Actor Alan Ruck, one of the stars of the 80s classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off, says the cast and crew hated the film's Ferrari, and they all cheered when it was destroyed. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is one of the many beloved films written and directed by the late John Hughes. Hughes' other work includes Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Planes, Trains & Automobiles. Ferris Bueller's Day Off follows the title character, played by Matthew Broderick, who pretends to be sick to get out of school. Determined to have an epic day off, Ferris enlists his girlfriend Sloane, played by Mia Sara, and his best friend Cameron, played by Ruck, for numerous adventures around Chicago.
One of the key factors in Ferris' plan is securing Cameron's dad's car. However, it's not just any car. It's a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California, which is a prized possession of Cameron's father. Cameron is initially reluctant to allow the use of the car, but Ferris talks him into it by convincing him that his father will never know because they can just put it in reverse and take the miles off the odometer. Being too naive to know any better, Cameron agrees to the plan that is doomed to fail. Near the end of the film, as they are trying to take the miles off, they see that it's not working, prompting an emotional and cathartic scene where Cameron talks about taking a stand against his father. During the scene, Cameron kicks the vehicle a few times before it comes loose from the jack it's propped up on and barrels out a window into some trees. According to Ruck, the scene was also cathartic for the film crew, who despised the car.
Ruck recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote his show Succession. During the interview, Ferris Bueller's Day Off came up with Ruck mentioning that he is frequently asked, "Did you really send that beautiful car out the window?" Ruck immediately answered his own question by saying, "Everyone can relax and breathe a sigh of relief because they were all crap." According to Ruck, none of the cars used were real Ferraris, rather fiberglass bodies on a Mustang chassis. Furthermore, Ruck said they barely worked, costing the cast and crew numerous takes. The cars were such a headache that when they finally sent one flying out the window of the garage, Ruck said, "the crew cheered." Check out Ruck's comments below:
"Everyone can relax and breathe a sigh of relief because they were all crap. They were all kit cars. We couldn’t afford a real Ferrari. It was a Mustang chassis with a fiberglass body. They were just wretched. They wouldn’t start. We did this one scene 16 times because the car would not start. We had three of them. And when we sent that one out the window, the crew cheered. They were jumping up and down."
While it may have been a nightmare working with the cars on set, the production did a great job hiding that fact in the finished film. It's also clear that the production succeeded in making the amalgamation of car parts look like a real Ferrari, given that audiences are so concerned for the vehicle. However, even with Ferris Bueller's Day Off destroying a fake Ferrari, many productions, like the Fast & Furious or James Bond franchises, have destroyed real cars with hefty pricetags.
As Ruck mentioned during his interview, Ferris Bueller was one of his first significant acting roles. Ruck has since starred in numerous films and TV projects, including Speed, Twister, and Succession. Still, Ferris Bueller's Day Off has evident staying power given that fans still ask about it, and the film is regarded as a classic.
Source: Jimmy Kimmel Live!