Summary

• Ferris Bueller's quotable lines add to its lasting legacy in high school movie discussions.
• Friendship between Ferris and Cameron highlights the importance of pushing boundaries.
• Principal Rooney's character serves as a foil to Ferris, questioning his influence on students.

The endlessly memorable Ferris Bueller’s Day Off quotes add to the movie's undying legacy. Any discussion of the greatest high school movies ever made will undoubtedly include a mention of Ferris Bueller. The whole film takes place over one day as three high school students ditch school and see the sights of Chicago. It is a simple premise, but Hughes is a masterful storyteller with a strong command of character and plot. Just as important, it's one of the most quotable movies ever made. When it comes to the best Ferris Bueller quotes, there are several still quoted decades later.

Nearly 40 years after it was released in theaters, Ferris Bueller's Day Off remains a beloved teen classic. A lot of this is thanks to the quotes from the movie, which include those by star Matthew Broderick, as well as his friends (Alan Ruck and Alan Ruck) and the incredible ing cast (with names like Jeffrey Jones and Ben Stein). While Ferris and his friends might have a more epic day away from school than most young students, the classic Ferris Bueller quotes can make anyone nostalgic for those high school days when anything seemed possible.

20 "He'll Keep Calling Me Until I Come Over."

Cameron (Alan Ruck)

The friendship between Ferris and Cameron is one of the highlights of the movie. They are clearly very close friends even though they are so very different. Unlike Ferris and his adventurous spirit, Cameron is morose and anxious. Yet having a friend like Ferris pushes him outside that comfort zone, which can be good for him.

Ferris is so persistent that Cameron knows it would be pointless to try and turn down his offer for an epic day off. It's part of why Cameron was likely okay after the film. Most people have a friend who is always making plans and encouraging others to come along on their adventures.

It is possible to sympathize with the dilemma that Cameron is in at this moment. Part of him just wants Ferris to leave him alone and he knows if Ferris wasn't calling he could stay in bed. However, there is a nagging part of him that is curious about what his friend has planned.

19 "What Is So Dangerous About A Character Like Ferris Bueller Is He Gives Good Kids Bad Ideas."

Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones)

As charming and fun as he is, there is a good argument that Ferris Bueller is the villain of the story. He can be perceived as a self-centered and manipulative person. In that case, Principal Rooney is a more heroic figure.

Taking a step back and examining his role in the movie, it is not so hard to see Rooney's point of why it is so important he makes an example out of Ferris. He worries about what kind of influence a kid like Ferris will have on students who have potential.

As the fans of this movie get older, they may find Rooney a more relatable character. He is not trying to stop Ferris from having fun just because he is a joyless adult. Rather, he sees the way the rest of the students look at Ferris and how brazenly he breaks the rules and starts to worry for his students.

18 "It’s His Fault He Didn’t Lock The Garage."

Ferris (Matthew Broderick)

One of the key elements in Ferris's grand adventure is taking Cameron's father's sports car out on the town. As they open the garage and look at the car, Cameron remarks how much his father loves it, while Ferris is just happy the garage is open.

Ferris's mischievous behavior cannot be condoned, but most young people have had those situations before. Though a situation might be wrong and just asking for trouble, if the opportunity is there, it can be hard to ignore.

Youth is a time for mischief and breaking some rules to a reasonable degree. Ferris is not a thief and would not break in to steal his friend's father's car. However, the mere fact that the garage is unlocked provides that area of youthful rationalization in which the blame falls off Ferris himself and is placed on those in charge for tempting him in such a way.

17 "They All Adore Him. They Think He’s A Righteous Dude."

Grace (Edie McClurg)

As fun as Ferris and his friends are to follow, the adult characters in the movie can be very funny as well. Grace, the receptionist at the school, is one of the standout characters with some hilarious moments of her own.

She even recognizes the popularity the students have for Ferris Bueller, explaining how much they love him. Her remark that he is seen as a "righteous dude," however, sounds like the typical older person trying desperately to show they connect to the younger generation.

Edie McClurg masterfully delivers this line with a sense of gleefulness at getting the chance to talk this way and total obliviousness about how silly she sounds. As much as the adults in the movie might have a point about reigning in some of Ferris' behavior, there is also a theme about older generations simply not understanding young people.

16 "Les Jeux Sont Faits. Translation: The Game Is Up. Your Ass Is Mine."

Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones)

Principal Rooney makes for a great antagonist for Ferris in the movie. He abandons his whole day to track down this troublesome student and catch him in the act of skipping school. While these escapades mostly backfire on Rooney, he does go in with a lot of confidence.

