Written and directed by John Hughes.

Brian Johnson

• Dear Mr. Vernon: We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it is we did wrong. But we think you're crazy for making us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us: in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club.

Dialogue

Andrew: You know, Bender, you don't even count. I mean if you disappeared forever it wouldn't make any difference. You may as well not even exist at this school.

[John looks distraught for a second, but shakes it off.]

Bender: Well, I'll just run right out and join the wrestling team.

[Andrew and Claire laugh]

Bender: Maybe the prep club too! Student council...

Andrew: Nah, they wouldn't take you.

Bender: I'm hurt.

Claire: You know why guys like you knock everything...

Bender: Oh, this should be stunning.

Claire: It's 'cause you're afraid.

Bender: Oh, God! You richies are so smart, that's exactly why I'm not heavy in activities!

Claire: You're a big coward.

Brian: I'm in the math club.

Claire: See you're afraid that they won't take you. You don't belong, so you just have to dump all over it.

Bender: Well, it wouldn't have anything to do with you activities people being assholes...now would it?

Claire: Well you wouldn't know; you don't even know any of us.

Bender: Well, I don't know any lepers either, but I'm not gonna run out and join one of their fucking clubs.

Andrew: Look, you guys keep up your talking and Vernon's gonna come right in here. I got a meet this Saturday and I'm not gonna miss it on account of you boneheads.

Bender: Oh and wouldn't that be a bite, huh? Missing a whole wrestling meet!

Andrew: Well you wouldn't know anything about it, faggot! You never competed in your whole life!

Bender: Oh, I know. I feel all empty inside because of it. I have such a deep admiration for guys that roll around on the floor with other guys.

Andrew: Ahhh, you'd never make it. You don't have any goals.

Bender: Oh, but I do!

Andrew: Yeah?

Bender: I wanna be just--like--you. I figure all I need's a lobotomy and some tights!

Brian: You wear tights?

Andrew: No I don't wear tights, I wear the required uniform.

Brian: Tights.

Andrew: Shut up!

Bender: PB & J with the crusts cut off... Well, Brian, this is a very nutritious lunch; all the food groups are represented. Did your mom marry Mr. Rogers?

Brian: Uh, no, Mr. Johnson...

Bender: Ah. Here's my impression of life at Big Bri's house, "Son?" "Yeah, Dad?" "How was your day, pal?" "Great, Dad! How's yours?" "Super! Say, how would like to go fishing this weekend?" "Great, Dad! But I got homework to do." "That's okay, son! You can do it on the boat!" "Gee!" "Dear, isn't our son swell?" "Yes, dear. Isn't life swell?" [kiss, then mimes punching]

Andrew: All right, what about your family?

Bender: My family? Oh, that's easy. "Stupid, worthless, no good, goddamned, free loading son-of-a-bitch! Retarded, big mouth, know-it-all asshole jerk!" "You forgot ugly, lazy, and disrespectful!" "Shut up, bitch! Go fix me a turkey pot pie!" "What about you, Dad?" "Fuck you!" "No, Dad, what about you?" "Fuck you!" "No, Dad, what about you?!" "Fuck you!" [mimes punching]

Brian: Is that for real?

Bender: You wanna come over some time?

Andrew: That's bullshit. It's all part of your image, I don't believe a word of it.

Bender: You don't believe me?

Andrew: No.

Bender: No?

Andrew: Did I stutter?

[John approaches Andrew and lifts his sleeve to show a burn on his arm. Claire and Andrew look away afterwards.]

Bender: Do you believe this? Huh? It's about the size of a cigar...Do I stutter? You see this is what you get in my house when you spill paint in the garage. See I don't think that I need to sit here with you fuckin' dildos anymore!

Vernon: That's the last time, Bender. That's the last time you ever make me look bad in front of those kids, do you hear me? I make $31,000 dollars a year and I have a home and I'm not about to throw it away on some punk like you, but someday, man, someday. When you're outta here and you've forgotten all about this place, and they've forgotten all about you and you're wrapped up in your own pathetic life, I'm gonna be there. That's right. And I'm gonna kick the living shit out of you, man, I'm gonna knock your dick in the dirt!

Bender: Are you threatening me?

Vernon: What're you gonna do about it? You think anybody's gonna believe you? You think anybody's gonna take your word over mine? I'm a man of respect around here. They love me around here, I'm a swell guy; you're a lying sack of shit! And everybody knows it. Oh, you're a real tough guy--come on, come on, get on your feet, pal! Let's find out how tough you are! I wanna know right now how tough you are! Come on! I'll give you the first punch, let's go! Come on, right here, just take the first shot! Please, I'm begging you, take a shot! Come on, just take one shot, that's all I need, just one swing... [Bender just sits there staring at Vernon. Vernon fakes a punch and Bender flinches.] That's what I though...you're a gutless turd!

