 The film is based on a book that is very popular among junior high  and high school students. A school class was actually responsible  for Francis Ford Coppola (qv) making this film. A class voted  Coppola the director they would most like to see direct a film of  the book. The school sent a letter and a copy of the book to  Coppola. Coppola read the book and the letter. He was so moved, he  made both this film and _Rumble Fish (1983)_ (qv).