Mischief is a 1985 teen comedy film directed by Mel Damski.
Remember Happy Days, where there was this dorky High School guy named Richie who buddied up with a cool drifter named the Fonz in The '50s? Well, this is similar, but it has some sex in it.
This movie's dorky guy is Jonathan (Doug McKeon), who is friends with an extroverted nonconformist named Gene (Chris Nash). Shy Jonathan's goal is to win the heart of Marilyn (Kelly Preston), and possibly lose his virginity in the process. Gene, meanwhile, develops a crush on Bunny (Catherine Mary Stewart). What could possibly go wrong?
This movie provides examples of:
- Auto Erotica:
- Gene has some thoughts on which car brands to use for this purpose:Gene: Girls don't put out in Studebakers.
Jonathan: They don't?
Gene: No, Chevys, Mercs, and Fords are the best. But a Studebaker? That's worse than a DeSoto. - Later on, Jonathan and Marilyn do have a love scene in the aforementioned Studebaker, with some Questionable Consent on her part.
- Gene has some thoughts on which car brands to use for this purpose:
- Coming of Age Story: After the Sex as Rite-of-Passage and after the drama with Gene, Jonathan does a lot of growing up and comes out more mature.
- Distracted by the Sexy: Jonathan gets so distracted by Marilyn's beauty that he crashes his car through a fire hydrant.
- Fake-Out Opening: After the 20th Century Fox logo, the film briefly pretends to be a new Star Wars movie:A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... Ohio, 1956.
- Fanservice: Well, it is a sex comedy, so you have to have a scene where gorgeous Marilyn takes her clothes off for a sex scene with Jonathan.
- Game of Chicken: Gene and Kenny engage in one in which they drive their cars at each other. Neither backs down, resulting in both their cars geting damaged.
- The Glasses Gotta Go: After losing her glasses and braces, Rosalie is now acceptable dating material.
- Greaser Delinquents: Gene is a fairly stereotypical greaser, complete with motorcycle and James Dean obsession.
- High-School Dance: There's a prom at the end of the film. Marilyn dumps Jonathan so that she can go with her old quarterback boyfriend. Bunny goes with Kenny due to Gene's disappearance.
- In-Universe Soundtrack: A good deal of the soundtrack plays from radios or somewhere else. Three of them play during the sex scene from a record player in Marylin's bedroom. No joke.
- Male Gaze: Jonathan somewhat discreetly looks up Marilyn's skirt in class, resulting in some upskirt shots showing his POV.
- Malt Shop: It's a movie about teenagers in the 1950s, so of course, there's a diner where all the kids hang out.
- Mrs. Hypothetical: At one point, Bunny is shown dreamily writing her name with Gene's last name.
- Nothing but Hits: Pretty much the entire soundtrack consists of classic '50s hits from the likes of Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, and—yes—Elvis Presley.
- Poor Man's Porn: Jonathan reads nudist mags.
- Precision F-Strike: Jonathan tells this to Marilyn and her date to her prom before he breaks up with her.
- Quest for Sex: Jonathan's main goal in the movie.
- Raging Stiffie: Jonathan gets one in class, and then, the teacher orders him to stand up.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Marilyn tries to ask Jonathan if she can go to the prom with Tommy Yeager as a date, but instead receives a massive one from him, with him recalling that the football team was lousy, ending with a Precision F-Strike before breaking up with her.
- Sex Comedy: Made in The '80s and set in The '50s, just like Porky's.
- STD Immunity: Jonathan and Marilyn have unprotected sex with apparently no repercussions. Granted, it was just one time.
- Their First Time: Jonathan and Marilyn have their first sex with each other. It's Jonathan's first time ever having sex, but Marilyn is more experienced.
