14 Going On 30

''14 Going on 30'' is a 1988 American made-for-television comedy film broadcast by American Broadcasting Company and Buena Vista Television. It stars Steven Eckholdt as Danny, a fourteen-year-old boy who is infatuated with his teacher Peggy Noble (Daphne Ashbrook). Danny uses a "growth accelerator" to make himself appear older than his actual age in an attempt to seduce her. A similar age swap and nearly identical title appears in the 2004 film ''13 Going on 30'', and the earlier film may have influenced the latter. The TV film was directed by Paul Schneider.

Plot

14-year-old Danny O'Neil ( Gabey Olds) is madly in love with his teacher, Miss Peggy Noble (Daphne Ashbrook). Given the fact that she is engaged to the cold-tempered and vicious gym teacher, Roy Kelton (Rick Rossovich), who is nicknamed Jackjaw for his constant threat of breaking his pupils' jaws, Danny goes through his school days somewhat uninspired and suffers in silence.

One day, he oversees his geeky friend Lloyd Duffy (Adam Carl), an orphan who happens to live next door with his uncaring uncle Herb (Harry Morgan) and ditsy aunt May (Irene Tedrow), growing fruits with an experimental growth accelerator. Danny becomes obsessed with the idea of turning himself into a grown man with the same machine, in order to break up Miss Noble's engagement, as well as convincing her to give him a chance. Lloyd is reluctant to help him out, aware of everything that could go wrong, so Danny secretly breaks into his lab and uses his machine that very night, seeing that the timing was perfect, considering that his parents will be leaving the house for a week. Not caring about the potential consequences, he turns himself into a 30-year-old man ( Steve Eckholdt).

The next day, Lloyd immediately starts working on a machine with the opposite effect, so he can return Danny to his 14-year-old self. Meanwhile, Danny visits the high school to pursue Miss Noble. When he arrives, he is promptly mistaken for the school's new principal, Harold Forndexter, who should have arrived to take up his position that morning (the real Forndexter has been delayed, but due to a miscommunication the school was not informed). Playing along with their misconception, Danny not only impresses his assistant Louisa Horton (Loretta Swit) with the introduction of his new rules - which include having as much fun as possible - but also Peggy, who admires his youthful approach to life.

Lloyd, however, is having no luck with his attempts to turn Danny back to his younger age, as all of his prototype machines killed the tomatoes he used as test subjects. Lloyd is also becoming slightly jealous of Danny, who now seems to have total freedom, unlike Lloyd, who's stuck with an adoptive family that never wanted him, and he begins to openly wonder what it would be like to become a man too. Unconcerned with all this, Danny continues to pursue a relationship with Peggy. Much to the dismay of Kelton, she agrees to go on a date with Danny, Even though Kelton follows their every step. Peggy has a splendid evening with the new principal, and they almost kiss at the end of the night.

During a school dance, Danny finally convinces Peggy that Kelton is not right for her, and she breaks off the engagement. By this time, Lloyd has finally completed a working machine. But when he goes to inform Danny, he discovers that the 'Harold' persona has completely taken Danny over, and he refuses to change back, telling Lloyd that he likes his new body and life, and that he's never becoming Danny again. Immediately afterward, Danny and Peggy become a couple. Kelton, refusing to accept this, tries to find out more on Forndexter, and discovers that 'Harold' is an impostor. He immediately informs the police, who arrive quickly to arrest him, giving Danny no choice but to transform back into a kid. Lloyd meets with 'Harold' and lets him know that the machine is ready to change him back. Before leaving with Lloyd, 'Harold' meets with Peggy just before the police arrive to tell her he has to leave town for good, not revealing to her the truth about his real identity. Kelton, arriving with the police, barely manages to miss 'Harold'. Kelton gleefully informs Peggy of 'Harold's being a fraud and Peggy, realizing Kelton's true nature as a selfish jerk, hits "Jackjaw" in his own jaw, officially ending their relationship for good.

With Lloyd's help, 'Harold' manages to evade the police with just their bikes, and they make it back to Lloyd's lab, where 'Harold' is changed back into Danny again, just as his parents arrive back to the house. However, Peggy followed him and witnessed his transformation, now realizing the truth about 'Harold' and Danny. Because she has fallen in love with him, she convinces Lloyd to use the same machine to turn herself into a 14-year-old (Amy Hathaway), which enables her to be with Danny. Meanwhile, in order to escape his abusive family, Lloyd finally gives in to temptation and uses the machine to turn himself into a professor, called Mr. Lloyd (Sal Viscuso), and starts working at the same high school. He is introduced to Danny's class (now including the teenage Peggy) as Peggy's replacement by the real Harold Forndexter (Alan Thicke), who also announces that some of the changes made by the man masquerading as him are not bad and may actually remain in place at the school.

Cast

* Gabey Olds as Danny O'Neil at age 14
* Steve Eckholdt as Danny O'Neil at age 30, a.k.a. "Happy" Harold Forndexter
*Adam Carl as Lloyd Duffy at age 14
*Sal Viscuso as Lloyd Duffy at 30, a.k.a. Mr. Lloyd
*Irene Tedrow as May
*Patrick Duffy as Actor in a classic film
*Harry Morgan as Herb
*Loretta Swit as Miss Louisa Horton
*Alan Thicke as the real Harold Forndexter
*Dick Van Patten as Mr. Loomis
*Rick Rossovich as Roy "Jackjaw" Kelton
*Amy Hathaway as Peggy Noble at age 14
*Daphne Ashbrook as Miss Peggy Noble at age 30

Production

TBA

Reception

TBA

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:14 Going On 30
1988 films
1988 television films
American science fiction comedy films
Films scored by Lee Holdridge
Films about rapid human age change
1980s science fiction comedy films
1980s English-language films
Films directed by Paul Schneider (director)
1980s American films