In the 1986 movie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Ferris borrows Cameron’s father’s prized 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder. Worried about his dad seeing the change in miles on the odometer, Ferris promises his friend that they will be able to preserve the original odometer mileage on the vehicle when they get home.
After their day of adventure, they come home, lift up the car and leave it in place and put the car in reverse. They put a cinder block onto to the gas pedal, hoping that the odometer will go backwards, not revealing any of the mileage the kids put on the car. Of course, this plan doesn’t work.
When Cameron realizes that the miles aren’t coming off like they should, Cameron says forget it. As the car is still running in reverse, he unleashes his frustration about his father. He famously says, he’s got to take stand. He says he puts up with a lot of bullshit. His dad pushes him around and he never says anything. Cameron gets increasingly agitated and starts damaging his dad’s car.
He concludes, “I have to take stand. I have to take a stand against him. I’m not going to sit on my ass as the events that affect me unfold that determine the course of my life. I am going to take a stand. I’m going to defend it. Right or wrong, I’m going to defend it.”
Cameron then proceeds to kick his father’s car. As he furiously kicks the front of the car, he yells, “Who do you love? You love a car.”
After he calms down and accepts that he can’t hide what he did, he leans on the front part of the car. The metal bar holding the car in place in the garage breaks, propelling the car backwards, as it is still running in reverse, through the glass and down to the ground.
Everyone is shocked and Ferris tells his friend that he will take responsibility for it. Cameron insists on taking the blame himself.
I love the lessons in the scene. One it is important to take a stand and speak up when you feel mistreated. And two, it’s important to take responsibility for your life and own up to your bad choices.
