As a die-hard fan of John Hughes’ movies and someone who has watched “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” more times than I can count, let me tell you that this movie is a masterpiece. It’s not just about the hilarious scenes or the memorable characters; it’s about the heart and soul that Hughes poured into every frame.
Over almost four decades since its debut, “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” has earned legendary status as a road trip movie, showcasing John Hughes’s brilliant comedic writing at its finest and setting a high standard for films set in the Midwest. The duo of Steve Martin as Neal Page and John Candy as Del Griffith delivered not just one of the most heartfelt and emotional endings from the ’80s, but also countless memorable scenes where things just keep getting progressively worse.
Here are 32 times things went hilariously wrong in Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
‘He Says We’re Going The Wrong Way’
Despite the usual short and uninteresting journey from St. Louis to Chicago for Neal and Del, this particular drive turned out to be anything but ordinary on their last night of their homebound journey. It extended significantly when Del, narrowly avoiding an accident, started driving in the opposite direction on the highway, resulting in a close call with disaster.
Neal’s Wallet Is Turned To Ash
As they journey back to Chicago, if their rental car unexpectedly catches fire, Neal decides to keep his wallet secure in the glove box. However, when the fatigued travelers aim to book a room at a motel in central Illinois, Neal’s plan to pay for his trip home disintegrates along with his charred wallet and fused credit cards.
‘If I Wanted A Joke…’
In the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”, there’s plenty of slapstick humor where Neal ends up in painful or uncomfortable situations. It’s not unexpected that his hot-tempered personality and sharp tongue lead to him being hit and roughly handled when he annoys a taxi driver at the St. Louis airport, resulting in a punch and a tight grip.
102 Miles To Chicago, The Car Goes Up In Flames
Despite being relatively near, they were seemingly worlds apart – this was the reality for Neal and Del when their rental vehicle suddenly burst into flames, situated 102 miles south of Chicago. Unaware of the danger while discarding smoke on the highway, Del learned the hard way about the consequences of carelessness.
The Train Breaks Down
Following a late flight, a route change, an uncomfortable stay at a roadside inn, and an encounter with a mischievous youth, Neal and Del secure tickets for a train journey home. However, in some rural part of western Missouri, their train trip is cut short as the engine malfunctions, leaving them to trek through a frosty field instead.
Neal Discovers Del’s Big, Wet Mess
One intriguing aspect of the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is how quickly Del manages to create such chaos in the bathroom. This puzzling situation also occurs to Neal as he grapples with exiting a wet shower and locating a dry towel. Furthermore, it’s worth questioning why the counter was left in that state.
Neal And Del’s Plane Diverts To Wichita, Kansas
If an already late departure from New York isn’t troublesome enough, Neal’s return trip extends unexpectedly, significantly more than initially anticipated, as his flight is redirected to Wichita, Kansas, on account of a snowstorm in Chicago. Thus, the ordeal commences…
‘I Can’t Tell, The Speedometer Is Broken’
In every unforgettable journey by car, there comes a moment when the leading personalities encounter a traffic stop, and this event unfolds in the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” as Neal and Del approach their final stretch. During their interaction with the state trooper, John Candy’s character provides a side-splitting explanation that he can’t determine his speed because the speedometer was damaged in the fire from the previous night.
Del Reverses The Burnt Out Car Into The Hotel Room
In the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” the second hotel stay results in some heartwarming interactions between Neal and Del. However, it also culminates in one of the film’s most disastrous scenes when, unintentionally, Del drives the exhausted rental car backward into a room.
Neal Drying His Face With Del’s Underwear
It turns out Neal was using Del’s clean underwear instead of a towel to dry his face after a sleepy night, and he only realized it the hard way.
Making The Final Leg In The Back Of A Cheese Truck
As a cheese truck enthusiast, I can tell you that hopping a ride in one pales in comparison to most ordinary commutes. But let me ask you this: Have you ever experienced the journey to Chicago, snuggled up next to maturing cheese in the chilly winter air?
Neal Gets The Wrong Seat Assignment
It’s really frustrating when you have to endure a longer-than-anticipated delay for your homebound flight, but Neal learns the hard way that the ticket agent assigned him a coach seat instead of first class. And things don’t improve as he is seated next to an unwanted companion.
A Room With A View… And One Bed
Sleeping together in a motel room with a stranger can be unusual, but finding yourself cramped on a double bed with them in the heartland of Kansas, far from civilization, presents an entirely new experience. Yet, this awkward setup provides some of the most hilarious scenes in the film.
Del And Neal Are Robbed While Sleeping
In Kansas, closed doors offer little protection, since Neal and Del were burglarized even as they slumbered in their cluttered hotel room. Yet, there’s a silver lining: their credit cards remain intact. Could anything possibly go wrong with those, one might wonder?
Issues With The Shower’s Water Pressure
In a scenario we’ve probably experienced ourselves, you might find yourself stepping into a shabby motel along the highway in Wichita, ready for a shower. Unfortunately, the water pressure is disappointing. However, when it does arrive, at least it’s warm.
No Call Home, The Phone Is Locked
Since cell phones are non-existent in the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”, Neal finds it challenging to keep his wife updated. Unfortunately, on the last night of this journey, he couldn’t make long-distance calls as the rotary phone was locked, blocking any MCI outgoing calls.
