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Planes, Trains and Automobiles

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Not to be confused with Planes, Trains and Cars.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJohn Hughes
Written byJohn Hughes
Produced byJohn Hughes
Starring
CinematographyDonald Peterman
Edited byPaul Hirsch
Music byIra Newborn
Production
company
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • November 25, 1987 (1987-11-25)
Running time
92 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million[2]
Box office$49.5 million

Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a 1987 American road trip comedy film[3] written, produced, and directed by John Hughes and starring Steve Martin and John Candy, with supporting roles by Laila Robins and Michael McKean. It tells the story of Neal, an uptight marketing executive, and Del, a well-meaning but annoying salesman, who become travel companions when their flight is diverted, and embark on a 3-day odyssey of misadventures trying to reach Chicago in time for Neal's Thanksgiving Day dinner with his family.

The film was released on November 25, 1987 to critical acclaim, with many praising it for Hughes' deviation from teen comedies, as well as the cast performances. It was also a box office success, earning $49.5 million on a $15 million budget. The film has gained a cult following over the years, being a Thanksgiving tradition for many.[4]

Plot

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The route taken by Del Griffith and Neal Page in the film

In New York City, two days before Thanksgiving, advertising executive Neal Page is eager to return to his family in Chicago. After a prolonged business meeting with an indecisive client, Neal struggles to secure a taxi during rush hour. Although he bribes a man to give up a cab he has hailed, another man swoops in and takes it instead.

Neal arrives at LaGuardia Airport to discover that his flight is delayed. While waiting, he encounters Del Griffith, a chatty and affable shower curtain ring salesman who unknowingly took his cab. Del's overly friendly demeanor immediately clashes with Neal's uptight and repressed personality. Adding to his frustration, Neal's first-class seat is reassigned to a cramped coach seat—right next to Del—on the flight to O'Hare International Airport.

A blizzard in Chicago forces the plane to divert to Wichita, Kansas, leaving Neal and Del stranded overnight. At hotel check-in, they inadvertently swap credit cards. With only one room available, the two are forced to share a single bed. Frustrated by Del's irritating behavior, Neal loses his temper and harshly criticizes him as unlikable. Hurt, Del admits his shortcomings but asserts that he likes himself as he is, as does his wife. His response humbles Neal. While they sleep, a thief breaks into their room and steals their cash.

The next day, with air travel severely delayed, Neal purchases train tickets to Chicago for himself and Del, opting for separate compartments. He bids Del farewell, but their journey is interrupted when the locomotive breaks down near Jefferson City, Missouri, leaving passengers stranded in a field. Spotting Del struggling with his trunk, Neal decides to help, and the two reunite before traveling by bus to St. Louis. During a meal, Neal upsets Del by suggesting they continue their journey separately, leading to another parting of ways.

At the St. Louis Airport, Neal attempts to rent a car, only to find it missing when he reaches the lot. Infuriated, he delivers an expletive-filled tirade to a car rental employee, and then attempts to book a taxi to Chicago. He insults the dispatcher, who responds by punching him in the face. By chance, Del arrives in a rental car and offers Neal a ride. That night, Del nearly kills them when he inadvertently drives the wrong way on a freeway. After narrowly avoiding disaster and pulling over, Del's carelessly discarded cigarette ignites the car, setting it ablaze. Neal initially laughs, believing that Del is liable for the damage. However, Del confesses that he found Neal's credit card in his wallet, used it to rent the car, and then returned it to Neal's wallet, which is in the vehicle.

With his credit cards destroyed, Neal barters his expensive watch for a motel room but refuses to help Del. Unable to afford a room, Del attempts to sleep outside in the frigid temperatures and snow. Reflecting aloud, Del laments meeting someone whose company he genuinely enjoys, only to drive them away with his overbearing behavior. Neal feels pity for Del and invites him to share the room. The two bond over drinks, reminiscing about their chaotic journey.

On Thanksgiving, the pair continues their journey in the burnt car until the Illinois State Patrol impound it for being unroadworthy. Del persuades a truck driver to give them a ride to Chicago—albeit in the truck's refrigerated trailer. At a Chicago "L" station, Neal thanks Del for helping him get home, and the two part amicably. However, as Neal rides the commuter train, he reflects on Del's peculiar comments and silences during their journey. Troubled, Neal returns to the station and finds Del sitting alone. Del confesses that he has no permanent home and has been living on the road since his wife's death eight years earlier. Neal brings Del home with him and introduces his family to his new friend.

