win by performing the legendary "Triple Lindy" dive. Afterwards, Thornton learns from Diane that he has passed the examination with all D's, except for a single A from her. At the end of the school year, Thornton gives the commencement speech, advising the new graduates to move back in with their parents. Cast Rodney Dangerfield as Thornton Melon Sally Kellerman as Dr. Diane Turner Burt Young as Lou Keith Gordon as Jason Melon Robert Downey Jr. as Derek Lutz Paxton Whitehead as Dr. Phillip Barbay Sam Kinison as Professor Terguson Terry Farrell as Valerie Desmond M. Emmet Walsh as Coach Turnbull Adrienne Barbeau as Vanessa Melon William Zabka as Chas Osborne Ned Beatty as Dean Martin Severn Darden as Dr. Borozini Robert Picardo as Giorgio Jason Hervey as Young Thornton Edie McClurg as Marge Sweetwater Kurt Vonnegut as Himself (cameo) Danny Elfman as Himself (cameo) Production Harold Ramis suggested a rewrite to the script. The producers originally wanted Jim Carrey to play the role of Professor Terguson, but he was later rejected as he was deemed too young for the part. Reception Back to School was the 6th highest-grossing film of 1986, as well as the second highest grossing comedy film of the year, behind Crocodile Dundee (records state that in addition to the rental and theatrical gross it received, it went on to gross $108,634,920 globally). On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an 86% rating based on 37 reviews, with an average rating of 6.90/10. The site's consensus reads, "Back to School gives Rodney Dangerfield plenty of room to riff -- and supports the freewheeling funnyman with enough of a story to keep things interesting between punchlines." On Metacritic it has a score of 68 out of 100 based on reviews from 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale. Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times noted that "Dangerfield seems to be setting the film's brisk pace and flawless timing himself." Nina Darnton wrote in The New York Times that "the film is a good-natured potpourri of gags, funny bits, populist sentiment and anti-intellectualism." Roger Ebert's Chicago Sun-Times 3-star review described the film as "routine but pleasant", yet elevated by Dangerfield's persona: "This is exactly the sort of plot Marx or Fields could have appeared in. Dangerfield brings it something they might