist: The conflicts from the movie stem from misunderstandings. The characters are flawed: Ted sexually harasses people, and Jake ignores his girlfriend Caroline in favour of Sam and dumps her with Ted while she's blind drunk, but nobody is entirely unsympathetic. Even Caroline, the RomanticFalseLead, isn't malicious, just angry at Jake for ignoring her.

* BettyAndVeronica: Jake Ryan is dating the reckless Caroline (Veronica) but spends most of the movie trying to hook up with sweet Sam (Betty).

* DudeShesLikeInAComa: Caroline is far beyond the point of consent when she has sex with Ted.

* FunnyForeigner: Long Duk Dong uses broken English and malapropisms common for someone learning a language. He also bows to people sometimes.

* NoAntagonist: The conflicts from the movie stem from misunderstandings. The characters are flawed: Ted sexually harasses people, and Jake ignores his girlfriend Caroline in favour of Sam and dumps her with Ted while she's blind drunk, but nobody is entirely unsympathetic. Even Caroline, the RomanticFalseLead, isn't malicious, just inconsiderate.

* NoAntagonist: The characters are flawed: Ted sexually harasses people, and Jake ignores his girlfriend Caroline in favour of Sam and dumps her with Ted while she's blind drunk, but nobody is entirely unsympathetic. Even Caroline, the RomanticFalseLead, isn't malicious, just inconsiderate.

''Sixteen Candles'' is a 1984 film written and directed by Creator/JohnHughes, the first of his teen comedies. It stars Creator/MollyRingwald as Samantha "Sam" Baker, a girl facing numerous emotional challenges on her sixteenth birthday. Her family, focused on the wedding of her older sister, Ginny, forgets her birthday; she's in love with senior Jake Ryan, who doesn't even know she exists; and she's pursued by a geeky freshman, Ted (Anthony Michael Hall).

** Ted is a geeky freshman with no social skills, but he's so earnestly determined that Sam eventually relents and lets him talk to her (and gives him her panties).
** Long Duk Dong, despite being a walking stereotype, is described by his new girlfriend from the school dance as "sweet." Sam is disgusted.

* BettyAndVeronica: Jake Ryan is dating the blond cheerleader, Caroline (Veronica) but spends most of the movie trying to hook up with the red-headed plain but not-superficial Sam (Betty). Caroline gets this herself, when she leaves said male love interest (Veronica) for the geeky but sweet Ted whom she went home with while drunk (Betty). And since Ted had a crush on Sam, he himself chose the Veronica over the Betty.
* BracesOfOrthodonticOverkill: Non-dental, Joan Cusack wears a neck brace. Her attempts to drink from a water fountain and a can of beer are PlayedForLaughs.
* BreakingTheFourthWall: Ted, in the car, after Caroline puts her head in his lap.
-->'''Ted:''' This... is getting good.
* ButtMonkey: The movie doesn't pull any punches in showing teens in humiliating situations, but the two standouts are Ted, who is abused by everyone before Sam and Jake finally take pity on him; and Dong, who is treated with every racial stereotype imaginable.

* ExtravertedNerd: Ted is doggedly persistent in his pursuit of Sam, to the degree that he seems less like a geek and more like a puppy who won't leave her alone.

* FunnyForeigner: Long Duk Dong is a ''blatant'' Asian stereotype: broken English, constant bowing, use of malapropisms, and all.
* TheHerosBirthday: At the end of the film, Sam finally gets to celebrate her sixteenth, [[spoiler:with Jake. Awwwwww.]]

* ImprobablyCoolCar: Jake's Porsche 944. Granted, his family's rich -- they have a [[BigFancyHouse mansion]] and his dad has a Rolls-Royce convertible-with [[TechMarchesOn a car phone!]]
* InterchangeableAsianCultures: Long Duk Dong is referred to as "Chinese", while he has a Vietnamese name, and he's played by a Japanese-American actor.

* NoAntagonist: The conflicts from the movie stem from misunderstandings. The characters are flawed, but nobody is entirely unsympathetic. Even Caroline, the RomanticFalseLead, isn't malicious, just a bit shallow and inconsiderate.
* NoEndorHolocaust: After the WildTeenParty Jake's house is a mess, trees toilet papered, there's been a car accident (Long Duk Dong's) on the front lawn, a weight lifting weight crashed through two floors and ended up destroying wine racks in the basement... However Jake manages to get a decent sleep, goes out looking for and finds Ted and Caroline, drops by Sam's and picks her up at the church, and his house is nice and clean for the private birthday party at the end.

* SexAsRiteOfPassage: Getting laid is Ted's primary motivation throughout the film. He is finally convinced to leave Sam alone after he realizes that she's pining for Jake, and his "reward" for hooking the two of them up is having sex with Caroline.

* TokenMinority: Long Duk Dong is offensively token.

