“Unveiling the Secrets: 20 Surprising Facts About Pretty In Pink That Will Change Your Viewing Experience Forever!”
Hughes had managed to play geeky but lovable before when acting in The Breakfast Club, which also proved he could work with Ringwald. Hall turned down the role, but not because he thought it was too close to what he did in The Breakfast Club. Instead, Hall thought the part was too similar to what he did in Sixteen Candles, another project he starred in with Molly Ringwald.
19. The movie made the wrong song famous
It’s fairly common knowledge that the movie Pretty in Pink got its name because it was directly inspired by the song of that title by The Psychedelic Furs. The song is featured prominently in the movie, and so many expected it to become the iconic song of the film, in the same way that Don’t You (Forget About Me) became inextricably linked to The Breakfast Club. In a weird twist, however, fans latched on to a completely different song from the soundtrack that wasn’t intended to be the standout piece of the film.
The song was If You Leave by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, which plays at the end of the movie. Orchestral Manoeuvres wrote the song in one go in just two days, and were surprised when it became one of their most popular releases. They still often participate in reunion tours, and feature the song prominently in their set, in case there are any fans of the movie in the audience.
18. Ringwald forced the producers to cast the ‘twerpy’ Andrew McCarthy
Molly Ringwald was allowed to have some say in the casting of Blane, and when St Elmo’s Fire star Andrew McCarthy auditioned, Ringwald decided that he was the one. The producers and director were not at all keen, however, as they saw McCarthy as a “twerpy” guy. Still, Ringwald held her ground until they cast him. Ringwald’s reasoning for the choice was actually pretty shallow: she just wasn’t attracted to the ultra-masculine jock type character that Hughes had envisioned.
