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 | blonde | thrown from a train | 

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Taglines:

It's the Most Hilarious Suspense Ride of Your Life!

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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:

Okotoks, Alberta, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$6,500,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$51,079,064, 31 December 1977

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

During an areal zoom in shot, the car's name shows "Elgin Manor" and then you see George at the window buttoning up his shirt and then looking up. This was sleeper car #14325, built by Budd Car Company and AMF from November 1954 to April 1955. Each "manor" car was configured with 3 sets of upper/lower berths, 4 single bedrooms, 6 double bedrooms, 2 common washrooms and a common shower. In 1977, all manor sleepers were acquired by VIA rail and renumbered from 14### to 8### - this car was renumbered to 8325.

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Goofs

The train was supposed to be traveling through the American Midwest. Filming was done in Alberta Canada and in one scene the train passes a small town with a grain elevator which is plainly marked "Alberta Wheat Pool".

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Quotes

George Caldwell: You like my new shoes?
Hilly Burns: Yes I do. Why don't you take them off?

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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

Featured in A Century of Black Cinema (2003)

User Reviews

My comments are based on many viewings of this film

Silver Streak would appear on a favorites list for me, top 50 maybe, certainly top 100. It's a movie that I've encouraged my children and grandchildren to watch. I might add that they liked it too. The plot is good with action and suspense. Certainly it's not the kind of action one sees in today's films but that's fine with me. There's no gore and no fantastic acrobatics or fights, but this film is never boring.

While the story is light and has plenty of funny moments, it shouldn't be labled "comedy" despite what your video store may say. It's an action adventure movie with good doses of comedy and romance. Gene Wilder, Jill Clayburgh, Richard Pryor, and Ned Beatty each do a nice job outside of preconceived notions. The musical score isn't bad either.