History Film / CurlySue

* DepartmentOfChildDisservices: The social worker who apprehends Curly Sue gives the impression of being cold and methodical, bluntly telling Grey that it's "irrelevant" that she loves Curly Sue, as opposed to the destitute but fatherly Bill; the home she is placed in appears to be a similarly cold, emotionless place and they also cut Sue's hair there.

* IChooseToStay: [[spoiler: According to Curly Sue, Bill's plan was to find her a foster family and leave but Bill, having grown to love Sue as his own child, decides to stay with her.]]

* LittleMissBadass: Curly Sue is very tough and brave despite all the hardships she and Bill went through. [[spoiler: She only loses her composture when she is taken to a foster home and when she believes Bill is going to leave her with Grey.]]

* MamaBear: Immediately after Grey takes in Bill and Curly Sue she takes it upon herself to take care of Sue, making sure she is fed, clean and clothed. Grey at one point tells Bill to leave Sue with her to make sure she is well taken care of (he doesn't).
* MissingMom: Curly Sue's mother passed away when Curly Sue was still a baby.

* OrphansPlotTrinket: The ring which belonged to Curly Sue's mother serves as an interesting variant of this trope. Sue and Bill are homeless, and the ring is stolen by another homeless man early in the film. Later, when Bill is missing, she is unconcerned, asking whether he left a note or a ring; as he left neither, she knows he'll be back, since he won't leave her without first recovering her mother's ring. [[spoiler: Near the end of the movie, he does leave both the ring and a note and she's heartbroken... until she learns that the note says he is in the next room.]]

* ProperTightsWithASkirt: Curly Sue is forced to wear those when Grey takes her and Bill to a nice restaurant and wears them again for her first day of school, albeit combined with more tomboyish clothes that make Sue more comfortable.

* SheCleansUpNicely: Subverted. Both Sue and Bill look nice when dressed nicely but Sue appears out of character and somewhat uncomfortable in the cute clothes Grey buys her. Bill also feels out of place in his new suit. They get better [[spoiler: by the end of the movie when they both wear better clothes that suits their personalities better like the jean jacket and simple white shirt Sue wears for school along with the skirt, slacks and nice shoes.]]

* TragicKeepsake: Curly Sue always wears a tin ring that belonged to her late mother until it gets stolen and pawned by one of their roommates at a shelter. [[spoiler: Fortunately, Bill manages to get it back and Curly Sue wears it on her first day of school]]. Among the many trinkets that Curly Sue has in her traveling bag there is an old candy tin box with a vintage paper doll Valentine's Day card, dried flowers and a tattered picture of a woman presumed to be Curly Sue's mother inside.

* ProperTightsWithASkirt: Curly Sue is forced to wear those when Grey takes her and Bill to a nice restaurant and wears them again for her first day of school.

* SheCleansUpNicely: Subverted. Sue appears out of character and somewhat uncomfortable in the cute clothes Grey buys her. Bill also feels out of place in his new suit.

''Curly Sue'' is a 1991 comedy film written and directed by Creator/JohnHughes; his final film as a director before he withdrew from the public and his death in 2009.

''Curly Sue'' is a 1991 comedy film written and directed by Creator/JohnHughes; his final film as a director before he withdrew from public and his death in 2009.

''Curly Sue'' is a 1991 comedy film written and directed by Creator/JohnHughes; his final film as a director before he withdrew from public and his death 2009.

''Curly Sue'' is a 1991 comedy film written and directed by Creator/JohnHughes; his final film as a director.

Bill (Creator/JamesBelushi) and Curly Sue (Alisan Porter) are a father-and-daughter team of {{con artist}}s, who are taken in by lawyer Grey Ellison (Kelly Lynch) after she accidentally hits Bill with her car.

* AwardBaitSong: "You Never Know" by Ringo Starr.

* {{Flopsy}}: Bill tries to pull this on Grey, with Curly Sue playing the concerned bystander ("You've killed him!"). Then Grey accidentally hits him for real ("Now you've ''really'' killed him!").

* HateSink: Walker [=McCormick=] is an outright snobby businessman with zero redeeming qualities. He looks down upon the homeless Bill Dancer and Bill's surrogate daughter Curly Sue for being cared for by his fiancé Grey Ellison and ends up getting Bill arrested and Curly Sue sent into welfare to try to get rid of them. Both the loathing and remorseless traits he exudes only seals how detestable he is and makes Bill and Curly Sue all the more likable.

''Curly Sue'' is 1991 comedy film written and directed by Creator/JohnHughes; his final film as director.

* DepartmentOfChildDisservices: The social worker who apprehends Curly Sue gives the impression of being cold and methodical as opposed to the destitute but fatherly Bill; the home she is placed in appears to be a similarly cold, emotionless place and they also cut Sue's hair there.

