Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Favorite Fictional Character --- Sue Ellen Crandell


What's a 17 year old girl to do when her mother leaves the country for the Summer leaving a iron fisted babysitter in charge of her and her 3 younger siblings?  Even if she can figure that out, how is she supposed to cope when the babysitter drops dead?

Well if she is Sue Ellen Crandell, she stuffs the body in the trunk of a car and drops it off at the morgue, then she tries to have fun only to discover that being the one in charge isn't all fun and games after all.

When the food runs low and the cash disappears Sue Ellen is forced to get a job to make ends meet.  After a failed attempt at fast food, she bluffs her way into a executive assistant position with a uniform supply company.  Using her wits and a lot of luck Sue Ellen quickly becomes an asset to the company and even ends up coming up with the brilliant idea that will save the company.

During that Summer, Sue Ellen fell in love and did a lot of growing up.  She earned the respect of her boss and got the younger kids to act as a cohesive loving family.  She whipped the family into shape and discovered herself along the way.  When the Summer starts, Sue Ellen is a little selfish and overly impulsive, only thinking of what she can get out of the Summer.  By Summer's end, she is a confident, matured young woman who is starting to figure out what to do with her life after high school.  Of course it didn't hurt that she found a cute boy to share her time with.

Sue Ellen is the perfect example of the American teenager on the brink of adulthood who finds themselves having to grow up in ways they never imagined.  The fact that she does it with a style and wit of her own makes her a character to be remembered for generations to come.

9 comments:

Staci said...

I thought this was a funny movie actually.

Simcha said...

I used to love this movie, though I haven't seen it in years. Though I do occasionally find myself quoting the line "The dishes are done man!" It's amazing what sticks with us over the years :)

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

Oh, I love this movie! I think I've seen it at least eight or nine times, maybe more.

I love how she bluffs her way into that career and then somehow figures out how to shine.

Trisha said...

I adored this movie, so thank you so much for reminding me of it! It has been so long since "the dishes are done, man" has flitted through my brain.

Melissa (My World...in words and pages) said...

LOL I loved this movie. And to see how much she grows up so fast. Great movie. And she really makes a promising future for herself as well. :) Great pick!

Michelle Stockard Miller said...

You know, I didn't care for Christina Applegate for years...I guess because of her character on Married with Children so I never much liked this movie. Years later, I recognized how talented she is. Loved the Samantha Who? series (should not have been cancelled). I watched this again awhile back and actually liked it. Good pick!

Anonymous said...

I never saw this movie. Sounds like a fun one, though.

J.T. Oldfield said...

I was also going to mention the scene about the dishes! This is a really good movie!

Anonymous said...

I loved this movie was I was a teen. I adored Christina Applegate :)