When people think of John Hughes, they think of teenage angst,
high school social issue films with some comedy thrown in. Specifically, people
think of The Breakfast Club and why
wouldn’t they? That film captures so authentically the outlook youth have of
the world and how their environment influences them, as well as being a great
study of characters and an overall tremendous coming-of-age story. But while
many would cite this as the greatest in Hughes’ repertoire, I happen to think
differently. One of his adult comedies works better not only in its great sense
of humour, but its ability to have deeper more meaningful themes and characters,
more universal than the ones depicted in The
Breakfast Club.
I’m
sort of breaking my rule for Back to the Feature here in that unlike the other
films I’ve reviewed for this series, I HAVE seen Planes, Trains, and Automobiles before. Not only that, it’s one of
my favourite comedies. But when else will I get to discuss it if not for
American Thanksgiving? The 1987 film is the quintessential road trip comedy and
I think certainly deserves more discussion than it gets!
The
film follows an unlikely pair trying to get home to Chicago from New York for
Thanksgiving. Steve Martin plays Neal Page a somewhat impatient stick-in-the-mud
executive whose flight home has to make an emergency landing in Wichita, Kansas
and determined to get home, winds up saddled with Del Griffith played by the
late great John Candy, a talkative, cluttered, irritating but optimistic
curtain ring salesman. The pair endure a series of mishaps in their attempt to
get home making for an array of incredibly funny moments and scenes, but also
rather surprisingly taking a turn for the serious every so often and tugging at
the heartstrings.
One
of the reasons I love this movie so much is having gone to school in Atlantic
Canada, I’ve had a few irritating flight delays to get home during the winter
season. Never quite to the extreme that Neal goes through, though I’ll note he
got home faster than I did one winter (I spent around three days stuck in
Toronto). So it makes the situation a lot more relatable and enjoyable. And I’m
not the only one to relate. The story was actually conceived by John Hughes
after a similar flight of his was rerouted to Wichita. And speaking of the
story, this is one of the best written comedy films ever! Hughes in addition to
writing great comedic banter and situations, develops the story and characters
in very interesting ways. Neither Neal nor Del is a complete embodiment of
stern straight man and annoying foil, rather each is gifted with a personality
that allows them to not only exchange those roles but feel like realistic
characters who are likable and understandably perturbed. The story is also
constructed in highly unconventional ways. While the plot moves along as a
series of episodes, none of them feel disconnected or unnatural. Contrary to
most odd couple comedy conventions, the big eruption of frustration takes place
at the end of the first act. This also feels more real, as though it can be
funny to build on an obliviously dysfunctional relationship, it wouldn’t take
long in these kinds of circumstances to crack and unleash the pent up rage.
Placing it here also allows the audience for the first time to see Del in a
sympathetic light, and permits the film greater opportunity to cultivate a
believable bond between the two and to have the plot concentrate on furthering
the comedy.
A
lot of the comedy does work because of these characters. They’re enjoyable,
serve the story, and are excellent performances by a pair of comedy greats. Steve
Martin is of course exceptional as Neal Page magnificently bringing out the
irritation and attitude of this straight man, but as Del Griffith this is the
best John Candy’s ever been! He brings the heart to the film amid all the
weirdness and is delightful as always. John Candy’s one of the few actors who
can just make your face light up as soon as he appears on screen and he does
that here despite his characters’ shortcomings. There’s a sadness to both
characters, but especially Del. He’s well-meaning, kind, and polite (I like to
think that like Candy, Del’s a Canadian) but just happens to be too talkative,
a tad irresponsible, and have obnoxious sleeping habits. One minute you want to
strangle him, the next you want to hug him. Candy gives his all to the
performance adding a bunch of little touches to make his character both funnier
and more endearing. It really makes you appreciate Del more and it reminds me
why I really miss John Candy who I still think is one of the greatest talents
Canada’s ever produced. And all this, in addition to his story by the end makes
him one of my favourite movie characters. He has his moments of real annoyance,
but I find his kindness and compassion enough that I’d love to have him as a
friend. I wouldn’t want to travel with him, but I’d invite him over for
Thanksgiving dinner.
Like most John Hughes films,
there’s an eccentricity to the comedy, and while this film doesn’t have as
heightened a prevalence of shenanigans as the Vacation movies for instance, there are still more than a few
moments of oddness and surreality. From quick bits like Neal paying a New York
lawyer fifty bucks for a cab, to elaborate sketches later on, including the
consequences to Del’s fooling around in a rental car. There are really smart
jokes and the amount of misfortune that befalls the characters is plausible,
just the worst luck in the world.
What Hughes puts these
characters through is just so entertaining and it is fun to see them suffer so
much, as awful as that may sound. It’s as if Neal’s been cursed. Nothing goes
right, there’s always another delay, everyone gets in his way, and as much as I
love Del, he does seem to be the demented equivalent of Neal’s guardian angel. A
lot of Neal’s misery comes from bad luck, but a lot also comes from run-ins
with assholes. From a flight attendant unwilling to waive Neal’s sudden economy
class seat but completely fine letting her boyfriend into first class, to Kevin
Bacon to Edie McClurg in a great cameo as a rental agent. There are a bunch of
nice little cameos in fact, including Michael McKean, Ben Stein, Martin
Ferrero, and even Ferris Bueller’s dad. And a lot of these minor characters
have their own bits of memorable weirdness, like Dylan Baker’s out-of-touch
hick who spits in his hand before shaking Neal’s, and Stein’s airport attendant
who may be taking sick pleasure in announcing so much bad news. And it all
amounts to some of the best comedy out there as the circumstances build. The
film which ought to be PG-13, has an R rating for one two minute scene
explosion. But it’s completely deserved, as it’s how any formerly sane person
experiencing this weekend would react, and it’s a nice, literal and repetitive
“fuck you!” to the censors.
There are surprisingly
meaningful themes in the subtext of this film, such as the importance of
family, loneliness, and growing friendship, and the way they’re conveyed
through the characters, dialogue, and humour is not indulgent. You feel the
bond of Neal and Del and how important it is to get where they’re going. Of
course it’s expected Neal won’t be a curmudgeon by the end, the Del Griffith
experience will have softened him, but because of the investment in these
characters and how much of a heart this whole journey had, it’s completely
earned. In the memorable speeches, the affecting tone, the rich but
contemporary musical score (a staple of John Hughes), we’re related significant
lessons of value, kindness, and sympathy with wonderful warmth. Particularly by
the ending. Without spoiling anything, it includes something of a reveal, but
the way the scene goes about it, mixing music, emotion, and recollection; and
the lead-in to the final incredibly sweet and satisfactory conclusion is
flawless. It’s one of my favourite movie scenes and one of the all-time best
endings.
As strange as it may sound
to say about a comedy, I think Planes,
Trains, and Automobiles is almost a masterpiece. It’s an amazingly smart,
funny, and touching story with memorable situations and endearing characters,
perfect for the holidays. For me it features one of my favourite movie scenes
and movie characters amounting to one of my favourite movies. John Hughes’ best
film, as well as Steve Martin’s and certainly John Candy’s, I believe is worth
seeing on Thanksgiving and any time of the year for some laughs, tears,
reflections, and meditations. And seeing as the only other Thanksgiving special
available is the very mediocre Peanuts
Thanksgiving, what else are you really going to watch??
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