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IMDb > Goin' Down the Road (1970)

Goin' Down the Road (1970) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   346 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
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Director:
Writers:
William Fruet (written by)
William Fruet (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Goin' Down the Road on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 February 1972 (Hungary) more
Genre:
Plot:
Story of desolation as two friends travel from Nova Scotia to Toronto in hope of finding a better life... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
2 wins more
User Reviews:
Going Down the Road. Social Commentary of the 1960s -70s more (17 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Doug McGrath ... Peter
Paul Bradley ... Joey

Jayne Eastwood ... Betty
Cayle Chernin ... Selina
Nicole Morin ... Nicole
Pierre La Roche ... Frenchy
Don Steinhouse ... Boys At The Plant
Ted Sugar ... Boys At The Plant
Ron Martin ... Boys At The Plant
Max Jones
Dennis Bishop ... Loblaw's Clerk
J.R. Zimmerman (as Fred Zimmerman)
Stuart Marwick

Mary Black ... Peter's Aunt
Sheila White ... Girl in Record Shop
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Le voyage chimérique (Canada: French title)
The Maritimers (Canada: English title) (working title)
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Runtime:
90 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | USA:R (original rating)
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The car that Peter and Joey drive is a 1960 Chevrolet Impala convertible. more
Movie Connections:
References The Wild One (1953) more

FAQ

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5 out of 5 people found the following review useful.
Going Down the Road. Social Commentary of the 1960s -70s, 17 November 2006
9/10
Author: gooelf50 from Canada

I first saw this movie about 25 years ago and was absolutely struck by it's authentic feel. I'm about the same age as the 2 main actors, Doug McGrath and Paul Bradley and although I was born in Ontario, I clearly recall the tremendous influx of 18 - 25 year old men from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia during the 60s and 70s. I worked with several of them and as far as they were concerned, Ontario was the promised land. When they arrived, they were invariably stunned by the promise of it all. High wages, new cars, nice clothes, bright lights, and parties. Everything a boy from the pastoral East coast of Canada dreams of. They loved it all and were about the most friendly people you could ever hope to meet. They worked hard and loved to party.

At times, it was like there was a revolving door between Ontario and the Maritimes. Some of these young men were as steady as rocks and were destined to stay, marry, have children and live out their lives in Ontario. Others were impatient and quickly grew disillusioned. They'd simply pack up and move further West to the next new promised land, British Columbia. Still others came to Ontario with dreams of wealth and standing that they felt they could never attain in the Maritimes. When the dream failed to materialize, they returned to their East Coast homes, disappointed but happy that they gave it a try.

In retrospect, it was like I was caught in the center of a huge social experiment. The wave of young men from the maritimes came unexpectedly in the early 60s and and disappeared just as quickly in the early 70s. It was a period of global readjustment and personal introspection. People wanted to see if there was something more and went out to find it.

When I first happened upon this movie, I thought I was watching a documentary. It has the look and feel of a documentary and this effect is reinforced by the actors who deliver their lines in a manner that seems unrehearsed. The movie is a totally and completely accurate portrayal of the fate that met many young male adventurers from the maritimes.

This is a good movie. It shows up every few months in the wee hours of the morning. The next time you see the title, turn it on a prepare for an interesting trek through the social and cultural landscape of the 1960s.

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Is this an NFB film? dchristrev
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