Underplayed Gems

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Planes, Trains and Automobiles poster
Directed by
John Hughes
Genre
comedy film, buddy film
Country
United States
Runtime
1h 34m
Rated
R
Rating
7.3 of 10 from 2,235 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

An uptight businessman and a talkative salesman get stuck together while trying to travel home for Thanksgiving. They face one disaster after another, from canceled flights to a burned car, and drive each other crazy along the way.

funnystressfulwarmfrustratingtenderwhimsicalannoyingheartfelt

What happens

Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a 1987 American road trip comedy film written, produced, and directed by John Hughes. The film stars Steve Martin as Neal Page, an uptight advertising executive, and John Candy as Del Griffith, an overly-friendly traveling salesman, who become unlikely companions after a snowstorm disrupts their travel plans. Stranded far from home, the pair embarks on a series of misadventures while attempting to get Neal home to his family in Chicago in time for Thanksgiving. Produced by Paramount Pictures and Hughes Entertainment, the film was shot primarily in New York state during 1987. Rewrites by Hughes and improvisation between Martin and Candy resulted in an initial cut that ran nearly four hours before being substantially shortened for theatrical release. The film's score was composed by Ira Newborn. Released on November 25, 1987, Planes, Trains and Automobiles was both a critical and commercial success. It grossed $49.5 million against a $15 million budget and received praise for its blend of comedy and sentiment, as well as the performances of Martin and Candy. Critics also noted the film as a departure from Hughes's then-established reputation for teen-oriented comedies. In the years following its release, the film developed a cult following and became closely associated with the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

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