Back in 1985, Richard Donner had just directed The Goonies, the classic that would go on to define a generation with its charming humor and earnest desire to answer the call to adventure. Now, writer Todd Spence went on Twitter to share a funny anecdote about what happened after the cameras stopped rolling, when Donner only wanted to take a well-earned break from the production of the movie. After a full year of working with the cast, the filmmaker traveled to Hawaii in order to rest, but his plans wouldn't come to fruition. When he got to the resort where he was supposed to stay in, he could've never expected what would happen next.According to Spence, Steven Spielberg made it possible for the whole cast to travel to Hawaii as a prank to Donner, who was supposed to be stepping away from the team that made the film a reality. In the footage shared by Spence, a surprised Donner can be seen resting on a chair, when the stars from The Goonies appeared from behind him to greet him and hug him. With a smile on his face, Donner couldn't believe what was happening, appreciating Spielberg's effort of reuniting the Goonies family once more. Jeff Cohen can be heard telling the director that they would stay with him the whole time.In the 1985 classic, the Goonies are a group of children who live in the Goon Docks area of Astoria, Oregon, and their homes are facing the probability of being closed due to a nearby country club that is set to get an expansion. Believing an ancient pirate treasure to be hidden in the area, the children embark on a mission to retrieve it, thinking that the gold will be enough to save their homes from being taken from them. Their journey would lead them to discover that the nearby abandoned restaurant is actually the headquarters of a crime family, who would also like a piece of the treasure.
Richard Donner's Rich Legacy
Not only did Donner create a timeless classic with The Goonies, but he also had revolutionized the history of blockbuster cinema when he directed Superman: The Movie. Starring Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel, the movie was one of the first stories of its kind, featuring the heavy visual effects and melodrama that would continue to influence pop culture almost half a century after the film first flew into the big screen. The superhero hits of today could've never happened without the guidance of Donner's original epic, which made audiences truly believe that a man could fly.
You can check out the footage of the cast of The Goonies surprising Richard Donner below: