In a revealing interview about Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Matthew Broderick and Alan Ruck share untold stories from the iconic 1986 film. Broderick, who played Ferris Bueller, admits he was initially hesitant about the role because the character talks to the audience. “I’d done that in two plays and didn’t want to it to seem like that’s all I could do,” he says. His agent, however, insisted: “You’ve been asked to do a John Hughes movie. You’re doing it.”
The Making of a Timeless Classic
Broderick reveals that he wanted Ferris to appear effortless. “I thought Ferris shouldn’t seem to be trying too hard, that things came easy to him. I wanted to be a little cool and aloof. We didn’t want him to be somebody you wanted to punch in the face. That’s always the danger with guys who get away with everything.” After a test screening, one young woman’s feedback was that she didn’t like Ferris because “he’d make me do things I don’t want to do” so they cut a scene where Ferris tries to keep Sloane from going home.
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Hair, Costumes, and Improvisation
Alan Ruck, who played Cameron, notes that his and Broderick’s hairstyles remain timeless because they had just come from a military play, Biloxi Blues. “Given the date the film was made, had we been able to, we might’ve both had crazy mullets, in which case, it would not have become a timeless classic,” Ruck jokes. Broderick also shares that many of the solo scenes were improvised. “John could be a very exacting director. Often, I’d be doing his ideas as carefully as I could but the scenes where I’m alone in the house talking to the camera? We’d just make stuff up. I picked up the clarinet and started playing just because it was there and I pretended I was playing great. The plan was to replace the sound and make it really good but John saw the footage and said: ‘I’m not doing that.’”
| Aspect | Behind the Scenes |
|---|---|
| Ferris’s jacket | Originally meant to be simple like James Dean’s, but went the other way with a beret and flags on socks |
| Improvisation | Clarinet scene was unscripted; sound was kept as-is by Hughes |
| Test screening | A scene was cut after a viewer felt Ferris was too manipulative |
Key Takeaways from the Interview
- Broderick was reluctant to play another “talks-to-camera” role but was convinced by his agent
- Ferris was designed to be cool and aloof, not punchable
- The iconic hairstyles were a lucky accident from a military play
- Many memorable moments were improvised, including the clarinet scene
- Costume details like flag socks and a rabbit’s foot added hidden depth
FAQ
Why did Matthew Broderick almost turn down Ferris Bueller?
Broderick was concerned about playing another character who talks to the audience, having done it in two plays. His agent convinced him to take the role.
What scene was cut from Ferris Bueller's Day Off?
A scene where Ferris tries to convince Sloane to skip going home was removed after a test screening audience member said Ferris would “make me do things I don’t want to do.”
Was the clarinet scene scripted?
No, Broderick improvised picking up the clarinet and pretending to play. Director John Hughes decided to keep the original audio instead of dubbing in professional playing.
This interview offers a rare glimpse into the creative decisions that made Ferris Bueller's Day Off a beloved classic. From improvised moments to deliberate character choices, Broderick and Ruck’s insights remind us why the film still resonates decades later. For more celebrity interviews and film history, stay tuned to GrandGoldman.com.
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