Login
Written and directed by the inimitable John Hughes, 1987's Planes, Trains & Automobiles unquestionably lives up to its hype and reputation; it is one of the funniest and most heartfelt mainstream comedies in cinema history. Possibly Hughes's best movie, this is a heartwarming and endlessly enjoyable comedy about the importance of kindness and tolerance, and it effortlessly stands the test of time over three decades later. Before Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Hughes had only directed teen comedy films, with seminal movies like The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off establishing his trademark for mixing the humorous with the heartfelt, and for creating three-dimensional characters that viewers can care about. Easily on par with Hughes's beloved earlier pictures, Planes, Trains & Automobiles is a rare type of comedy for which the drama is an integral part of the story, but the weightier material does not compromise the pacing or the pervasive sense of fun. It's difficult to imagine this film having many detractors since it is impossible to dislike.
On the eve of Thanksgiving, Chicago marketing executive Neal Page (Steve Martin) only wants to leave New York City and return home in time to spend the holiday with his family. However, this ostensibly simple goal proves to be tricky, as Neal's plans are summarily derailed when his delayed flight is forced to land in Wichita, Kansas, due to a blizzard in Chicago. To make matters worse, Neal is perpetually stuck with the well-meaning but frustrating Del Griffith (John Candy), a slobby shower curtain ring salesman who never closes his mouth. After Del helps Neal secure a motel room in Wichita for the night, the two wind up stuck together despite Del consistently getting on Neal's nerves. Neal and Del set out to use any mode of transport available to get Neal home before the turkey leaves the oven, all the while facing drawbacks in the form of bad weather, robbers, vehicle breakdowns, and other assorted obstacles.
In the tradition of all the best odd-couple comedies, Planes, Trains & Automobiles forces two mismatched characters together as they navigate a neverending series of obstacles and annoyances beyond their control, forcing them to become dependent on one another. Thanks to Hughes's sharp writing and the two superlative lead actors, there are several standout comedic set pieces throughout the movie, and the pacing is exceptionally astute. The humour partly emerges from the outrageous nature of the many unfortunate situations, but it more directly derives from Neal and Del's reactions to each situation...and to each other. The dialogue is razor-sharp, and there are so many memorably uproarious exchanges throughout the picture. Hughes and editor Paul Hirsch (Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back) started with a mammoth three-and-a-half-hour assembly cut before whittling the film down to a more manageable 90 minutes while retaining the best material, ensuring that what remains is pure gold. The finished movie shows evidence of the extensive trimming (for example, Del has an unexplained black eye at the end), but it's not noticeable enough to cause a problem, and the resultant film remains astonishingly coherent and cohesive. Everything fits together perfectly, as Planes, Trains & Automobiles naturally flows from one set piece to the next. If anything, watching the reams of deleted material shows that the movie came dangerously close to not working, which is a testament to Hughes and Hirsch's editorial efforts during post-production.
"Those aren't pillows!"
Planes, Trains & Automobiles is primarily a comedic travel farce demonstrating that anything that can go wrong will go wrong, regardless of the mode of transportation. But it worked so well in 1987 and still works today because Hughes imbues the protagonists with real human emotions and flaws. Although Neal and Del are stereotypical character types, they are endearing and feel like real, three-dimensional people with distinctive personalities. It is possible to care about them and empathise with them despite their innate flaws. Additionally, several bittersweet and dramatic moments effectively tug on the heartstrings, and these scenes feel natural instead of forced, manipulative or contrived. The shifts between anger and compassion are astonishingly smooth, and the dramatic material does not feel perfunctory, nor does it grind the pacing to a halt. Although the movie is mainly concerned with the trials and tribulations of holiday travel, a theme of friendship and tolerance runs throughout Planes, Trains & Automobiles. Neal and Del's friendship is unlikely due to their respective personalities, yet the development of said friendship feels organic in the hands of John Hughes. As a result, the emotional payoff at the end is sensational. Admittedly, not everything works - Ira Newborn's score is repetitive and, at times, utterly grating, and a scene in an eccentric cab is somewhat weak - but Planes, Trains & Automobiles gets far more right than wrong.
Steve Martin is the straight man here, delivering a mostly restrained performance with outbursts of pure annoyance. Martin is very likeable, with his rants managing to avoid crossing over into mean-spiritedness - after all, you can understand why Del annoys him. Furthermore, Martin capably creates a character who tries to maintain his dignity and control his temper in extreme situations, which is very relatable and rings true. Starring opposite Martin, the late great John Candy is a standout, creating a memorable character with spot-on comic timing and a lovable doofus persona. Del drives Neal insane with his disgusting habits and irritating personality traits, but he is decent to his core, and his buffoonery hides hard-hitting loneliness and sadness. Candy manages to convey meaning and depth through mere facial expressions - for example, as Neal unleashes a tirade of insults in their Wichita motel room, you can see the palpable pain and hurt on Del's face that escalates with every point Neal mentions. It is fortunate that these two comedic legends appeared in a film together during their '80s primes, and it is even more fortunate that the material effectively serves both of them. Outside of Martin and Candy, nobody in the supporting cast receives much screen time to make an impact, but look out for Kevin Bacon, Michael McKean and Dylan Baker, who make cameo appearances.
Planes, Trains & Automobiles is a wonderful cinematic treat, and an annual viewing on Thanksgiving is a tradition for many households. Hughes relies on honest-to-goodness wit to generate the humour, making it a comedy movie in the classical mould, and the material is mostly PG and family-friendly except for Neal's legendary, side-splitting, profanity-ridden diatribe at the car rental agency. Although it does require a slight suspension of disbelief since the endless misfortunes are somewhat outlandish, the movie nevertheless works. With its endless highlights and a touching message about working together and appreciating others, this is a delightful film with infinite replay value. Be sure to keep watching until the end of the credits, where a joke from the film's beginning receives its brilliant punch-line.
9.0/10
