# Planes, Trains, and Automobiles **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 26, 2008, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planes-trains-and-automobiles/474531 "2008-11-26T05:18:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planes-trains-and-automobiles/474531/1 "2008-11-26T05:18:32Z")
The movie is an excellent comedy, but I think it is a much better John Candy movie than a Steve Martin movie. That’s fine as the stoic Neal character really serves as the foe for John Candy to play off of. This is a really interesting comedy as John Candy and Steve Martin really do carry the entire movie. Even though the movie has a young Kevin Bacon as well as a cameo by Ben Stein, there aren’t any supporting actors of note in the sidekick role. I can’t imagine Thanksgiving without this movie! ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planes-trains-and-automobiles/474531/2 "2008-11-26T06:12:17Z")
My mom can cry just thinking about this movie. For some reason, John Candy’s character really struck a chord with her. I get it . . . but I’ve never cried at it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planes-trains-and-automobiles/474531/3 "2008-11-26T08:26:39Z")
I love this movie!!! This sequence (Especially the first couple minutes): [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7v0eth4XAM) Still make me laugh like a hyena. The first time I saw the movie (On VHS) I rewound and watched those two minutes like a hundred times. Still I laugh to crying when I see it. (In fact- just now I went through it a time or two 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planes-trains-and-automobiles/474531/4 "2008-11-26T08:39:58Z")
It’s been a tradition for me to watch this movie every Thanksgiving Eve. It’s one of those movies that is always funny no matter how many times you watch it. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planes-trains-and-automobiles/474531/5 "2008-11-26T17:52:12Z")
It had moments for me, but on the whole I found it pretty generic. The car rental scene, however, absolutely made it worth the $4 when I saw it in the theater. Though I don’t care for it overall, that scene definitely makes any of my Top 50 film comedy moments lists. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planes-trains-and-automobiles/474531/6 "2008-11-26T18:20:53Z")
> [@The\_Tof](#): > > I love this movie!!! > > This sequence (Especially the first couple minutes): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7v0eth4XAM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7v0eth4XAM) > > Still make me laugh like a hyena. The first time I saw the movie (On VHS) I rewound and watched those two minutes like a hundred times. Still I laugh to crying when I see it. > > (In fact- just now I went through it a time or two 🙂 ) Yep, best scene in the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planes-trains-and-automobiles/474531/7 "2008-11-26T18:35:33Z")
For John Candy, I think that _Only The Lonely_ is a better movie. But, this one has incredible moments. It’s a movie that I quote periodically, and no one in my peer group has any idea what I’m talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planes-trains-and-automobiles/474531/8 "2008-11-26T19:47:06Z")
I adore this movie. Who cares about the movie stars??? I grew up in Hinsdale. Steve Martin’s house/home/kids/wife might have well been from there, or Evanston, or Winnetka, or Lake Forest. Driving up Illinois highways in winter storms … been there, done that. The scene on the El tracks near the end … that was one of my old El stops in about 1986. Sniff! SAD !!! I’m crying! I need to go back to Chicago. I could never afford to move “home” and live in my so-called home town. But ChiTown still RULES. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2008, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planes-trains-and-automobiles/474531/9 "2008-11-27T03:40:33Z")
> [@FallenAngel](#): > > It had moments for me, but on the whole I found it pretty generic. The car rental scene, however, absolutely made it worth the $4 when I saw it in the theater. Though I don’t care for it overall, that scene definitely makes any of my Top 50 film comedy moments lists. Normally I don’t pick on people’s taste. but WHAT THE FUCK !!! This was one of the best comedies ever written and put on film. Generic? Damn. Wow. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2008, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planes-trains-and-automobiles/474531/10 "2008-11-27T07:01:45Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > …a young Kevin Bacon… He was 29. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planes-trains-and-automobiles/474531/11 "2008-11-28T03:49:46Z")
Best Film For Thanksgiving. (from another thread)