End of the Line (1987)When the closure of a railway is announced, employees commandeer a locomotive to get to corporate headquarters and confront the president. Director:Jay Russell |
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End of the Line (1987)When the closure of a railway is announced, employees commandeer a locomotive to get to corporate headquarters and confront the president. Director:Jay Russell |
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Kevin Bacon | ... |
Everett
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| Bob Balaban | ... |
Warren Gerber
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| Barbara Barrie | ... |
Jean Haney
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| Michael Beach | ... |
Alvin
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Judy Benson | ... |
Lucille
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Carroll Dee Bland | ... |
Chester
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| Wilford Brimley | ... |
Will Haney
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Clay Crosby | ... |
Gas Station Attendant
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Dan DeMott | ... |
Travers
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Trey Fancher | ... |
Tommy
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Henderson Forsythe | ... |
Thomas Clinton
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Armando Garza | ... |
Gonzalez
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Robert Ginnaven | ... |
State Trooper
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Lillian Grimes | ... |
Lucy
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| Levon Helm | ... |
Leo Pickett
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2 worker from a railway company realize that the company want to close the railroad track where they work. They steal an engine and travel thru America to the centre of the company to protest against the closing. While travelling they have a lot of adventurous moments. Written by Kornel Osvart <kornelo@alphanet.hu>
This delightful piece relates of an unscheduled jaunt aboard a locomotive "borrowed" by veteran trainmen Will Henry (Wilford Brimley) and Leo Pickett (Levon Helm) after their employer, Southland Railroad, shifts its manner of freight transport to the airlanes, resulting in the closure of a railyard in Clifford, Arkansas, with a subsequent loss to many in the small town of their livelihood. Freshman director Jay Russell, invited while attending a similarly fledgling Sundance Institute's workshop to develop his script, does so very effectively, with most of the filming taking place near his hometown of Little Rock, enabling Russell's strongly regional feeling for the South to aid him in composing a very personal, well-executed work. The locomotive is being taken by Will and Leo to Chicago, wherein the pair hope to present their grievances to the parent corporation's board chairman, and Russell formulates a recipe for some delicious humour, some satirical, during the adventure, with blessedly minimal slapstick, focussing not only upon the two railroaders but their waiting families, as well. A well-selected cast is aptly directed, with particularly strong performances from Kevin Bacon, Mary Steenburgen and Holly Hunter, the last two of whom gift the scenario with delicious comedic timing. With talented supporting players helping to make possible a successful blend of whimsy and the didactic, END OF THE LINE belies its rather low budget, assisted to a large extent by cinematographer George Tirl, who here intensifies the standard colour scale while utilizing a wide range of facial lighting to help in representing performers' thoughts.