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, Richard Pryor, Jill Clayburgh

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Wilder	...	George
Jill Clayburgh	...	Hilly
Richard Pryor	...	Grover
Patrick McGoohan	...	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 | train movie | black comedy | thrown from a train | sex on a train | 

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of two movies released in 1976 directed by Arthur Hiller. The other was W.C. Fields and Me (1976).

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Goofs

When Devereau is leaning out of the locomotive and about to be beheaded, in the last shot of the engine heading toward him, you can see the two Silver Streak locomotives already passing.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Red Cap: Yes, sir, where to?
George: It's the train to Chicago. The Silver Streak.
Red Cap: Silver Streak! I'll take your bags sir.

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Alternate Versions

When Silver Streak was first shown on TV, it had scenes that were not in the home video version, such as:

• There's an extra scene of George and Rita talking. She inquires as to if he was riding hobo on the train.
• A longer scene of Rita and George taking off in the airplane.
• At the beginning when George arrives at the train station, the taxi driver comments that since George is going from Los Angeles to Chicago and a train that he must be a sucker for boredom.
• A scene where the Silver Streak is pulling into the Kansas City station, which takes place right before Grover and George rush in.

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Connections

Referenced in Celebrating Laughter: The Life and Films of Colin Higgins (2021)

User Reviews

By plane, by train, by the edge of your seat...

Silver Streak is directed by Arthur Hiller and written by Colin Higgins. It stars Gene Wilder, Jill Clayburgh, Patrick McGoohan, Ned Beatty and Richard Pryor. Music is by Henry Mancini and cinematography by David M. Walsh. It is the first of four films that Wilder and Pryor would make together. Story finds Wilder as book editor George Caldwell, who upon boarding the Los Angeles to Chicago train finds himself mixed up with art forgers who are only too happy to commit murder to keep their dealings quiet. Fun, frolics and high speed danger will follow.

Amiable film that just about manages to blend Hitchcockian thriller values with silly comedy shenanigans; even throwing in a good old rousing disaster movie staple for the last quarter. Even though Pryor doesn't feature until the halfway point in the piece, this is very much a film that succeeds due to the chemistry between himself and Wilder. Sure the action is well handled, and the other major players are performing well (McGoohan sinister/ Clayburgh sweet/Beatty ebullient), but it's noticeable that the film considerably picks up on comedy value once Pryor enters the fray. With that in mind, picture feels too long at just under 2 hours, but it's never less than entertaining and was popular enough with cinema audiences to ensure Wilder and Pryor would go on to make the wonderful Stir Crazy 4 years later. 7/10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 December 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Silver Streak

Filming Locations:

Okotoks, Alberta, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$6,500,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$51,079,064

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$51,079,064

Company Credits

Production Co:

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

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1