Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)

Director:

John Hughes

Writer:

John Hughes (written by)

Release Date:

25 November 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Steve Martin had no reason to panic...until John Candy came along.

Plot:

A man must struggle to travel home for Thanksgiving, with an obnoxious slob of a shower ring salesman his only companion.

Plot Keywords:

Surprise After End Credits | Road Movie | Thanksgiving | Railway | Road

Cast

Steve Martin	...	Neal Page
John Candy	...	Del Griffith
Laila Robins	...	Susan Page
Michael McKean	...	State Trooper
Kevin Bacon	...	Taxi Racer
Dylan Baker	...	Owen
Carol Bruce	...	Joy Page
Olivia Burnette	...	Marti Page
Diana Douglas	...	Peg
Martin Ferrero	...	Second Motel Clerk
Larry Hankin	...	Doobie
Richard Herd	...	Walt
Susan Kellermann	...	Waitress
Matthew Lawrence	...	Little Neal Page
Edie McClurg	...	Car Rental Agent

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Ireland:15 | Iceland:L | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Netherlands:AL | South Korea:15 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #28537) | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Acton, California, USA

Company:

Hughes Entertainment

Trivia:

At the beginning of the movie when Steve Martin (Neal Page) races Kevin Bacon (Taxi racer), is a direct reference to the scene in the movie Quicksilver (1986) in which the character played by Bacon is racing someone on a bicycle.

Goofs:

Continuity: The length of Del's cigarette while he's singing in the car.

Quotes:

Neal: Eh, look, I don't want to be rude, but I'm not much of a conversationalist, and I really want to finish this article, a friend of mine wrote it, so...
Del: Don't let me stand in your way, please don't let me stand in your way. The last thing I want to be remembered as is an annoying blabbermouth... You know, nothing grinds my gears worse than some chowderhead that doesn't know when to keep his big trap shut... If you catch me running off with my mouth, just give me a poke on the chubbs...

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 50 Greatest Comedy Films (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I Can Take Anything

Martin & Candy make for a unique odd couple; hysterically funny holiday comedy

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES (1987) **** Steve Martin, John Candy, William Windom, Edie McClurg, Laila Robins, Kevin Bacon (cameo). One of my all time favorite comedies. Side-splittingly hilarious film by writer-director John Hughes about uptight advertising salesman Neal Page (Martin in a versatile comic turn) faced with many pitfalls in reluctantly traveling with obnoxious yet well-meaning shower curtain-ring salesman Del Griffith (Candy in arguably his best role) offering assistance and resulting in setback. Great scenes all around in this first-rate buddy road flick. Candy is bittersweet with his " I like me" moment but the best moments are him going down a highway the wrong way with two oncoming semis and Martin's priceless apoplectic moment at a car rental saying the "F" word 18 times (yes I counted! in fact I watched this video at least once a week for two years at college with my roommates laughing helplessly).