Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > Taken for a Ride (1996)

Taken for a Ride (1996) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
8.6/10   39 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 99% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Jim Klein
Contact:
View company contact information for Taken for a Ride on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
6 August 1996 (USA) more
Genre:
Documentary more
Plot:
How the American auto industry engineered the demise of city public-transit systems. | full synopsis
Awards:
1 win more
User Comments:
Terrific! The whole seamy in-depth story behind the corporate assassination of America's streetcar and trolley systems. more

Cast

  (Credited cast)
Jim Klein ... Narrator
Renee Montagne ... Narrator
Bradford Snell ... Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Alfonsie ... Himself
Joseph L. Alioto ... Himself
Jim Holzer ... Himself
Barney Larrick ... Himself
Edwin 'Jay' Quinby ... Himself (archive footage)
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
52 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Filming Locations:
Detroit, Michigan, USA more

Fun Stuff

Quotes:
Narrator: In the mid-1930s, GM worked hard to create the impression of a nationwide trend away from rail. But there was no trend. Buses were a tough sell. They jolted. They smelled. They inched through traffic. City by city, it took the hidden hand of General Motors to replace streetcars with Yellow Coach buses... more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful:-
Terrific! The whole seamy in-depth story behind the corporate assassination of America's streetcar and trolley systems., 8 March 2000
10/10
Author: Louis Rugani (x779@webtv.net) from United States

America once enjoyed the world's finest rail transit services. The electric railway systems ... the streetcar, trolley and rapid transit lines ... were safe, clean, fast, frequent, and on time. And then, very suddenly it seemed, most of them were gone, vanished, to be replaced by smoking, lumbering motor buses and ever-widening roads and highways. "Progress!" exclaimed the officials; but as the years passed and traffic congestion worsened, rumors and legends began to circulate, disturbing tales of immense behind-the-scenes power and influence that had come into play in dooming the nation's efficient electric rail lines.

And then a hard-hitting, still-talked-about "60 Minutes" television report on the topic in December, 1986 clarified and coalesced all those persistent, if unfounded, urban legends into a saga of corporate greed, political manipulation and nationwide corruption. It wasn't obsolescence that condemned the rail systems, said the report ... it was "murder by intent".

Finally the tale was told. And a decade later came "Taken For A Ride", a masterful documentary on the now-revealed story. We see the subliminal propaganda devices ... rare posters, ads and film clips extolling the coming glories of internal-combustion transit. Still-surviving witnesses tell of their experiences in the changeover efforts. Cases where resistance was mounted are related. Unforgettable before/during/after imagery is everywhere.

It's a see-and-see-again film, a brave effort that names names as it gives the viewers just one more example of how faceless, far-off corporate entities can change our lifestyles. Highly recommended to all, not just transit advocates and historians.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Taken for a Ride (1996)

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Speedy Hot Water Who Killed the Electric Car? Executive Target Trolley: The Cars That Built Our Cities
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Documentary section IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.