Steve Martin’s 1987 comedy movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles left a lasting mark on cinematic history with its unforgettable characters and timeless humor, earning recognition as one of the best movies of the 1980s.
Thirty-nine years after its release, the John Hughes-directed movie continues to receive recognition, earning spots on various lists of the best and most iconic films.
Among these was a ranking from Rotten Tomatoes, which named 185 Favorite ’80s Movies.
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles ranked No. 41 with a 93 percent Tomatometer score, which shows the percentage of critics who gave the movie positive reviews.
Moreover, the enduring charm of the comedy film earned it a spot on IndieWire’s 20 Best Thanksgiving Movies, where it took the No. 2 spot.
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Starring Steve Martin and John Candy as the lead duo, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles centers on the journey of Neal Page (Martin), a wealthy, high-strung marketing executive who is desperate to get home to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family in Chicago.
The trip turns into a holiday travel nightmare after the boisterous, talkative yet optimistic salesman Del Griffith (Candy) becomes his accidental travel buddy.
Because of the unpredictable weather, the mismatched duo had to find every available transportation option to get to their destination, transforming a three-day journey into an absolute disaster.
Despite a modest performance at the box office, with a global gross of $49.5 million against a production budget of roughly $15 million, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles achieved its holiday classic status and eventually became a cultural phenomenon.
Besides the undeniable chemistry between Steve Martin and John Candy, viewers were drawn to the perfect balance between the laugh-out-loud slapstick and the emotional depth and relatability of the film, which was based on the director’s personal experience.
Like Neal Page, Hughes worked in advertising and experienced a horrific real-life travel nightmare after flying from Chicago to New York for a morning presentation before attempting to return to Chicago by 5 p.m. the same day.
Unfortunately, the weather was so bad that his flight out of LaGuardia Airport was canceled and he was rerouted to Des Moines before being diverted to Denver, then Phoenix, resulting in a five-day journey back to Chicago.
“I finally got a flight that went to Des Moines, but Des Moines was snowed in, so we diverted to Denver,” he said in an interview, adding, “From Denver, I couldn’t get back to Chicago, so I stayed on the plane and took it to Phoenix. I told my boss, ‘Well, Phoenix is warmer.’ When all was said and done, it took me five days to get back to Chicago from New York.”
That chaotic trip ultimately inspired a beloved comedy that generations have continued to enjoy decades after its release.
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