Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)

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

Director:

John Hughes

Writer:

John Hughes

Stars:

Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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
Olivia Burnette	...	Marti
Diana Douglas	...	Peg
Martin Ferrero	...	Second Motel Clerk
Larry Hankin	...	Doobie
Richard Herd	...	Walt
Susan Kellermann	...	Waitress (as Susan Kellerman)
Matthew Lawrence	...	Little Neal
Edie McClurg	...	Car Rental Agent

Storyline

All that Neal Page wants to do is to get home for Thanksgiving. His flight has been cancelled due to bad weather, so he decides on other means of transport. As well as bad luck, Neal is blessed with the presence of Del Griffith, Shower Curtain Ring Salesman and all-around blabbermouth, who is never short of advice, conversation, bad jokes, or company. And when he decides that he is going the same direction as Neal....

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Plot Keywords:

thanksgiving | shower | shower curtain | bad luck | slob | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 November 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Filming Locations:

Batavia, New York, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$49,230,280 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Hughes Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jeri Ryan was cast, but her part was cut from the final release.

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Goofs

The length of Dell's cigarette when in the restaurant. (When Neil is about to tell him that he wants to travel alone.)

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Quotes

Neal: I'd like one room for the night.
Del: If you're upset, maybe we should get separate rooms.
Neal: You get your own room.
Hotel Clerk: Will you be paying with credit card?
Neal: Yes. I have a Visa card... Diner's Club card... and a gasoline card.
[he lays them out - all of them are burned]
Hotel Clerk: [chuckles] These aren't... these aren't credit cards.
Neal: Do you take cash?
Hotel Clerk: Forty-two fifty.
Neal: [lays money on the table] How about seventeen dollars...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

As the title Planes, Trains & Automobiles scroll across the screen, we hear the sound of them at the same time.

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Connections

Referenced in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #2.13 (2011)

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Soundtracks

"I Can Take Anything"
(1987)
(Love theme from Planes, Trains & Automobiles)
Written by David Steele, Andy Cox and John Hughes
Performed by E.T.A. featuring Steve Martin and John Candy

User Reviews

Consistently funny with some good adult sentiment

Neal Page is trying to get home in time for thanksgiving with his family. When his plane is diverted to Wichita due to heavy snow elsewhere he finds himself partnering up with shower curtain salesman Del Griffith. However Del is not Neal's immediate first choice for travelling partner and the two soon find that one misfortune after another wears their patience very thin.

While comedies have moved on to become more grosser and outrageous in order to tickle our dulled funny bone, PT&A manages it with what now seems like restraint but is really a good example of `wacky™' comedy, mixed with a good vein of sentiment and character. The plot is pretty good although some of it pushes the boat out to the unreal in order to get laughs – but this isn't a problem because it DOES get laughs, if it hadn't then it might have been an issue. Most of it is hilarious although some drags early on.

The deeper beauty of the film is how well controlled Hughes is in painting his emotions. Usually his stuff can be sickly sweet but here he mixes it well with the comedy. The relationship between Neal and Del is good and they both have things to learn (more so Neal), the hurt they inflict on one another is well done and not to the point that the comedy is stopped. Thankfully the two actors are good enough to carry it off. Martin is close to his manic best and Candy plays a loveable goof. The best scene to see them working is when Martin is laying into Del in the hotel room – the expressions on their faces (Candy esp) during this makes it hard not to feel anything. The support cast do good work whether it be now-famous cameos or just support cast but each character has their own little thing!

Overall I worry that modern audiences may have become so used to everything being so OTT and gross that this film may seem subtle (even though it isn't). However aside from that this is a very funny film that does have a good heart. Not a perfect film in any way but it does exactly what it says on the tin - it made me laugh hard but also had a believable emotional core.