The evil of Hardy Jenns
We lavish praise on the collected works of John Hughes but usually fail to give one particular movie and one teen villain the proper kudos: Some Kind of Wonderful and "Hardy Jenns," played by today's birthday boy Craig Sheffer (46).
Sheffer got his start on TV's One Life to Live, but made the transition to film in 1985's "That Was Then ... This Is Now." But his role as in 1987's Some Kind of Wonderful had to be the breakthrough role. Playing the snobby, cheating boyfriend of Lea Thompson and tormenter to Eric Stoltz, Sheffer is the perfect -- albeit stereotypical -- Hughes villain: smart, good-looking, rich and lechorous. And why do all John Hughes' bad boys have strange names? Hardy? Stef in Pretty in Pink? (OK, just those two.) Pals in the 80s and beyond, Stolz and Sheffer would team up again years later in 1994's Sleep With Me.
Of course, two of Sheffer's best roles would come outside the 80s -- college QB/alcoholic Joe Kane in 1993's The Program ("All I want is a place at the table!") and fly fisherman/writer Norman Maclean in 1992's A River Runs Through It. But for some pure guilty pleasure, hit the video store and enjoy Sheffer's 80s gems.
Top 5 Craig Sheffer movies:
5. Sleep With Me (1994)
4. Fire With Fire (1986)
3. The Program (1993)
2. A River Runs Through It (1991)
1. Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)
Relive the music, movies and culture of the greatest decade ever with Times online editor Steve Spears. A teen during the decade, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to Reaganomics.
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Fire with Fire is my favorite movie of all time. I was only 19
when I saw Craig in it and he was gorgeous and Virgina Madison beautiful. They both did some great acting in this movie. I finally found a copy of the movie online and
bought it. I cant wait to watch it again. It makes me feel young again. The best movie I have ever seen.
Stacey
Posted by: Stacey Eckert | March 21, 2007 at 04:31 PM
Hardy Jenns may have caused some wicked mayhem in "Some Kind of Wonderful", but he sure got his comeuppance when Amanda Jones slapped him silly in front of all his friends at his own party.And let's not forget Duncan's promise to "scare him a little bit, just by lookin' at him". Can you imagine Jenns' house guests after Duncan and his boys got through with them? Oooh, scary! :D
Posted by: Six | April 30, 2006 at 11:38 AM
Thanks for reminding me of a young Virgina Madsen (Fire with Fire).
Posted by: BungoJungo | April 23, 2006 at 01:46 PM