When confronting someone he thinks is Ferris, he makes this assertive tough-guy line only to realize it is a girl with a similar haircut as Ferris. Once again, the older audiences get, the more they can see themselves in Rooney's position at various times.

Those moments of confidence turning into humiliation are the kind of memories that haunt people forever. While the wayward principal finds himself in a lot of awkward situations in the movie, this is one that is especially painful because of how real it is.

15 "One Of The Worst Performances Of My Career, And They Never Doubted It For A Second."

Ferris (Matthew Broderick)

As Ferris Bueller goes through his various preparations for pulling off his "homesick" scheme, there is the sense that this is not the first time he has done something like this. And while he is a loving son, Ferris is an expert at lying to his parents.

Of course, most children have lied to get out of doing something they didn't want to do, including going to school. Ferris being able to judge his performance and be amazed that it worked speaks to how much experience he has. It also shows that he might be as devious as his detractors claim he is.

Lying to parents is something that most people are not proud of once they grow up a little and look back. However, it is easy to being in Ferris' position and not getting too worked up about stretching the truth and hiding certain facts. Getting away with it is also a great feeling as kids often take pride in their effective deceptive skills.

14 "You’re Not Dying. You Just Can’t Think Of Anything Good To Do."

Ferris (Matthew Broderick)

Cameron is a great character as he is the total opposite of his best friend, Ferris, and he feels like the more typical John Hughes character. He is also home from school on the fateful day of the story, but instead of playing out a fun-filled day, he is in bed feeling sorry for himself.

Cameron feels so sick that he believes he might die. But of course, it’s all in his head, as this Ferris Bueller quote points out: "You’re not dying. You just can’t think of anything good to do." It’s easy to get those two things mixed up.

Similar to Rooney, Cameron isn't the fun character that everyone wishes they were, but there are likely a lot of people who see him as the more relatable character. He is filled with the kind of anxiety and angst that troubles many people in their daily lives, not just teenagers. Sometimes having someone to put things into perspective is all these people need.

13 "Ferris Bueller, You’re My Hero."

Cameron (Alan Ruck)

There are times when Ferris Bueller feels almost like a superhero in the incredible things he can pull off and maintain a positive attitude at all times. However, Cameron is the one who can help remind the viewer that Ferris is just a teen and make him relatable again.

After pretending to drown and be rescued by Ferris, Cameron sarcastically calls Ferris his hero, making the rare times Ferris is caught off-guard in the movie. As with most scenes, the audience follows the story through Cameron.

Cameron is an essential character in the movie as he grounds Ferris. There is a magical aura around Ferris that other people see, but Cameron knows him better than most and likes to poke through the epic reputation to remind his friend that he is not as impressive as the world seems to think. Just as Ferris lifts Cameron up, Cameron is there to bring Ferris back down.

12 "The Question Isn’t, 'What Are We Going To Do?' The Question Is, 'What Aren’t We Going To Do?'"

Ferris (Matthew Broderick)

While few people have ever accomplished as much as Ferris Bueller did with a day off, everyone can relate to that feeling of endless possibilities with a free day ahead of them. As Ferris looks out over the day ahead, he sees it as an epic journey where anything is possible.

When younger, those days when students were able to escape a day of school and have some fun were like wish-fulfillment. Even if all they did was sit at home and watch television, it felt like anything could happen.

It helps to make Ferris Bueller's Day Off one of the most nostalgic movies of all time. It perfectly captures that idea of the world being laid out in front and a perfect day to do anything. Even though the stakes are low, the movie makes the day out to be one of the most important adventures of these characters' lives.

11 "If I’m Going To Get Busted, It Is Not Going To Be By A Guy Like That."

Ferris (Matthew Broderick)

Another reason the audience so easily comes to love Ferris is that he is incredibly confident. Throughout his day off, as he darts across Chicago, he’s sure that he’s not going to get caught. That confidence remains strong even when he comes up against a rude maître d' at a fancy restaurant that isn't buying Ferris's story.

His friends worry that he’s gone too far, but Ferris delivers two brilliant nuggets of wisdom: “A, You can never go too far. B, If I’m gonna get busted, it is not gonna be by a guy like that.”

Once again, it is not that Ferris is right in this situation, but it is easy to see his side of things. He has lied his way this far and for this man to suddenly stand in their way is too much for his ego to take. With a protagonist this entertaining, it is no wonder that fans are still calling for a Ferris Bueller sequel after so many years.