It sounds as though John Hughes was never really cut out for Hollywood from the start since he was more of a family man and didn’t really enjoy the party scene or the schmoozing that goes on behind the scenes. To be realistic the idea of having to get to know so many people and establish and maintain a vast network of people that you might know but are hardly ever around or don’t really connect with might be kind of difficult for those that enjoy a nice conversation over conversational chitchat that some folks tend to think of as meaningful. In this manner, John was never really the Hollywood type of guy. He enjoyed being with his family and might never have made his way to LA if not for the request that he make his way west in order to edit The Breakfast Club. After that, he stuck around for a few years but kept his home in Illinois for his family, who he would, later on, rejoin after meeting John Candy and getting the idea to buy up more land after visiting Candy’s farm in Ontario. To say that he managed to give us some of the best movies that we still remember to this day is more than fair, but it’s also important to realize that John wasn’t entirely happy in the city and he wasn’t someone that was bound to stick around forever, especially given that he had no qualms when it came to him telling people where he’d rather be.
It does sound as though he might have enjoyed the writing process far more than anything since this is what he went back to do at the end of his directing days, as he made his way back to Illinois where he would spend his final years as he passed away in 2009. Hughes suffered a massive heart attack while with his family in New York, but was taken back to Chicago to be laid to rest. Since his passing and even during his lifetime Hughes was the target of much discussion since his movies were thought by some to be in poor taste while others believed that they were quite amusing and even provocative in a lot of ways. To date, his movies have been viewed, remembered, maligned, and supported in equal measures since some folks happen to believe he was quite wise in what he was doing while others figure that he was just trying to get a reaction like any other director. To be fair, none of those ideas are wrong since every director does want to get a reaction, but he was rather astute when it came to certain subjects and could craft a movie in a very convincing way. But his head and his heart just weren’t in directing in LA since he was the type of guy that would be just as happy staying close to home, which is why he went back.
Some would say it’s because his final movie, Curly Sue, didn’t do that well, but this is kind of debunked by the fact that he didn’t need it to perform that well since he’d made a ton of money on his other movie ventures. Plus, the idea that LA could be detrimental to his kids might be laughed off by some folks since many upon many children that have grown up there have been successful, but it’s a personal matter with each individual. In short, Hughes wanted to go home and he wanted to raise his kids where he felt comfortable. He wanted his family, his home, and his peace of mind, which is hard to deny anyone when you really think about it. Hollywood isn’t for everyone, Los Angeles isn’t for everyone, and trying to explain away why Hughes stopped directing and moved back to Illinois is something that’s been on the minds of many people for years now. There are plenty of truths as to why he did this and why it was the best-case scenario for John and his family, but the reality of it is that some folks can thrive in Hollywood, and some simply get by and figure out to work the system as long as they can. John definitely was a family-oriented man that knew what he wanted and what he preferred, and when he saw the chance and the possibility of moving home he took it, and he took a large sum of money with him that could keep his family safe and secure for a long time to come.
He did plenty while he was in Hollywood, but it’s easy to think that there were times when he truly missed his home in the midwest and couldn’t wait to get back. Any other reasons that have to do with his leaving are usually a matter of opinion and perspective.
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