* LikeASonToMe: [[spoiler: Bill loves Curly Sue as if she was his own biological daughter.]]

* EarnYourHappyEnding: [[spoiler: After dumping her selfish boyfriend, Grey bails Bill out of jail and manages to get custody of Curly Sue. Bill decides to stay by Curly Sue's side even after she is finally given a proper home. Grey and Bill start a relationship and Curly Sue is finally able to go to school and have a normal, happy childhood.]]

* TookALevelInKindness: Curly Sue wasn't exactly mean although she had poor manners and becomes more polite when Grey takes her in.
* TragicKeepsake: Curly Sue always wears a tin ring that belonged to her late mother until it gets stolen and pawned by one of their roommates at a shelter. [[spoiler: Fortunately, Bill manages to get it back and Curly Sue wears it on her first day of school]]. Among the many trinkets that Curly Sue has in her traveling bag there is a tin box with a vintage paper doll Valentine's Day card, dried flowers and a tattered picture of a woman presumed to be Curly Sue's mother inside.

* CallingParentsByTheirName: Curly Sue explains why she calls her father Bill: "Well...If I'm in a crowded place and I yell...'Dad!' 50 guys would turn around. If I yell 'Bill!' maybe two will turn around. It's a timesaver, really."

* AwardBaitSong:"You Never Know" by Ringo Starr.

* [[spoiler: HappilyAdopted: Grey manages to get custody of Curly Sue and her and Bill officially become Curly Sue's adoptive parents.]]

* EarnYourHappyEnding: Bill's girlfriend dies and he is left to take care of her baby. He and Curly Sue lose their house and wander around the country conning people to get money and food, Curly Sue can't go to school and Bill gets run over. Things take a turn for the better when they meet Grey, who takes them in and supplies them both with new clothes, decent meals and warm beds to sleep in. [[spoiler: Bill and Grey eventually start a relationship, Grey adopts Curly Sue, Bill gets Sue's mother's ring back and under Grey's care Curly Sue is able to go to school and have a normal, happy childhood]]

* OrphansPlotTrinket: The ring which belonged to Curly Sue's mother serves as an interesting variant of this trope. Sue and Bill are homeless, and the ring is stolen by another homeless man early in the film. Later, when Bill is missing, she is unconcerned, asking whether he left a note or a ring; as he left neither, she knows he'll be back, since he won't leave her without first recovering her mother's ring. [[spoiler:Near the end of the movie, he does leave both the ring and a note, and she's heartbroken... until she learns that the note says he is in the next room.]]

* TraumaticHaircut: At some point while in the custody of the child welfare authorities, Sue's trademark very long, curly hair is cut to about shoulder-length, which seems to also make it look poofier and Curly Sue makes it clear she hates it. "They cut my hair" are the first words out of her mouth when Grey comes for her.

* BerserkButton: Bill and Curly Sue won't tolerate someone hurting the other in any way.

* EveryoneHasStandards: Bill scams people for a living but disapproves of stealing money and apparently forbids Curly Sue from doing so.

* IChooseToStay: [[spoiler: According to Curly Sue, Bill's plan was to find a foster family and leave but Bill, having grown to love Sue as his own child decides to stay with her.]]

* OrphansPlotTrinket: The ring which belonged to the Curly Sue's mother serves as an interesting variant of this trope. Sue and Bill are homeless, and the ring is stolen by another homeless man early in the film. Later, when Bill is missing, she is unconcerned, asking whether he left a note or a ring; as he left neither, she knows he'll be back, since he won't leave her without first recovering her mother's ring. [[spoiler:Near the end of the movie, he does leave both the ring and a note, and she's heartbroken... until she learns that the note says he is in the next room.]]

* PapaWolf: Bill is very protective of Curly Sue and will hurt anyone who does her wrong in any way [[spoiler: as shown when he looks ready to beat up an older man who stole Curly Sue's ring]].

* EarnYourHappyEnding: Bill's girlfriend dies and he is left to take care of her baby. He and Curly Sue lose their house and wander around the country conning people to get money and food, Curly Sue can't go to school and Bill gets run over. Things take a turn for the better when they meet Grey, who takes them in and supplies them both with new clothes, decent meals and warm beds to sleep in. [[spoiler: Bill and Grey eventually start a relationship, Grey adopts Curly Sue, Bill gets Sue's mother's ring back and under Grey's care Curly Sue is able to go to school and have a normal, happy childhood.]]

* LittleMissBadass: Curly Sue is very tough and brave despite all the hardships she and Bill went through. [[spoilers: She only loses her composture when she is taken to a foster home and when she believes Bill is going to leave her with Grey.]]