Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

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:

Flashback | Surprise After End Credits | Electronic Music Score | Cigarette Smoking | Husband Wife Relationship

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 | Netherlands:AL | Iceland:L | Canada:14A (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:PG | 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, Neal Page (Steve Martin) races a character played by Kevin Bacon for a taxi. Later, Neal phones his wife to tell her that he has been delayed (again), in the background, you can here the fight from She's Having a Baby (1988) (also directed by John Hughes) between Bacon and Elizabeth McGovern, when she screams that she doesn't like his friend's girlfriend.

Goofs:

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

Quotes:

Gus: Del Griffith! How the hell are ya?
Del: Well, I'm still a million bucks shy of bein' a millionaire.
[Both laugh]
Del: Gus, I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine. This is Neal Page from Chicago. Neal, this is Gus Mooney.
Neal: Hi.
Gus: Glad to meet you, Nick.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Fuck (2005)

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).