How Well Do You Remember “The Breakfast Club"?

By: Teresa McGlothlin
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
How Well Do You Remember “The Breakfast Club"?
Image: A&M Films/ Channel Productions/ Universal Pictures

About This Quiz

Rebellious, funny and touching, it's nearly impossible to find anyone who hasn't seen "The Breakfast Club" at least once. Released right on the heels of another John Hughes classic, "Sixteen Candles," no one could have quite predicted the film's success. No matter how many times you've seen it, there's a good chance that you loved it enough to remember it pretty well. Will you get all of our questions about it right, though? 

Starring Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall and Molly Ringwald, "The Breakfast Club" reveals the story of four completely different students. Sent to Saturday morning detention, the unlikely group manages to move past their differences and develop friendships. Written by John Hughes in only two days, it was chock full of memorable quotes that have lasted since its 1984 release. 

As you go through this quiz, you'll face questions about the cast, the storyline and some of the most important lines in the movie. Can reach all the way back into the neon of the '80s and conjure up the knowledge you have about it? Even if you haven't seen it in a while, it will bring back such great memories that you'll want to run to the television and watch it again when you've finished. Let's find out how well you'll do!

Question 35 - bull horns Finish Vernon's line: "Don't mess with the bull, young man. You'll get the _____."
Horns
In a line you've probably heard over and over since the film's release, Vernon tells Bender that he'll get the horns for messing with the bull. We're assuming that Vernon is warning Bender that he's the bull.
Hoof
Tail
Hide

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Question 33 - gift What did Claire give Bender at the end of the movie?
Her number
An earring
Bender and Claire may have been at odds throughout most of the film, but it was clearly an attempt at fighting their attraction to one another. By the end of the film, they are kissing. Claire gives him one of her earrings before she gets in the car to leave.
A scarf
Cash

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Question 3 - wrestling At first, John Hughes wanted Andrew's character to be a football player. What sport did he play instead?
Baseball
Basketball
Wrestling
In the original script, John Hughes had intended for Andrew to be a football player. Once Emilio Estevez was on set, he thought that the actor was too small to play a football player. Instead of replacing him, he changed to part to that of a wrestler, instead.
Soccer

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Question 6 - claire fashion Ralph Lauren is the designer behind Claire's clothing to give her just the right look. Which '80s kid vibe did she embody?
Athlete
Loner
Nerd
Prep
On set, there was much ado about getting Claire's wardrobe just right. She wanted to be a little more rebellious, but producers wanted her to come off like a rich kid. A happy medium was found when they compromised by dressing Claire in Ralph Lauren.

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Question 12 -  janitor Rick Moranis was originally cast as janitor Carl Reed. Who played the part instead?
John Kapelos
John Hughes thought he had made the perfect choice for the janitor when he hired Rick Moranis. Attributed to "creative differences," Moranis was let go because he wanted to play the janitor part with a thick Russian accent and the antics to match.
Tom Hanks
Charlie Sheen
Michael J. Fox

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Question 9 - hit Finish Andrew's quote: "Just you and me. Two hits. Me hitting you. You hitting the ______."
Door
Carpet
Tiles
Floor
Brian was so aggravated by John's constant insults and uncouth behavior that it nearly came to blows. With Brian sitting in the middle, Brian tells John that it would only take one hit for him to land on the floor.

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Question 11 - brian clothes When Bender taunts Vernon about his clothes, which star does he say that he dresses like?
David Bowie
Barry Manilow
Never one to keep his thoughts to himself, Bender teases Vernon about his clothes by saying, "Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe?" Naturally, Vernon doesn't take well to the insult.
Ronald Reagan
Pee Wee Herman

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Question 5 - sandwich Allison's sandwich is made with Pixy Stix and which cereal?
Cap'n Crunch
The sandwich was made from Pixy Stix and Cap'n Crunch cereal, and Ally Sheedy has revealed in recent years that she had no problem picking it up and taking a bite out of it. No word on whether she experienced a sugar crash!
Froot Loops
Frosted Flakes
Lucky Charms

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Question 8 - band What's the name of the '80s band that wrote "Don't You (Forget About Me)" specifically for the film?
A-Ha
Simple Minds
Before enjoying the success of going to number one after being featured in "The Breakfast Club," the Simple Minds seemed to disappear. Call it the John Hughes curse if you will, but they are not the first band that has suffered such a fate after being in a Hughes film.
Pet Shop Boys
Duran Duran

