John Hughes’ classic 1984 directorial debut, “16 Candles,” made Molly Ringwald an ’80s icon. But unlike Hughes’ later fare, which was mostly rated PG-13, Hughes’ first effort was labeled family-friendly — primarily because it was made before the advent of the PG-13 rating that was first used later that same year on “Red Dawn.”
As an edgy comedy with lots of adult themes (and plenty of frank sex talk) “16 Candles” doesn’t feel like a family movie, but it is rated PG. There is also one scene that makes the movie wholly inappropriate for younger audiences, when Sam spies on a classmate, Caroline Mumford (Haviland Morris), because she’s jealous of her popularity — and her stunning figure. In the scene, Sam and Caroline are both in the school showers, and Caroline is shown fully nude, head to toe, as water streams down her body.
What makes the scene all the more surprising for a PG movie is how it’s presented: After a scene between two jocks in the gym, Hughes jump-cuts straight to a close-up of Caroline’s breasts, complete with the sound of a bouncing ball. And the shot lingers on her too, with dramatic sunswept lighting to make sure the entire audience gets a good long look at Caroline’s naked form.