Neal Loses A Race For A Taxi In Spectacular Fashion
Despite not being among Kevin Bacon’s longest films, his role in Footloose is a quick yet comical one where he competes with Neal to find a taxi. Steve Martin’s character, in this race, suffers an impressive loss and narrowly escapes death (the first of numerous close calls).
Del Electrocutes Himself
In the hotel, Del couldn’t locate a light switch before going to bed, so he decided to simply touch the bulb instead. However, his plan backfired when he accidentally received an electric shock in the darkened room.
Deal Heats Things Up In The Rental Car
It’s quite amusing that Del accidentally leaving his cigarette in the rental car’s backseat turned out to be a humorous incident. However, the ensuing fire and damaged possessions certainly put a damper on things. Yet, nothing can diminish the humor of Del attempting to remove his coat while driving on the highway.
Neal Walks Across A Highway And A Runway To Not Get A Car
Has Neal ever strolled along a bustling highway, traipsed through an active runway, and subsequently navigated a packed airport on Thanksgiving Eve before? Quite remarkably, he has. There’s a sense of pity for the fellow, yet it’s also incredibly absurd and amusing.
A Hilariously Tense Conversation At The St. Louis Airport
In a brief, yet impactful appearance in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”, I, as a fan, can’t help but admire Edie McClurg’s exceptional acting prowess. Just two years after her memorable role in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, she breathed life into the character of an exasperated rental car agent, skillfully enduring Del’s relentless use of a certain four-letter word.
Neal’s Client Takes FOREVER To Decide On An Ad, And Then Tables It
The initial scene from the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is a masterpiece. Despite Neal having no chance of reaching Chicago on the 6 p.m. flight from New York City due to his uncertain client, this certainly added to the problem. To pile on more misfortune, the client delays his decision until after the holiday.
No Rental Car In Spot V-5
Picture yourself strolling towards your rental car, looking forward to a pleasant 4.5-hour drive back home. Envision how frustrated you’d feel if, upon arrival, the vehicle was nowhere in sight – that’s the predicament Neal found himself in after his unsuccessful departure from St. Louis.
Nothing Goes Over Like ‘Three Coins In The Fountain’
As Neal and Del’s unusual trip towards Chicago seems to be improving, Neal inadvertently stirs up discontent among the bus passengers when he begins to sing “Three Coins in the Fountain.” While others seem to enjoy Del’s musical choices, this particular song is clearly not a favorite.
Neal And Del Accidentally Swap Credit Cards
A significant portion of Neal and Del’s predicament in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” can be attributed to the unintentionally swapped credit cards during their initial hotel payment. One amusing aspect is how John Hughes keeps the camera focused on these two cards for an extended period, allowing viewers to realize that this seemingly insignificant mistake will lead to more complications later.
‘My Dogs Are Barking’
When it comes to traveling, there’s an abundance of unspoken rules – one of the most significant being that you shouldn’t remove your shoes while flying high in the sky, confined in a metal tube filled with reprocessed air at 33,000 feet. However, it seems like this rule was never communicated to Del, as he not only takes off his shoes but also removes his socks. But then again, it looks like his feet are quite uncomfortable!
The Flight To Chicago Is Delayed
At the very start, Neal and Del encounter a hurdle before their journey as their 6 PM flight from New York City to Chicago gets delayed (a fact that didn’t come as a shock). However, this unforeseen event results in them spending extra time together, one of the film’s most amusing sequences.
The Interaction With The ‘I Don’t Have A Good Nature’ Attorney
In a John Hughes film, Neal Page is quite the arrogant character, but he pales in comparison to the unkind attorney encountered outside New York while trying to get a cab. If you were to open a dictionary looking for the definition of smug, this man’s expression would certainly fit the bill. However, it’s worth noting that he doesn’t put on any pretense of being a kind or even respectable person. (Paraphrased)
Del ‘Steals’ Neal’s Cab
Before we even get to properly meet Del Griffith, we get a wonderfully hilarious scene in which he “steals” Neal’s cab, the one he paid an exorbitant amount of money for just moments earlier. He didn’t know any better, so you can’t get mad at him. Plus, the face he makes when confronted at the next red light is the stuff of legend.
Issues With The Vibrating Bed
In the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” Neal Page recalls an unpleasant night spent in a shaky motel bed with Del, a memory that’s still fresh due to an unexpected spillage of Del’s beer cans on the bedsheets.
The ‘Back Where I Belong’ Wake-Up Scene
Neal and Del finding themselves in close quarters following a cozy night’s sleep is quite amusingly odd, and the scene continues to escalate with humor. The music, the palpable awkwardness, and their discussion about the Chicago Bears game turn this moment into an indelible, uproariously funny experience to behold.
Frozen In The Back Of A Pick-Up Truck
The part where Neal and Del are compelled to travel in a pickup truck (alongside an upset dog), to make their train from Kansas, is surprisingly humorous but also somewhat painful. The source of this discomfort becomes apparent if you simply observe their expressions once the chilly journey across the prairie concludes. Even the dog appears petrified by the cold.
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2024-12-05 17:38