Making the Grade is an American film which was released in 1984

1984 in film

-Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film....

. It was directed by Dorian Walker and written by Charles Gale and Gene Quintano

Gene Quintano

Gene Quintano is an American film actor, producer, writer and director best known for writing sequels to the hit film Police Academy and directing films such as Dollar For The Dead and Loaded Weapon 1, both starring Emilio Estevez. Quintano acted in two 3-D films during the early 1980s; Comin' At...

. It was filmed at Rhodes College

Rhodes College

Rhodes College is a private, predominantly undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Originally founded by freemasons in 1848, Rhodes became affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in 1855. Rhodes enrolls approximately 1,700 students pursuing bachelor's and master's...

 in Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....

.

Synopsis

Palmer Woodrow (Dana Olsen

Dana Olsen

Dana Olsen is an American actor, film producer and screenwriter. His written works include George of the Jungle, The 'Burbs and Inspector Gadget...

) is a rich, prep school kid who rarely attends class and has been expelled from numerous prep schools

University-preparatory school

A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...

. His parents are traveling internationally and inform him that he has been enrolled at Hoover Academy and he has one last chance to graduate or he will be cut off financially. Meanwhile, Eddie Keaton (Nelson) is a small-time con artist who has run afoul of a local loanshark named "Dice." Via a chance meeting, Woodrow hires Keaton for $10,000 and a Porsche

Porsche

Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....

 to attend his prep school and graduate, freeing Woodrow to travel to Europe for skiing.

Production notes

This film marks the first appearance of the Andrew Clay's

Andrew Dice Clay

Andrew Dice Clay is an American comedian and actor who played the lead role in the film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.Clay has been in several movies and has released a number of stand-up albums...

 "Dice" persona.

At the start of the film's final credits, the characters Palmer and Eddie are touted as returning in the upcoming movie, Tourista. However, after low theatrical interest in the duo and repeated missed deadlines (of which Olsen tried to contribute as a writer), the script for Tourista was never completed. The pair never teamed up in filmmaking again.

Cast

Actor	Role
Judd Nelson Judd Nelson Judd Asher Nelson is an American actor. He is best known for being a member of the "Brat Pack" in the mid-1980s; and for his roles as John Bender in The Breakfast Club, Alec Newbary in St...	Eddie Keaton
Jonna Lee	Tracey Hoover
Gordon Jump Gordon Jump Alexander Gordon Jump was an American actor best known as the clueless radio station manager Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson in the TV series WKRP in Cincinnati and the incompetent "Chief of Police Tinkler" in the sitcom Soap...	Mr. Harriman
Walter Olkewicz Walter Olkewicz Walter Olkewicz is an actor who played Marko in Wizards and Warriors and Coach Wordman in Making the Grade. He also guest starred in many TV shows including Night Court, Seinfeld, ER, and Who's The Boss...	Coach Wordman
Ronald Lacey Ronald Lacey Ronald Lacey was an English actor. He made numerous television and film appearances over a 30 year period and is perhaps best remembered for his villainous roles in Hollywood films, most famously Major Arnold Toht in Raiders of the Lost Ark.-Career:Lacey attended Harrow Weald Grammar School and...	Nicky
Dana Olsen Dana Olsen Dana Olsen is an American actor, film producer and screenwriter. His written works include George of the Jungle, The 'Burbs and Inspector Gadget...	Palmer Woodrow
John Dye John Dye John Carroll Dye was an American film and television actor known for his role as Andrew in the television series Touched by an Angel.-Early life:...	Skip
Carey Scott	Rand
Scott McGinnis Scott McGinnis Scott McGinnis is an American actor and director. He has starred in both films and television. McGinnis is best known by Star Trek fans as Mr. Adventure in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, where his character worked with Cdr. Uhura in the Spacedock transporter room...	Bif
Andrew Dice Clay Andrew Dice Clay Andrew Dice Clay is an American comedian and actor who played the lead role in the film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.Clay has been in several movies and has released a number of stand-up albums...	Dice
Dan Schneider Dan Schneider (TV producer) Daniel James "Dan" Schneider is an American songwriter, actor, writer, and producer of films and television. He is the co-president of his own production company called Schneider's Bakery....	Blimp