** And Ted doesn't seem to remember [[spoiler:him and Caroline having sex]] despite the fact that ''she'' was the drunk one, not him.

-->--'''Samantha Baker'''

Not to be confused with ''Film/SixteenWishes'' - even though that movie does, indeed, have sixteen candles.

!!''Sixteen Candles'' provides examples of:
* ACupAngst: Sam. Her brother, Mike remarks that she's eating carrots to "increase the size of her breasts". Sam throws her pen at him. Later, she says about her bridesmaid dress: "I don't have one-tenth of the bod to fill the stupid bust up." It doesn't help that her grandparents shamelessly mock her lack of development.

** Long Duk Dong, despite being a walking stereotype, is described by his new girlfriend from the school dance as "sweet". Sam is disgusted.

* TheHerosBirthday: At the end of the film, Sam finally gets to celebrate her sixteenth, [[spoiler:with Jake. Awwwwww]].

* ImNotPretty: Sam describes herself as "utterly forgettable".
* ImprobablyCoolCar: Jake's Porsche 944. Granted, his family's rich - they have a [[BigFancyHouse mansion]] and his dad has a Rolls-Royce convertible-with [[TechMarchesOn a car phone!]]

* NoEndorHolocaust: After the WildTeenParty Jake's house is a mess, trees toilet papered, there's been a car accident (Long Duk Dong's) on the front lawn, a weight lifting weight crashed through two floors and ended up destroying wine racks in the basement... however Jake manages to get a decent sleep, goes out looking for and finds Ted and Caroline, drops by Sam's and picks her up at the church, and his house is nice and clean for the private birthday party at the end.
* OpenMindedParent: In the end, Sam's dad lets her skip out on her sister's reception to go out... somewhere... with an older teen he has never met before. As a RealLife parent this raises flags, but in the movie's world her dad feels he probably owes her some slack.

* SealedWithAKiss: The film ends with [[spoiler:Samantha and Jake kissing.]]
* SexAsRiteOfPassage: Getting laid is Ted's primary motivation throughout the film. He is finally convinced to leave Sam alone after he realizes that she's pining for Jake, and his "reward" for hooking the two of them up is having sex with Caroline.

* EthnicScrappy: Long Duk Dong is a sad latter-day example.

* HollywoodHomely: A DiscussedTrope involving Samantha. It's even discussed between Jake and a friend of his (who is befuddled he'd consider leaving the sexy and built Caroline for the younger and less "mature" Samantha)
---> '''Jake:''' Do you know Samantha Baker?
---> '''Friend:''' Sophmore right?
---> '''Jake:''' Yeah what do you think of her?
---> '''Friend:''' I don't
---> '''Jake:''' Would you ever go out with her?
---> '''Friend:''' Depends on how much you pay me
---> '''Jake:''' She's not ugly
---> '''Friend:''' There's nothing there man, it's not ugly, it's just void.

* HollywoodHomely: Samantha. It's even discussed between Jake and a friend of his (who is befuddled he'd consider leaving the sexy and built Caroline for the younger and less "mature" Samantha)

* IAteWhat: Farmer Ted thought he was given a mint, but Caroline announces that they're both on the birth control pill, he promptly spits it out.
* ICantBelieveAGuyLikeYouWouldNoticeMe: Sam is convinced that Jake would never want anything to do with her and is flabbergasted when he finally shows up at the church.
* ImNotPretty: Sam describes herself as "utterly forgettable".

* CoolBigSis: Sam could be seen as this by her younger sister, Sara.
---> '''Mike:''' Who'd marry her?
---> '''Sara:''' [[TheATeam Mr. T]].

* ModernMinstrelsy: Long Duk Dong.

** And Ted doesn't seem to remember [[spoiler: him and Caroline having sex]] despite the fact that ''she'' was the drunk one, not him.

''Sixteen Candles'' is a 1984 film written and directed by Creator/JohnHughes, the first of his teen comedies. It stars MollyRingwald as Samantha "Sam" Baker, a girl facing numerous emotional challenges on her sixteenth birthday. Her family, focused on the wedding of her older sister, Ginny, forgets her birthday; she's in love with senior Jake Ryan, who doesn't even know she exists; and she's pursued by a geeky freshman, Ted (Anthony Michael Hall).

** Conversely, while not drunk at all, Sam seems to have forgotten that she gave out her panties to a geek the previous night until reminded by her friend (although it's possible she thought he was only going to show them off to his two friends [and certainly not for money, either!]).

** Conversely, while not drunk at all, Sam seems to have forgotten that she gave out her panties to a geek the previous night until reminded by her friend.

* NoAntagonist: The conflicts from the movie stem from misunderstandings. The characters are flawed, but nobody is entirely unsympathetic. Even Carline, the RomanticFalseLead isn't malicious, just a bit shallow and inconsiderate.