History Film / PlanesTrainsAndAutomobiles

This 1987 film featured Creator/SteveMartin and Creator/JohnCandy in two of the best comedy performances of [[TheEighties the 1980s]]. It was written and directed by Creator/JohnHughes, best known for teen angst films until that time, and is regarded by many as his magnum opus. It is also Martin's favorite of his film roles to date and was reportedly Candy's as well.

* RealityEnsues: After being pulled over for speeding (due to not knowing the actual speed because of the melted speedometer, Del says that if the car is impounded due to being unfit for the road from the fire damage, he won't be able to get Neal home in time for Thanksgiving. The car is impounded anyway.

* NoSympathy: Outside of Del, no one really shows Neal much sympathy at all. The worst offenders are the people at the people at Marathon, including the cab dispatcher.

* ShoutOut: The movie Mrs. Page watches on TV early on in the film is actually Creator/JohnHughes' next film "She's Having a Baby."

* CaliforniaDoubling: Averted. The film was shot on location in New York, Missouri and Illinois.

* ClusterFBomb: Neal's passive-aggressive rant, which contains just about every variation on the word "fuck," to the car-rental clerk, who [[spoiler:[[BewareTheNiceOnes replies with]] a [[PrecisionFStrike laser-guided precision F nuke]].

* ClusterFBomb: Neal's rant. with a [[PrecisionFStrike laser-guided precision F nuke]] concluding Neal's rant, from the [[BewareTheNiceOnes single most unlikely source you'd ever expected it from]].

* HaveWeMet: Del encounters Neal at [=LaGuardia=] and is sure he recognizes him from somewhere. (He'd stolen Neal's cab earlier.)

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Neal's uptight and definitely something of a dick, but a lot of his tantrums can be put down to stress at his circumstances and the fact that Del, let's face it, is not the easiest of traveling companions. He's certainly genuinely devoted to his family.

* SadClown: Del. Not just because [[spoiler: it is revealed his wife is dead and he is alone and homeless]], but he's subjected to just as many travel catastrophes as Neal, but deals with it with good humor.

* BookEnds: Neal's client in New York mulling over the pictures.

* SmiteMeOMightySmiter: ''"You're messin' with the wrong guy!!"''

* StupidStatementDanceMix: A rare in-media example! The first time we hear this song is when Neal's luck reaches an all-time low once he [[spoiler: misses the fucking ride back to the fucking rental car headquarters and is fucking forced to walk down the fucking highway and across a fucking runway]], and again, during the first part of the closing credits, after "Every Time You Go Away."

--> '''Del:''' Funny enough, I was just talking to my friend about that. Our speedometer has melted and as a result it's very hard to see with any degree of accuracy exactly how fast we were going.

--> Del: I don't think I've ever seen a guy picked up by his testicles before...

--> Del: "I don't think I've ever seen a guy picked up by his testicles before …"

Uptight advertising executive Neal Page (Martin) just wants to get home to UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} for UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay. Unfortunately, every mode of transportation somehow fails him and he is stuck with Del Griffith (Candy), a traveling shower curtain ring salesman who won't shut up. Over the course of three days, through delayed planes, broken-down trains, and burned-out automobiles, Neal and Del progress from being at each other's throats to developing an [[OddFriendship unlikely friendship]].

Uptight advertising executive Neal Page (Martin) just wants to get home to UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} for UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay. Unfortunately, every mode of transportation somehow fails him and he is stuck with Del Griffith (Candy), a traveling shower curtain ring salesman who won't shut up. Over the course of three days, through delayed planes, broken-down trains and burned-out automobiles, Neal and Del progress from being at each other's throats to developing an [[OddFriendship unlikely friendship]].

Uptight advertising executive Neal Page (Martin) just wants to get home to UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} for UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay. Unfortunately, every mode of transportation somehow fails him and he is stuck with Del Griffith (Candy), a traveling shower curtain ring salesman who won't shut up. Over the course of three days, through delayed planes, broken-down trains and burned-out automobiles, Neal and Del progress from being at each other's throats to developing an [[OddFriendhship unlikely friendship]].

Uptight advertising executive Neal Page (Martin) just wants to get home to UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} for UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay. Unfortunately, every mode of transportation somehow fails him and he is stuck with Del Griffith (Candy), a traveling shower curtain ring salesman who won't shut up. Through delayed planes, broken-down trains and burned-out automobiles, Neal and Del progress from being at each other's throats to developing an unlikely friendship.

Uptight advertising executive Neal Page (Martin) just wants to get home to UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} for UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay. Unfortunately, every mode of transportation somehow fails him and he is stuck with Del Griffith (Candy), a traveling shower curtain ring salesman who won't shut up. Through delayed planes, broken down trains and burned-out automobiles Neal and Del progress from being at each other's throats to developing an unlikely friendship.

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* FollowTheLeader: Same with ''Film/{{Dutch}}'', another movie about a pair of dissimilar people from different class backgrounds struggling to get home to Chicago for {{Thanksgiving|Episode}} … And ''also'' written by John Hughes.