Cast

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Production

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Filming

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Planes, Trains and Automobiles began filming in February 1987 and lasted 85 days.[6][7] It was filmed mostly in Batavia, New York, and South Dayton, New York.[8] A scene that takes place in St. Louis was filmed at St. Louis Lambert International Airport.[9][10] There was also a scene in Braidwood, Illinois, at the Sun Motel, as well as a scene in Woodstock, Illinois, where the city's old courthouse was shown.[11] Rewrites Hughes did during filming made the amount of footage he shot much larger than the original screenplay needed, and the film's first cut was three hours and 45 minutes long, featuring a number of additional characters and subplots.[7] One key subplot about Neal's wife not believing him and suspecting that he is with other women was cut. The young man who robs Neal and Del was to be introduced as a pizza deliveryman who places a six-pack of beer on a vibrating motel bed, causing a can to burst when Neal attempts to open it.[7]

Soundtrack

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The soundtrack to Planes, Trains and Automobiles features a mix of rock and roll, country, and pop. The frenetic musical score by Ira Newborn makes extensive use of the folk song "Red River Valley," including a cover of Johnny and the Hurricanes' rock and roll version, "Red River Rock", performed by the British group Silicon Teens. Among other tracks is a cover version of "Back in Baby's Arms". The song, popularized by Patsy Cline, is performed by Emmylou Harris. Another popular song used in the movie is "Mess Around" written by Ahmet Ertegun and performed by Ray Charles.

A cover version of "Six Days on the Road" was used in the film, performed by Steve Earle & The Dukes. The film also featured the contemporary pop song "Modigliani (Lost in Your Eyes)" by Book of Love, using both the original single and the Requiem Mass Remix. A special instrumental version of "Power to Believe" by The Dream Academy, which the band recorded at Hughes's request, is extensively used in the film as Del's unofficial theme.

A cover of "Everytime You Go Away" performed by Blue Room is played over the final scene and the credits; Hughes planned to use Paul Young's well-known hit version but was denied the rights by the record company even though Young approved of Hughes's planned use of the song and wanted to see it included.[12] The soundtrack album was released in 1987 as a physical vinyl and compact disc, but has since gone out of print. It is available for download on iTunes.[13] "Everytime You Go Away" and "Power to Believe" were not included on the album (the soundtrack instead featured the original version of "Power to Believe" with lyrics). The instrumental version of "Power to Believe" was not released until 2014, when The Dream Academy included it on its compilation album The Morning Lasted All Day: A Retrospective.

Release

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Box office

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The movie opened in American theaters on November 25, 1987 (the day before Thanksgiving), and finished third for the weekend, grossing $7,009,482. After its first five days, the film grossed $10,131,242 and stayed in the top ten for seven weeks. The movie finished its 12-week American run on January 22, 1988, with $49,530,280.[14] The production budget was $15 million.[2] The film was released in the United Kingdom on February 12, 1988, and topped the country's box office that weekend.[15]

Reception

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Planes, Trains and Automobiles marked a widely noticed change in the repertoire of John Hughes, generally considered a teen angst filmmaker at the time.[16][17] It was greeted with critical acclaim upon release,[18][19][20][21] in particular receiving two thumbs up from Siskel & Ebert, with Gene Siskel declaring it Candy's best role to date. The film was featured in Roger Ebert's "Great Movies" collection, Ebert writing that it "is perfectly cast and soundly constructed, and all else flows naturally. Steve Martin and John Candy don't play characters; they embody themselves. That's why the comedy, which begins securely planted in the twin genres of the road movie and the buddy picture, is able to reveal so much heart and truth."[22] Leonard Maltin called the movie a "bittersweet farce", arguing that while the film was "hurt by an awful music score", Hughes "refuses to make either one (Martin or Candy) a caricature—which keeps this amiable film teetering between slapstick shenanigans and compassionate comedy."[23]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 93% based on 66 reviews, with an average score of 7.9/10. The site's critics consensus states: "Thanks to the impeccable chemistry between Steve Martin and John Candy, as well as a deft mix of humor and heart, Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a hilarious, heartfelt holiday classic."[24] On Metacritic it has a score of 72 out of 100 based on 22 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[25] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade "B+" on scale of A+ to F.[26]

Post-release

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Home media

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In October 2022, Paramount announced a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release. The release includes 75 minutes of deleted and extended footage, much of which was thought to be lost but was rediscovered and cleaned up from the John Hughes archive. It was released in the U.S. on November 22, 2022.[27][28]