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Question 1 - fake ID When Andrew asks Brian why he needs a fake ID, what reason does Brian give?
To vote
Since Brian made himself 68 years old on his fake ID, he might not be the person to ask for such things. He justifies his need for it by telling Andrew that he made it so that he could vote.
To use the local college's library
To get into a club
To join the military

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Question 2 - parents Which word finishes up John's quote? "If you say you get along with your parents, you're a ______."
Baby
Moron
Liar
Always the rebel, John takes it upon himself to taunt every single person in the room. Shortly before Brian threatens to hit him, John tells Brian that he's a liar for saying he gets along with his parents.
Idiot

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Question 15 - next Which of these films did three of the movie's actors go on to do next?
"Say Anything"
"The Goonies"
"St. Elmo's Fire"
Hot on the heels of the success of "The Breakfast Club," Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy and Emilio Estevez followed John Hughes onto the set of "St. Elmo's Fire." Filmed at Georgetown and modeled after a bar called The Tombs, it enjoyed a similar cult following.
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High"

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Question 17 - brian club Can you recall the type of academic club Brian takes some flack for being part of?
Literature
Physics
In one of the film's first scenes, John Bender is defending Brian against Claire for being a member of the physics club. He subtly points out that Clarie couldn't handle an academic club.
Theatre
Choir

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Question 21 - claire sushi Andrew brings a bag full of food for lunch, but what does Claire bring?
A PB& J sandwich
A Happy Meal
Sushi
When the infamous lunch scene starts, John questions Claire about her sushi. Soon after, the camera pans to the epic part where Allison shows the world how to make a sandwich with Pixy Stix and cereal.
Filet mignon

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Question 28 - glued butt Do you have any idea why Andrew was sent to detention?
He skipped a class.
He spray-painted a locker.
He cheated on a test.
He glued someone's buttocks together.
What starts off as a funny story about Andrew being sent to detention for gluing someone's buttock together, ends up being an emotional scene. Everyone in the group goes on to tell their stories after his admission.

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Question 30 - heart dies What does Allison say happens to your heart when you grow up?
It gets softer.
It gets normal.
It gets bigger.
It dies.
Ally Sheedy might have been in her 20's when she played Allison, but she brought nothing but youthfulness to the character. She observes the adults in her life when she says, "When you grow up, your heart dies."

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Question 22 -  bender xmas Do you recall what Bender tells the group he got for Christmas?
A knuckle sandwich
A lump of coal
A pack of cigarettes
Andrew's admission of having an abusive father leads the group to open up about their demons. Bender confronts Claire about her earrings, but it leads him to open about his home life, too. He states that he received a carton of cigarettes for Christmas.
A new watch

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Question 18 - makeover Is it true or false that Andrew insulted Allison after Claire's makeover?
True
False
When Claire gave Allison a pretty, pink makeover, she was nearly unrecognizable. In fact, her new, more feminine look nearly knocked Andrew off his feet. Obviously attracted to her, he tells her that she looks different.

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Question 23 - oldest Out of the detention gang's actors, do you know which one was the oldest?
Judd Nelson
All of the actors did a fantastic job portraying high school-aged characters, but only Molly Ringwald was in her teens. At the time of the film's wrap, Judd Nelson was the oldest member at 26 years old.
Molly Ringwald
Anthony Michael Hall
Emilio Estevez

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Question 14 - town Including "The Breakfast Club," six of John Hughes' films take place in what fictional Illinois town?
Shermer
John Hughes grew up and went to school in Illinois, so it's only natural that he would set the locations of so many of his films there. The town of Shermer, however, has never actually existed.
Nowhere
Tiegs
Greendale

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Question 27 -  allison home life What word does Allison use to describe her home life to Andrew and Brian?
Unhealthy
Unsatisfying
True to character, Allison dumps her bag on a chair when Brian and Andrew decline to view the contents. It leads to a conversation in which she explains that her home life is "unsatisfying," and she likes to be able to move around freely.
Boring
Violet

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Question 25 - contraband Which one of the students was hiding contraband in their locker?
Claire
Bender
The first adventure the gang takes outside the library sees them going to John Bender's locker so he can retrieve marijuana. Although the scene looks real, oregano was used to get a similar effect.
Allison
Brian

