The king of teen comedy, John Hughes, had one more teen romance up his sleeve with 1987’s Some Kind of Wonderful, pulling out all the stops and hitting just about every familiar theme that had made the genre successful - rich vs. poor, popular vs. outcast, parent rivalry, sibling rivalry, bullies, and most importantly – angst, lots and lots of angst in this film about a teen love triangle.

Keith and Watts are good friends – she is the vulgar-mouthed, drumstick-carrying, tomboy and he, a part-time auto mechanic who hasn’t quite found the courage to tell his Dad yet that he doesn’t plan on furthering his formal education. Then there is Amanda, the typical high school beauty – popular, attractive, she is growing tired of being a plaything for the rich students. And finally, there is Duncan – with a sweet disposition carefully concealed under a tough exterior. He’d do just about anything for his buddy Keith – whether that means convincing his dad to open up the Hollywood Bowl for Keith and Amanda’s first date, or simply pummeling Keith’s nemesis, Hardy.

Watts is a loyal friend to Keith, mostly because she secretly desires his affection. And, as a result, there is little she won’t do for him, whether it be act as his personal chauffer on the big date with Amanda, or even letting him practice his kissing technique beforehand. Of course, she has a bit of an ornery streak, displayed by her sudden and firmly planted foot on the brake while Amanda is putting on her lipstick. But, you can’t expect someone to have complete self-control when hormones are raging.

In the end, of course, both cannot have Keith’s unflinching affection and only one can walk into the moonlight with a pair of diamond stud earrings and a stud to call their own. The question is, which one will it be.

With a cast that included Mary Stuart Masterson, Eric Stoltz and Lea Thompson, this was one of the few Molly-less films in Hughes’ arsenal (Molly Ringwald, that is). It was a fitting tribute to the 80s teen, an era where love and jeweled accessories made the world go round and the kiss reigned supreme.