Planes, Trains & Automobiles

It's two days before Thanksgiving in a business meeting in NYC. Neal Page (Steve Martin) is rushing to fly back home to Chicago. Right from the beginning, Del Griffith (John Candy) keeps getting into his way. Del is a shower curtain rings traveling salesman. Neal keeps running into Del as they are on the same plane. Bad weather and bad decisions seem to follow them every step of the way. It starts with a fun little sequence of Kevin Bacon outracing Steve Martin for the cab. Martin and Candy form a great odd-couple. Their chemistry makes this one of the best buddy comedies ever. Both are terrific. The jokes really start hitting when they step into the motel room. John Hughes breaks out of the teen comedy genre with a funny touching movie.

Very good comedy that has businessman Steve Martin trying to get home for the Thanksgiving holidays but having absolutely no luck. What is worse is that he cannot shake traveling salesman John Candy. The duo go through so many crazy situations trying to get Martin home and the question is will they survive the experience? The film is not all fun though as John Candy has a secret that will be discovered by the film's finale. John Hughes is at his best here. Along with "Home Alone" this is his best work. He adds outstanding comedy with just a pinch of real drama to create a really good film that keeps entertaining as the years pass by. 4 stars out of 5.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) **** (out of 4) This John Hughes comedy is in my opinion one of the greatest comedies ever made. I've probably seen this thing at least a dozen times but it never loses any of its laughs. To me this is a real comic masterpiece with Steve Martin and John Candy delivering two of the most memorable performances from any comedy. The way the two men work together is as great as any comedy team in history. Martin is especially brilliant in the way he uses his facial gestures to get laughs. The scene in the motel where they wake up together is one of the funniest scenes ever. Non-stop laughs and a highly touching ending makes this a wonderful little film.

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES (1987) **** Steve Martin, John Candy, William Windom, Edie McClurg, Laila Robins, Kevin Bacon (cameo). One of my all time favorite comedies. Side-splittingly hilarious film by writer-director John Hughes about uptight advertising salesman Neal Page (Martin in a versatile comic turn) faced with many pitfalls in reluctantly traveling with obnoxious yet well-meaning shower curtain-ring salesman Del Griffith (Candy in arguably his best role) offering assistance and resulting in setback. Great scenes all around in this first-rate buddy road flick. Candy is bittersweet with his " I like me" moment but the best moments are him going down a highway the wrong way with two oncoming semis and Martin's priceless apoplectic moment at a car rental saying the "F" word 18 times (yes I counted! in fact I watched this video at least once a week for two years at college with my roommates laughing helplessly).

Spoiler!!!! This film is Candy's best; too bad his career ended so early. Steve Martin (SNL) whose career started with a big bang, started to slowly die, and this was his last good film. Candy who never seems to get the roles or respect he deserved (this was a tailor made character). The results were hilarious. I love the scene where Candy and Martin (one of his first straight roles) kept looking at the bed in the hotel room, with that camera close up and music. Then Candy asks if he wants a shower; One of many great roles. The ending gets very serious, and we find that Martin actually has a heart. 8/10

Planes, Trains and Automobiles for me is nothing short of a classic. It is sentimental yes, but it is also very funny, heartwarming and touching. John Hughes does a great job with the direction, and the film looks beautiful with the cinematography truly lovely especially. The music is a nice touch, while the story is a beautiful and I think heartwarming one and the script is full of funny and poignant parts. Then there is the chemistry between Steve Martin and John Candy. These two are outstanding together, and individually both are wonderful, particularly Candy- to be honest I can imagine very few who can play the role as well as Candy did, he was well and truly one of a kind. Overall, wonderful and a classic. 10/10 Bethany Cox