Forty years ago, Rob Reiner‘s career path took an unexpected turn with the success of Stand by Me. After starring on All in the Family, Reiner moved behind the camera to direct a pair of comedies: 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap and 1985’s The Sure Thing. An adaptation of Stephen King‘s 1982 novella The Body, Stand by Me represented Reiner’s first foray into dramatic filmmaking. The introspective movie centers on four classmates setting out to find the body of a boy who went missing in the woods. In addition to taking a more nostalgic tone than the darker source material, Stand by Me puts its focus on Wil Wheaton‘s Gordie, with Richard…
