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Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
Director: John Hughes
Cast overview: Steve Martin, John Candy
Running time: 93 minutes
John Hughes' 1987 film sees Steve Martin as Neal Page, a fussy marketing executive who is trying to get home to Chicago from New York City in time for Thanksgiving. As per any comedy, the trip is far from smooth. Upon meeting shower-ring salesman Del Griffith at the airport - who had originally taken his cab accidentally - we soon find that the pair will have an interesting journey to say the least. Diversions and cancellations force them onto planes, trains and automobiles - see what I did there? - and the film becomes one of the best comedies ever, in my view.
John Hughes is known for his comedy films, such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Breakfast Club, and Uncle Buck, and this includes a script that is perhaps his best. The film is first and foremost a comedy, but also features very real and very effective drama. The motel scene is touching and heart-warming (I won't go into too much detail in case there are some that haven't seen it) and the ending had me in tears - proving how engrossed I had become and how likeable the characters were (even Neal Page becomes likeable after the start). It also shows Hughes' immense talent for writing real and believable situations interspersed with fantastic comedy.
I also think John Candy deserves praise for his wonderful performance. Sadly taken from us at too young an age, I feel he's an extremely underrated comedy actor - he played his roles so well and you can't imagine anyone else portraying Del Griffith with as much passion and drama. Martin and Candy also had a great on-screen chemistry.
The material here is just right, the acting is terrific, and it's just a great feel-good film (even if there are sad moments) that has a moral at its heart: treat others how you want to be treated. At least, that's how I see it. I can't recommend it highly enough, and it's one of my favourite films.
Quotes
Del: You wanna hurt me? Go right ahead if it makes you feel any better. I'm an easy target. Yeah, you're right, I talk too much. I also listen too much. I could be a cold-hearted cynic like you... but I don't like to hurt people's feelings. Well, you think what you want about me; I'm not changing. I like... I like me. My wife likes me. My customers like me. 'Cause I'm the real article. What you see is what you get.
Neal: You know everything is not an anecdote. You have to discriminate. You choose things that are funny or mildly amusing or interesting. You're a miracle! Your stories have NONE of that. They're not even amusing ACCIDENTALLY! "Honey, I'd like you to meet Del Griffith, he's got some amusing anecodotes for you. Oh and here's a gun so you can blow your brains out. You'll thank me for it." I could tolerate any insurance seminar. For days I could sit there and listen to them go on and on with a big smile on my face. They'd say, "How can you stand it?" I'd say, "'Cause I've been with Del Griffith. I can take ANYTHING." You know what they'd say? They'd say, "I know what you mean. The shower curtain ring guy. Woah." It's like going on a date with a Chatty Cathy doll. I expect you have a little string on your chest, you know, that I pull out and have to snap back. Except I wouldn't pull it out and snap it back - you would. Agh! Agh! Agh! Agh! And by the way, you know, when you're telling these little stories? Here's a good idea - have a POINT. It makes it SO much more interesting for the listener!
Car Rental Agent: [cheerfully] Welcome to Marathon, may I help you?
Neal: Yes.
Car Rental Agent: How may I help you?
Neal: You can start by wiping that ****ing dumb-ass smile off your rosey, ****ing, cheeks! And you can give me a ****ing automobile: a ****ing Datsun, a ****ing Toyota, a ****ing Mustang, a ****ing Buick! Four ****ing wheels and a seat!
Car Rental Agent: I really don't care for the way you're speaking to me.
Neal: And I really don't care for the way your company left me in the middle of ****ing nowhere with ****ing keys to a ****ing car that isn't ****ing there. And I really didn't care to ****ing walk, down a ****ing highway, and across a ****ing runway to get back here to have you smile in my ****ing face. I want a ****ing car RIGHT ****ING NOW!
Car Rental Agent: May I see your rental agreement?
Neal: I threw it away.
Car Rental Agent: Oh boy.
Neal: Oh boy, what?
Car Rental Agent: You're ****ed!
Trivia
Steve Martin's favorite film of his own.
The Marathon Car Rental scene is exactly one minute long from the time Steve Martin starts his tirade, to the time the attendant ends the scene. In that 60 seconds, the word "****ing" is used 18 times.
John Hughes shot over 600,000 feet ((180,000 meters) of film, almost twice the industry average. The rumored three-hour version of the film does indeed exist, although not in order - moreover it's a mess of footage that would take "months, maybe even years" according to Hughes to transform into an actual film. It is locked away in a Paramount vault, and according to Hughes, most of it has probably deteriorated by now.
