Steve Martin plays Neal Page, a tight Chicago ad executive, and John Candy plays Del Griffith, a loud, friendly salesman, in a 1987 road comedy where the two become trapped together on a long trip back to Chicago for Thanksgiving. The film, made by John Hughes, runs 92 minutes and was shot mostly in New York state during 1987.
Trailer, via Paramount Movies.
A Snowy Start
The movie opens two days before Thanksgiving in New York City. Neal rushes to catch a flight home after a long meeting with a hesitant client. He bribes a man for a taxi, only to lose it to another passenger. Then a storm closes his flight, forcing him onto a crowded coach seat next to Del, who has unknowingly taken Neal’s cab.
Stranded in Wichita
A winter storm in Chicago forces the plane to land in Wichita, Kansas, where Neal and Del are left overnight in a hotel. They accidentally swap credit cards and end up sharing a room with one bed. Neal loses his temper at Del, who admits his faults but says he likes himself anyway. Later, a thief breaks in and takes their money.
From Train to Bus
Neal buys train tickets to Chicago for himself and Del, choosing separate rooms. He tells Del to stay behind, but the engine fails near Jefferson City, Missouri, and passengers are left in a field. Neal spots Del struggling with his luggage and helps him, and the two travel by bus to St. Louis.
The Road Trip
Del meets Owen, a rough man who offers them a ride in his pickup truck bed. Along the way, Neal meets Joy, his mother, and Susan, his wife, played by Olivia Burnette. Neal’s father, George O. Petrie, also appears as Martin, and Susan’s father, Richard Herd, shows up as Walt.
A Cult Following
The film became popular in later years and is now linked to Thanksgiving. It grossed $49.5 million against a $15 million budget.
The Short Cut
Hughes wrote the script, produced the film, and directed it. He also rewrote it with Martin and Candy, who improvised together. The final cut was shortened from nearly four hours to 92 minutes. The score was done by Ira Newborn.
“What he really wanted was to spend Thanksgiving with his family. What he got was three days with the turkey.”
The Verdict
The film balances comedy and feeling well, with both Martin and Candy giving strong performances. It stands apart from Hughes’s earlier teen comedies. The plot moves fast, and the road trip keeps the jokes coming without losing pace.
The film drags slightly in its middle stretch, and some scenes feel too long. But the central pairing of Neal and Del works because Martin plays Neal’s annoyance and Candy plays Del’s warmth without either side becoming too much.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a solid comedy with a strong ending. It earns its place as a Thanksgiving favorite through steady writing and a cast that commits fully to the material.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.
