Steve Martin, John Candy and Laila Robins in the John Hughes movie ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’

With the observance of the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States a little more than two weeks away, we are nostalgic for getting back home to spend time with family. The John Hughes movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) feeds into this with a touch of drama and comedy.

(Steve Martin as Neal Page in the John Hughes movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles).

The movie opens with advertising executive Neal Page, as portrayed by Steve Martin, looking to get back to his home in Chicago, Illinois from a business trip to New York City, New York. The act of getting out of the city and on his way back home is foiled by a series of experiences beyond his control. The annoying and comedic value of the delays inform Page’s outlook, which feels a bit bemusing to the character.

(John Candy as Del Griffith in the John Hughes movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles).

The incidents that placed Page in the initial foul mood intensified when the movie told us that there was but the single goal of getting home for the holiday. With the loss of good humor on the way to the airport relented to an increasing level of misadventure, the introduction of a jolly and Del Griffith intercepting Page’s mood first on the street outside a hotel. Later at JFK airport, the delight expanded into the expansion of a tale that saw Griffith, as portrayed by John Candy, traveling with Page.

(From left, Kevin Bacon as man running for taxi and Michael McKean as State Trooper in the John Hughes movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles).

The story has Neal and Del coming and going from one another’s paths, with air travel being a difficulty in getting to Chicago. A train ride to St. Louis, Missouri reunites and separates the pair, with that mode of transportation letting the pair down in their travels. Rental cars, testy interactions with the obstacles of reliable travel, and the pair is traveling again. Getting to a lowly state as the pair drives back east from St. Louis to Chicago by automobile, Del and Neal encounter a state trooper portrayed by Michael McKean.

(From left, Laila Robins as Susan Page and Steve Martin and Neal Page in the John Hughes movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles).

As disaster had struck the pair, with news of Neal’s responsibilities for that disaster having just been revealed, a legitimate question for how much can one man endure to get home for a holiday becomes the clear dramatic and comedic question. The serious question for whether Neal gets home to his wife, Susan Page as portrayed by Laila Robins. The movie does end on a happier note, with much of the shenanigans of the previous travels laid behind the travelers.

(From left, actor Steve Martin, actor John Candy and writer / director John Hughes onsite for the John Hughes movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles).

I found the movie humorous and lighthearted, despite the subject matter clearly aiming for a test where the boundaries for social limits should be drawn. As a movie clearly aiming for comedy with some mild drama mixed in, I found entertainment and happiness. Thus, I rate Planes, Trains and Automobiles as written and directed by John Hughes 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Paul Newman, George Kennedy and Strother Martin in the Stuart Rosenberg movie ‘Cool Hand Luke’

Set in central Florida of the 1950s, the Stuart Rosenberg directed movie Cool Hand Luke (1967) is a film adapted from the 1965 Donn Pearce novel named Cool Hand Luke. The central protagonist for this anti-establishment prison piece is Lucas ‘Luke’ Jackson, portrayed by Paul Newman.

(From left, Luke Askew as Boss Paul, Ralph Waite as Alibi, Warren Finnerty as Tattoo, Harry Dean Stanton as Tramp and Paul Newman as Lucas ‘Luke’ Jackson in the Stuart Rosenberg movie Cool Hand Luke).

We’re introduced to the character of Luke Jackson as he gets hauled off to a rural jail for a two-year sentence for cutting parking meters off their poles for what amounts to entertainment while drunk. We meet Alibi, Tattoo and Tramp brought into a chain gang prison camp by Boss Paul. Boss Paul, Alibi, Tattoo and Tramp are portrayed by Luke Askew, Ralph Waite, Warren Finnerty and Harry Dean Stanton, respectively.

(From left, Strother Martin as The Captain and Robert Donner as Boss Shorty in the Stuart Rosenberg movie Cool Hand Luke).

The audience meets stern warden, Captain, almost immediately in the prison camp. We meet Walking Boss Godfrey, ‘the man with no eyes’ and floorwalker Carr just as quickly, with Boss Higgins and Boss Shorty coming into the picture as the story moves into establishing the pecking order among the prison leaderships and guards, including Captain, Walking Boss Godfrey, Carr, Boss Higgins and Boss Shorty as portrayed by Strother Martin, Morgan Woodward, Clifton James, Charles Tyner and Robert Donner, respectively.

(From left, Anthony Zerbe as Dog Boy, Charles Tyner as Boss Higgins, Luke Askew as Boss Paul and Morgan Woodward as Walking Boss (aka Godfrey) in the Stuart Rosenberg movie Cool Hand Luke).

The notion of pecking order extends from the guards and into the inmates of the prison pretty quickly. George Kennedy won the Academy Award for role as Dragline in Cool Hand Luke. Luke runs afoul of Dragline immediately, as the top of the inmate pyramid for the chain gang prisoners is Kennedy’s character. It is when Luke is severely outmatched by Dragline in an impromptu boxing match of interest to the guards and inmates alike, followed by a bluffing himself to victory while gambling with a “real cool hand” that cements respect among the prisoners and attention from the guards.

(From left, Paul Newman as Lucas ‘Luke’ Jackson and George Kennedy as Dragline in the Stuart Rosenberg movie Cool Hand Luke).

An incident later with a rattle snake between Luke and Godfrey, aka Walking Boss, strikes a further note of anti-establishment for Luke Jackson the character. Adding the full-throated treatment of Luke’s relationship with his sick mother, Arletta, gave depth and resonance to the internal compassion and conflict that became so striking for the central character and themes explored through the movie. Jo Van Fleet portrayed Arletta.

