Silver Streak (1976)

On a long-distance train trip, a man finds romance but also finds himself in danger of being killed, or at least pushed off the train.

Director:

Arthur Hiller

Writer:

Colin Higgins

Stars:

Gene Wilder, Jill Clayburgh, Richard Pryor

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Wilder	...	George
Jill Clayburgh	...	Hilly
Richard Pryor	...	Grover
Patrick McGoohan	...	Roger Devereau / Devereau
Ned Beatty	...	Sweet
Clifton James	...	Sheriff Chauncey
Ray Walston	...	Mr. Whiney
Stefan Gierasch	...	Professor Schreiner & Johnson
Len Birman	...	Chief
Valerie Curtin	...	Plain Jane
Lucille Benson	...	Rita Babtree
Scatman Crothers	...	Ralston
Richard Kiel	...	Reace
Fred Willard	...	Jerry Jarvis
Delos V. Smith Jr.	...	Burt (as Delos V. Smith)

Storyline

A somewhat daffy book editor on a rail trip from Los Angeles to Chicago thinks that he sees a murdered man thrown from the train. When he can find no one who will believe him, he starts doing some investigating of his own. But all that accomplishes is to get the killer after him.

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Plot Keywords:

train | love | murder | book | police | 

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Taglines:

Nothing can stop the Silver Streak

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 December 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

El expreso de Chicago

Filming Locations:

Brea, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

SEK 13,792,885 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Frank Yablans Presentations, Miller-Milkis Productions, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

First of two consecutive comedy thrillers written by Colin Higgins. The second released two years later was Foul Play. Higgins conceived "Silver Streak" in mid 1974 when he was traveling by train from LA to Chicago.

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Goofs

As the train enters the station after the cars have been uncoupled, it crosses all the way to the right hand side and enters the station on the last approach track, but when it cuts to the next two shots tracks even further to the right of the train are visible.

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Quotes

Grover Muldoon: Who you lookin' for?
Cop: [shows Grover a picture of George] White guy.
Grover Muldoon: Well if I see any I'll let you know.

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Connections

Featured in Lørdagshjørnet: Gene Wilder (1978)

User Reviews

A very solid effort for the comedic duo of Wilder and Pryor

This is THE film to see, if you're a fan of either Gene Wilder or Richard Pryor. Although Pryor's stay in the film is rather short, it is perhaps his greatest comedic work outside of his monumental stand up routines. A combination, the Lady Vanishes, and slap stick, this film succeeds because it blends these elements together in a way that makes the flow easy and entertaining. These are situations and reactions to them, that we the audience can envision ourselves partaking in. They don't get crazy mad cap like in an Abbot and Costello film, and yet they don't take themselves too seriously either. A great end to the film, with a truly amazing crash through Chicago Union Station by a runaway Locomotive.