Remake

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In August 2020, a remake was reported to be in development, with Will Smith and Kevin Hart as the leads.[29] In February 2023, Hart confirmed that the writing was already underway.[30]

In December 2022, it was announced that another remake film was in works with Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler in the leading roles.[31]

References

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  1. ^ "Planes, Trains and Automobiles (15)". British Board of Film Classification. December 7, 1987. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Dan Zinski (August 17, 2020). "Will Smith & Kevin Hart Starring In Planes, Trains & Automobiles Remake". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  3. ^ "PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES (1987) – AFI Movie Club". American Film Institute. July 3, 2024. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024. A hilarious road trip comedy
  4. ^ Jeremy Dick (November 26, 2020). "Planes, Trains and Automobiles Is Being Celebrated as the Ultimate Thanksgiving Movie of 2020". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on November 25, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  5. ^ "Giving Thanks for Planes, Trains and Automobiles". Morrill Memorial Library. December 1, 2016. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  6. ^ Greenwood, Marcia (November 22, 2021). "Thanksgiving movie 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' filmed in NY: Behind the scenes". Democrat & Chronicle. Gannett Co., Inc. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Hullfish, Steve (April 13, 2019). "ART OF THE CUT with Oscar winner, Paul Hirsch, ACE". Pro Video Coalition. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  8. ^ Greenwood, Marcia (November 22, 2017). "Planes, Trains and Automobiles filmed in Batavia: Behind the scenes". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  9. ^ "5 Movies With Locations in St. Louis". FOX2now.com. July 17, 2014. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  10. ^ Gordon, William A. (1995). Shot on This Site: A Traveler's Guide to the Places and Locations Used to Film Famous Movies and TV Shows. Citadel Press. ISBN 9780806516479.
  11. ^ "'Planes, Trains & Automobiles' motel in Braidwood site of prostitution bust, drug overdoses". WGN TV. March 29, 2019. Archived from the original on August 4, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  12. ^ "Paul Young on Twitter". Archived from the original on March 5, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  13. ^ iTunes Store Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved December 14, 2014.
  14. ^ "Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)". Box Office Mojo. Los Angeles, California: Fandango Media. Archived from the original on July 14, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  15. ^ "UK Weekend Box Office 12th February 1988 - 14th February 1988". www.25thframe.co.uk. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  16. ^ Mathews, Jack (December 15, 1987). "'PTA' Transports John Hughes Beyond His Teen Comedy Image". Los Angeles Times. p. 1. Archived from the original on March 25, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  17. ^ Carr, Jay (November 25, 1987). "'PLANES, TRAINS' NEVER GETS OFF THE GROUND". Boston Globe. p. 34.
  18. ^ Boyar, Jay (November 27, 1987). "PLANES, TRAINS' A PERFECTLY GOOFY COMEDY VEHICLE". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. D1.
  19. ^ Janusonis, Michael (November 27, 1987). "Flights of comedy, down-to-earth characters Martin and Candy are on a roll in 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles'". Providence Journal. Providence, Rhode Island. p. D-04.
  20. ^ Schickel, Richard (November 30, 1987). "Worst-Case Scenario: Planes, Trains and Automobiles". Time. New York City. Archived from the original on September 5, 2009.
  21. ^ Maslin, Janet (November 25, 1987). "Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  22. ^ Ebert, Roger (November 12, 2000). "Planes, Trains and Automobiles". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2020 – via RogerEbert.com.
  23. ^ Maltin, Leonard (2006). Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide. New York City: Signet Books. p. 1009. ISBN 0-451-21265-7.
  24. ^ "Planes, Trains and Automobiles". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on September 3, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  25. ^ "Planes, Trains & Automobiles". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  26. ^ "PLANES TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES (1987) B+". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on December 20, 2018.
  27. ^ "Planes Trains & Automobiles, Coraline, Silent Running, WarGames & LOTS more 4K Ultra HD news, plus Arrow, Imprint & Shout! Bow December BD slates!". Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  28. ^ "The Lost Version of Planes, Trains and Automobiles". YouTube. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  29. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (August 17, 2020). "'Planes, Trains & Automobiles' Gets Paramount Pictures Remake With Will Smith & Kevin Hart Starring; Westbook, Hartbeat Produce". Deadline. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  30. ^ "Kevin Hart updates fans on Planes, Trains and Automobiles remake with Will Smith | Virgin Radio UK". virginradio.co.uk. February 24, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  31. ^ "Drew Barrymore wanted to reunite with Adam Sandler for 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' remake". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
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