Why Did Cameron Represent The Detroit Red Wings In ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’?
It always jumped right off the screen, especially for fans of the classic 1980s comedy movie who are from Michigan.
During most of the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the character Cameron Frye sported a #9 Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings jersey. But why? For starters, the movie takes place in the Chicago suburbs and downtown area. So unless it was supposed to be ironic or trolling the Windy City, it doesn't really make sense. It turns out that it relates to part of Cameron's back story that didn't make it into the final version of the film.
Director John [Hughes] had spent some of his boyhood in Detroit. [He] had decided that Cameron had a horrible relationship with his father, but a great relationship with his grandfather, who lived in Detroit and would take Cameron to Red Wings games. That’s all it was, and it was never explained in the movie. - Alan Ruck (Cameron Frye) speaking to Mel Magazine
The article also cites that Cameron's "beloathed dad", who's car pays the ultimate price because of the daddy issues in the film, was presumably a Blackhawks fan. So Cameron's jersey was likely another little hint of defiance.
So that's it. A little Michigan movie trivia to share next time you watch the film with your family or friends.
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