Andrew [referring to his act of taping a classmate's buttocks together]: The bizarre thing is, is that I did it for my old man...I tortured this poor kid, because I wanted him to think that I was cool. He's always going off about, you know, when he was in school...all the wild things he used to do. And I got the feeling that he was disappointed that I never cut loose on anyone, right...So, I'm...I'm sitting in the locker room, and I'm taping up my knee. And Larry's undressing a couple lockers down from me. Yeah...he's kinda...he's kinda skinny, weak. And I started thinking about my father, and his attitude about weakness. And the next thing I knew, I uh, I jumped on top of him and started wailing on him...And my friends, they just laughed and cheered me on. And afterwards, when I was sittin' in Vernon's office, all I could think about was Larry's father. And Larry havin' to go home and...and explain what happened to him. And the humiliation...fucking humiliation he must've felt. It must've been unreal...I mean, I mean, how do you apologize for something like that? There's no way...it's all because of me and my old man. Oh God, I fucking hate him! He's like this...he's like this mindless machine that I can't even relate to anymore..."Andrew, you've got to be number one! I won't tolerate any losers in this family...Your intensity is for shit! Win. Win! WIN!!!" You son of a bitch! You know, sometimes, I wish my knee would give...and I wouldn't be able to wrestle anymore. And he could forget all about me.

Bender: I think your old man and my old man should get together and go bowling.

Brian: It's like me, you know, with my grades. Like, when I, when I step outside myself kinda, and when I, when I look in at myself you know? And I see me and I don't like what I see, I really don't.

Claire: What's wrong with you? Why don't you like yourself?

Brian: 'Cause I'm stupid...'cause I'm failing shop. See we had this assignment, to make this ceramic elephant, and um--and we had eight weeks to do it and we're s'posed ta, and it was like a lamp, and when you pull the trunk the light was s'posed to go on. My light didn't go on, I got a F on it. Never got a F in my life. When I signed up, you know, for the course I mean. I thought I was playing it real smart, you know. 'Cause I thought, I'll take shop, it'll be such an easy way to maintain my grade point average.

Bender: Why'd you think it'd be easy?

Brian: Have you seen some of the dopes that take shop?

Bender: I take shop. You must be a fuckin' idiot!

Brian: I'm a fuckin' idiot because I can't make a lamp?

Bender: No, you're a genius because you can't make a lamp.

Brian: What do you know about Trigonometry?

Bender: I could care less about Trigonometry.

Brian: Bender, did you know without Trigonometry there'd be no engineering?

Bender: Without lamps, there'd be no light.

Andrew: My God, are we gonna be like our parents?

Claire: [teary] Not me...ever

Allison: It's unavoidable, it just happens.

Claire: What happens?

Allison: When you grow up, your heart dies.

Brian: I just wanna tell each of you that I wouldn't do that...I wouldn't and I will not! 'Cause I think that's real shitty.

Claire: Your friends wouldn't mind because they look up to us.

Brian: You're so conceited, Claire. You're so conceited. You're so, like, full of yourself; why are you like that?

Claire: [teary] I'm not saying that to be conceited! I hate it! I hate having to go along with everything my friends say!

Brian: Well then why do you do it?

Claire: I don't know, I don't--you don't understand...you don't. You're not friends with the same kind of people that Andy and I are friends with! You know, you just don't understand the pressure that they can put on you!

Brian: I don't understand what? You think I don't understand pressure, Claire? Well fuck you! Fuck you! [Brian breaks down and begins to cry.] Know why I'm here today? Do you?! I'm here because Mr. Ryan found a gun in the locker.

Andrew: Why'd you have a gun in your locker?

Brian: I tried. You pull the fuckin' trunk on it and the light's s'posed to go on...and it didn't go on, I mean, I...

Andrew: What's the gun for Brian?

Brian: Just forget it.

Andrew: You brought it up, man!

Brian: I can't have an F, I can't have it and I know my parents can't have it. Even if I aced the rest of the semester, I'm still only a B. And everything's ruined for me.

Claire: Oh, Brian...

Brian: Fuck! So I considered my options, you know?

Claire: No! Killing yourself is not an option!

Brian: Well I didn't do it, did I? No, I don't think so!

Allison: It was a hand gun?

Brian: No, it was a flare gun, went off in my locker.

Andrew: Really? [starts to laugh]

Brian: It's not funny...

[Andrew tries to stop, but he continues laughing and everyone else begins to laugh.]

Brian: [laughing as well] Yes it is. Fuckin' elephant was destroyed!

Allison: You wanna know what I did to get in here? Nothing; I didn't have anything better to do.

[Everyone continues to laugh, now at Allison.]

Allison: You're laughing at me!

Andrew: No...!

Allison: Yes, you are!

[Everyone continues to laugh]

Taglines

• They only met once, but it changed their lives forever.

• They were five total strangers, with nothing in common, meeting for the first time. A brain, a beauty, a jock, a rebel and a recluse. Before the day was over, they broke the rules. Bared their souls and touched each other in a way they never dreamed possible.

• Five strangers with nothing in common, except each other.

Cast

• Emilio Estevez - Andrew 'Andy' Clark
• Anthony Michael Hall - Brian Ralph Johnson
• Judd Nelson - John Bender
• Molly Ringwald - Claire Standish
• Ally Sheedy - Allison Reynolds
• Paul Gleason - Vice Principal Richard Vernon
• John Kapelos - Carl the Janitor