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Question 31 - bender Can you figure out which actor never broke character even when they weren't filming?
Anthony Michael Hall
Emilio Estevez
Judd Nelson
During the audition and throughout films, Judd Nelson employed an acting technique called method acting. Never breaking character, his antics as John Bender caused a receptionist at the audition to call the police. It also nearly got him fired from the film.
Ally Sheedy

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Question 24 - turd When John Bender refuses to fight with Principal Vernon, what does Vernon call him?
A cry baby
A loser
A gutless turd
Finally fed up with Bender's antics, Principal Vernon is ready to resort to violence. While locked in the closet, he tries to get Bender to prove what a tough guy he is. When Bender refuses, Vernon calls him a "gutless turd."
A spineless moron

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Question 7 - bizarre Can you complete Andrew's line? "We're all pretty _____. Some of us are just better at hiding it."
Strange
Bizarre
Andrew might come off as one of the more normal members of the group, but he points out that everyone has their quirks. By the end of the film, each character reveals what makes them different from all the others. Ultimately, it proves that they have more in common than they think.
Unbalanced
Smart

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Question 16 - silence For the first 33 minutes of the film, what doesn't Allison do?
Speak
As the misanthrope of the group, Allison expressed herself a lot different than her detention mates. She remains silent for the first 33 minutes, and the first word she utters is a loud, "Ha!"
Sleep
Go to the restroom
Make faces

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Question 34 - group shot Which "The Breakfast Club" actor also had their mother and their sister in the film?
Molly Ringwald
Anthony Michael Hall
Do you remember the scene when Brian Johnson is dropped off to serve his time in detention? If the woman and the girl in the car seemed really comfortable with him, that's because they were his actual sister and mother.
Judd Nelson
Ally Sheedy

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Question 13 - hughes John Hughes makes a cameo in the film as which character's father?
Claire
Brian
Brian may have been dropped off by his real mother and sister at the beginning of the film. He had a very special actor play his father at the end of the film, though. John Hughes himself stepped into the role.
Andrew
Allison

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Question 4 - year Do you remember what year "The Breakfast Club" takes place?
1988
1985
1989
1984
After wrapping up filming on "Sixteen Candles," John Hughes immediately went to work on "The Breakfast Club." Both were released in 1984, and the date is announced at the beginning of the movie.

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Question 10 - sheedy Actress Ally Sheedy suggested the quote that's displayed at the beginning of the film, but who originally said it?
William S. Burroughs
Elton John
David Bowie
Perfectly summing up the characters in the film, a line from David Bowie's "Changes" starts off the film. "... and these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They're quite aware of what they're going through."
Charles Bukowski

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Question 20 - dance Who didn't want to perform the dance scene alone?
Molly Ringwald
Writer and director John Hughes had intended for the dance scene to be a solo act. Since Molly Ringwald felt too insecure about her dancing skills, he asked all the of the actors to join in.
Ally Sheedy
Anthony Michael Hall
Emilio Estevez

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Question 26 - claire bag Why does Claire tell John that she carries so much stuff in her bag?
She doesn't like to throw things away.
In a scene that gives a little insight into Claire's psychology, Bender is going through her bag. When he asks why she carries so much stuff, she tells him that she's afraid to throw anything away.
She likes to be prepared.
She moves around a lot.
She's afraid she'll forget something.

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Question 29 - school hallway In addition to "The Breakfast Club," which John Hughes film was also shot in the same school?
"Pretty in Pink"
"16 Candles"
"Weird Science"
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
"The Breakfast Club" was based on the experiences John Hughes had at Northbrook High School in Northbrook, Illinois. Although the name given to the school, Shermer High School, was fictional, the Des Plaines school where it was shot is named as Maine North High School.

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Question 19 - man of the year janitor During his high school years, what title was given to janitor Carl Reed?
Valedictorian
Man of The Year
If you pay close attention to the opening scene of the movie, you'll see a closeup of Carl Reed wearing a suit. Right above the row of photos, there's an inscription that shows he was once Shermer High's Man of The Year.
Student Body President
School Mascot

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Question 32 -  brian ss# When Allison reads off Brian's social security number, it connects his birth with which U.S. state?
Wyoming
Illinois
Connecticut
Andrew went through Brian's wallet and found a fake ID, but Allison found something just as intriguing. His Social Security number starts with the number 049, and film aficionados know that it's the set of numbers given to those who were born in Connecticut.
New York

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