Trailer
Director: John Hughes
Cast overview: Steve Martin, John Candy
Running time: 93 minutes
John Hughes' 1987 film sees Steve Martin as Neal Page, a fussy marketing executive who is trying to get home to Chicago from New York City in time for Thanksgiving. As per any comedy, the trip is far from smooth. Upon meeting shower-ring salesman Del Griffith at the airport - who had originally taken his cab accidentally - we soon find that the pair will have an interesting journey to say the least. Diversions and cancellations force them onto planes, trains and automobiles - see what I did there? - and the film becomes one of the best comedies ever, in my view.
John Hughes is known for his comedy films, such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Breakfast Club, and Uncle Buck, and this includes a script that is perhaps his best. The film is first and foremost a comedy, but also features very real and very effective drama. The motel scene is touching and heart-warming (I won't go into too much detail in case there are some that haven't seen it) and the ending had me in tears - proving how engrossed I had become and how likeable the characters were (even Neal Page becomes likeable after the start). It also shows Hughes' immense talent for writing real and believable situations interspersed with fantastic comedy.
I also think John Candy deserves praise for his wonderful performance. Sadly taken from us at too young an age, I feel he's an extremely underrated comedy actor - he played his roles so well and you can't imagine anyone else portraying Del Griffith with as much passion and drama. Martin and Candy also had a great on-screen chemistry.
The material here is just right, the acting is terrific, and it's just a great feel-good film (even if there are sad moments) that has a moral at its heart: treat others how you want to be treated. At least, that's how I see it. I can't recommend it highly enough, and it's one of my favourite films.
Quotes
Del: You wanna hurt me? Go right ahead if it makes you feel any better. I'm an easy target. Yeah, you're right, I talk too much. I also listen too much. I could be a cold-hearted cynic like you... but I don't like to hurt people's feelings. Well, you think what you want about me; I'm not changing. I like... I like me. My wife likes me. My customers like me. 'Cause I'm the real article. What you see is what you get.
Neal: You know everything is not an anecdote. You have to discriminate. You choose things that are funny or mildly amusing or interesting. You're a miracle! Your stories have NONE of that. They're not even amusing ACCIDENTALLY! "Honey, I'd like you to meet Del Griffith, he's got some amusing anecodotes for you. Oh and here's a gun so you can blow your brains out. You'll thank me for it." I could tolerate any insurance seminar. For days I could sit there and listen to them go on and on with a big smile on my face. They'd say, "How can you stand it?" I'd say, "'Cause I've been with Del Griffith. I can take ANYTHING." You know what they'd say? They'd say, "I know what you mean. The shower curtain ring guy. Woah." It's like going on a date with a Chatty Cathy doll. I expect you have a little string on your chest, you know, that I pull out and have to snap back. Except I wouldn't pull it out and snap it back - you would. Agh! Agh! Agh! Agh! And by the way, you know, when you're telling these little stories? Here's a good idea - have a POINT. It makes it SO much more interesting for the listener!
Car Rental Agent: [cheerfully] Welcome to Marathon, may I help you?
Neal: Yes.
Car Rental Agent: How may I help you?
Neal: You can start by wiping that ****ing dumb-ass smile off your rosey, ****ing, cheeks! And you can give me a ****ing automobile: a ****ing Datsun, a ****ing Toyota, a ****ing Mustang, a ****ing Buick! Four ****ing wheels and a seat!
Car Rental Agent: I really don't care for the way you're speaking to me.
Neal: And I really don't care for the way your company left me in the middle of ****ing nowhere with ****ing keys to a ****ing car that isn't ****ing there. And I really didn't care to ****ing walk, down a ****ing highway, and across a ****ing runway to get back here to have you smile in my ****ing face. I want a ****ing car RIGHT ****ING NOW!
Car Rental Agent: May I see your rental agreement?
Neal: I threw it away.
Car Rental Agent: Oh boy.
Neal: Oh boy, what?
Car Rental Agent: You're ****ed!
Trivia
Steve Martin's favorite film of his own.
The Marathon Car Rental scene is exactly one minute long from the time Steve Martin starts his tirade, to the time the attendant ends the scene. In that 60 seconds, the word "****ing" is used 18 times.
John Hughes shot over 600,000 feet ((180,000 meters) of film, almost twice the industry average. The rumored three-hour version of the film does indeed exist, although not in order - moreover it's a mess of footage that would take "months, maybe even years" according to Hughes to transform into an actual film. It is locked away in a Paramount vault, and according to Hughes, most of it has probably deteriorated by now.
Trailer