Voyage tous risques

Neal Page is trying to get home in time for thanksgiving with his family. When his plane is diverted to Wichita due to heavy snow elsewhere he finds himself partnering up with shower curtain salesman Del Griffith. However Del is not Neal's immediate first choice for travelling partner and the two soon find that one misfortune after another wears their patience very thin.

While comedies have moved on to become more grosser and outrageous in order to tickle our dulled funny bone, PT&A manages it with what now seems like restraint but is really a good example of `wacky™' comedy, mixed with a good vein of sentiment and character. The plot is pretty good although some of it pushes the boat out to the unreal in order to get laughs – but this isn't a problem because it DOES get laughs, if it hadn't then it might have been an issue. Most of it is hilarious although some drags early on.

The deeper beauty of the film is how well controlled Hughes is in painting his emotions. Usually his stuff can be sickly sweet but here he mixes it well with the comedy. The relationship between Neal and Del is good and they both have things to learn (more so Neal), the hurt they inflict on one another is well done and not to the point that the comedy is stopped. Thankfully the two actors are good enough to carry it off. Martin is close to his manic best and Candy plays a loveable goof. The best scene to see them working is when Martin is laying into Del in the hotel room – the expressions on their faces (Candy esp) during this makes it hard not to feel anything. The support cast do good work whether it be now-famous cameos or just support cast but each character has their own little thing!

Overall I worry that modern audiences may have become so used to everything being so OTT and gross that this film may seem subtle (even though it isn't). However aside from that this is a very funny film that does have a good heart. Not a perfect film in any way but it does exactly what it says on the tin - it made me laugh hard but also had a believable emotional core.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

**** (out of 4)

This John Hughes comedy is in my opinion one of the greatest comedies ever made. I've probably seen this thing at least a dozen times but it never loses any of its laughs. To me this is a real comic masterpiece with Steve Martin and John Candy delivering two of the most memorable performances from any comedy. The way the two men work together is as great as any comedy team in history. Martin is especially brilliant in the way he uses his facial gestures to get laughs. The scene in the motel where they wake up together is one of the funniest scenes ever. Non-stop laughs and a highly touching ending makes this a wonderful little film.

John Candy was a comic genius. He really was. Never was his talent on display better than it was in this film. John Hughes and John Candy went on to develop what I can only surmise was quite the friendship because Candy appeared in many Hughes films either as the star ( this one, Uncle Buck, Great Outdoors ) or with a cameo ( Home Alone, Vacation and a few others that I can't think of right now, but check the IMDb and you'll see that he did ). But of all the films that Candy did, including Stripes, I don't think he has ever been as good and as funny as he was in here. If there was any justice in the Academy ( and we all know that is an oxymoron, Academy and justice ) then Candy would have at least been nominated for best actor in 1987. I think Douglas won that year for Wall Street and he deserved to but Candy was brilliant in this film. It was a shame to see his career cut short because even in his bad films he was good. This is his best and most complete role. He will be missed but at least we have great roles like this to remember him by.

Planes.... is a film about one man trying to get home for the American Thanksgiving. He is Neil Page and he is played with perfect smugness by Steve Martin. He is a work-a-holic and his lifestyle is that of many John Hughes family men that live in suburbia Chicago. He lives in a huge house, much like the one in Home Alone and Weird Science, and his family is a beautiful one that consists of a lovely wife and three kids. But he is never home and for all of his success professionally, it is the kind of family that although is together now, it may not survive the fast approaching 90's if Neil Page continues his ways.

John Candy plays Dell Griffith. He is a jolly man, much like Santa Clause but without the beard and the old age. This is a man that carries a giant trunk around with him and is a constant chatter box. He is the kind of man that you know is good at sales, but on a lower level. He is too much of a slob to really be a corporate sales guy. Of course this Laurel and Hardy pair cross paths and from here on out Neil's simple task of getting home to his family for Thanksgiving is going to be a journey from hell.

First of all he loses his cab in New York rush hour to Candy who unwittingly steals it from him, then he is bumped from first class and ends up sitting next to Candy on the plane. Then they are delayed because of weather problems and what do you know, they end up spending the night together in not only the same hotel, not only the same room but the same bed. This presents all sorts of comic possibilities and Hughes doesn't miss one of them. His comic timing and development of the two characters is brilliant. Some of the best scenes are when the two are bantering and Candy is verbally assaulted by Martin. Martin goes off and says that he is annoying to listen to and then he says this: " You know I could sit through an insurance seminar and still look happy and the others would say how do you do it? And I would say, because I can take anything, I've been with Dell Griffith, and they'd say, " I know what you mean. Whooooo, shower curtain guy! " And as funny as that scene is, Hughes goes for more than the quick payoff of laughter. He then reminds you that this isn't just a comedy but a film with many layers and substance to it. Because the next scene has Candy delivering a monologue that almost makes you embarrassed for laughing at what Martin said.

But truth be told, first and foremost, this is a funny, funny film. And if anyone has scene it, they will tell you about the airport scene where Page has lost his rental car and he comes back and does what we have all dreamed of doing ourselves, he goes ballistic on the person behind the desk, who subsequently is Grace, from Ferris Bueller's Day Off. She must have been fired by Ed Rooney and now rents cars at airports for a living. She plays a desk clerk that has decided to take the Thanksgiving holiday a little sooner that she is supposed to. Martin comes in and she starts by saying, "Can I help you?" Martin replies, "You can start by wiping that f***ing dumbass smile off your rosy f@**ing cheeks. " From there he goes into an F-Word filled tirade about how her company left him in the middle of f***ing nowhere with f****ing keys to a f***ing car that isn't f***ing there. It is one of the funniest moments that I have seen in any film because you don't expect it from a Hughes film.

Planes... is a heart warming film about family, friendship and good will towards men. It is also a wickedly funny movie and it will stand the test of time and I think in 30 or 40 years from now, it may be looked upon as Hughes best film. Candy and Martin are wonderful in here and it is really a treat to watch them work together.

10 out of 10

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES (1987) **** Steve Martin, John Candy, William Windom, Edie McClurg, Laila Robins, Kevin Bacon (cameo). One of my all time favorite comedies. Side-splittingly hilarious film by writer-director John Hughes about uptight advertising salesman Neal Page (Martin in a versatile comic turn) faced with many pitfalls in reluctantly traveling with obnoxious yet well-meaning shower curtain-ring salesman Del Griffith (Candy in arguably his best role) offering assistance and resulting in setback. Great scenes all around in this first-rate buddy road flick. Candy is bittersweet with his " I like me" moment but the best moments are him going down a highway the wrong way with two oncoming semis and Martin's priceless apoplectic moment at a car rental saying the "F" word 18 times (yes I counted! in fact I watched this video at least once a week for two years at college with my roommates laughing helplessly).

I'm not sure who is responsible for bringing Steve Martin and John Candy together,but they are a genius in my book,and they were brought together with just the right material.This comedy from John Hughes is without question his best work as a director. I look at this film as a modern day Laurel and Hardy romp,which, incredibly was not included in the AFI's Top 100 comedies.It will cause you tears,both from laughter and it's touching ending.It is about two very different ways of life,clashing in the beginning, but slowly coming together from the realization they we are all human,despite our differences.It is becoming a tradition at the Williams household to view this movie every Thanksgiving.It is a must see,must own film. Thumbs up.