(From left, Ralph Waite as Alibi and Dennis Hopper as Babalugats in the Stuart Rosenberg movie Cool Hand Luke).

Cool Hand Luke justifiably received much respect for a superior narrative, an indomitable will for a leading character, an ensemble cast of recognizable talent 55-years later, and a commendable anti-hero counterculture approach that fit the life and times of the period when the movie filmed in and portrayed. I grant Cool Hand Luke as directed by Stuart Rosenberg 4.5-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, March 12, 2022

Karen Black, Bruce Dern and Barbara Harris in the Alfred Hitchcock movie ‘Family Plot’

The last feature length movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock was Family Plot (1976). Based on the 1972 Victor Canning novel The Rainbird Pattern, Ernest Lehman adapted the comedy thriller for the movies. Enjoy with us this comedic look into this tale of con artists, serial kidnappers and the mystery of a missing heir set in California.

(From left, Barbara Harris as Blanche Tyler and Bruce Dern as George Lumley in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Family Plot).

The audience is introduced to fake psychic Blanche Tyler performing a fake reading with portrayal of deceased family members to wealthy, guilt-ridden matron Julia Rainbird. Rainbird has hired Tyler to locate her nephew, the illegitimate son of her deceased sister. The nephew was quietly given up for adoption, with traces of his existence, name and other relevant details lost to time. Tyler’s boyfriend, George Lumley, awaits Tyler in the driveway in the role of dutiful taxi driver in the driveway. Barbara Harris portrayed Tyler as Bruce Dern portrayed Lumley. Cathleen Nesbitt portrayed Julia Rainbird.

(Cathleen Nesbitt as Julia Rainbird in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Family Plot).

The first issue the audience notes is the introduction of comedy given the con being offered by Blanche and George, with scant clues for how to go about locating Julia Rainbird’s nephew. The promise of discretion and a nice finder’s fee keeps the couple pressing on, with George using some investigative skill to discover the boy apparently died with the name Edward Shoebridge while still young. Despite some ongoing bickering between the couple, George uncovers a lead that takes him to Joseph Maloney and his mother, as portrayed by Ed Lauter and Katherine Helmond, respectively.

(Ed Lauter as Joseph Maloney in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Family Plot).

Meanwhile, we in the audience are introduced to serial kidnapper and successful jeweler Arthur Adamson in San Francisco, along with his accomplice and live-in girlfriend Fran. We learn at the same time that Adamson is Shoebridge, who had murdered his adoptive parents and faked his own death. The latest scheme for Fran and Arthur involved the kidnapping of extravagantly wealthy dignitaries with a valuable and large diamond hidden in plain sight of a crystal chandelier hanging above the main staircase of the couple’s home. Karen Black portrayed Fran and William Devane portrayed Arthur Adamson aka Edward Shoebridge in Family Plot.

(From left, William Devane as Arthur Adamson aka Edward Shoebridge and Karen Black as Fran in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Family Plot).

Like any worthwhile movie offered by Alfred Hitchcock, the storylines intermingle with the required psychological tension to offer a compelling payoff for the awareness of cross purposes that one would expect. The compelling twists the bring Joseph Maloney and his mother back into the narrative brings about some cute circumstances, as does the nuanced point-of-views of many of the characters that have been traditional hallmarks for movies throughout our fair director’s career.

(From left, actor William Devane, actress Karen Black, director Alfred Hitchcock, actress Barbara Harris and actor Bruce Dern).

The resolution of the story comes to a naturally clever and fitting conclusion to the underlying mystery in an immensely cute, comedically satisfying, and almost unfair way that feels to me like a wink by the director who knew that this film, Family Plot, would be his final film. It is with this sense of nostalgia perhaps that I grant Family Plot as directed by Alfred Hitchcock 4-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, March 5, 2022

Clint Eastwood as star and director of the movie ‘The Outlaw Josey Wales’

A Western in a time when Westerns were out of fashion in the movie making universe, The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) was a successful bet for the Clint Eastwood company Malpaso Productions, earning well beyond its production budget in revenue following its release.

(Clint Eastwood as Josey Wales in the movie The Outlaw Josey Wales).

The Outlaw Josey Wales begins during the American Civil War with pro-Union militants from Kansas murdering the wife of Missouri farmer Josey Wales. Aiming for revenge, Wales learns to shoot a gun and joins pro-Confederate bushwhackers from Missouri. As the war comes to an end, treachery from the Union in orchestrating a surrender that Wales refuses leads to a massacre that sets the stage for the remainder of the plot for the film.

(Sondra Locke as Laura Lee in the movie The Outlaw Josey Wales).

Clint Eastwood plays Josey Wales. John Vernon as Confederate Captain Fletcher is setup in opposition to an unlikely band of post-massacre confederates of Wales, including Lone Watie as played by Chief Dan George, Paula Trueman as Grandma Sarah and Sondra Locke as Laura Lee. Fletcher, while arguably a reluctant adversary to Wales, becomes clearly a backer of the morally gray area that the film explicitly explores on the fringes of anything actually related to the subjects driving the conflict of the American Civil War.

(Chief Dan George as Lone Watie in the movie The Outlaw Josey Wales).

The elevation of Lone Waite, portraying a Cherokee native, and Ten Bears as a Comanche native, adds an interesting multi-cultural representation to the film that adds depth to the story told in The Outlaw Josey Wales. Will Sampson portrays Ten Bears.

(From left, Will Sampson as Ten Bears and Clint Eastwood as Josey Wales in The Outlaw Josey Wales).

In certain ways thematically more graphic than I was expecting, coming as I am to this film 44-years after The Outlaw Josey Wales was released, I found myself entertained by the film. With a running time at slightly more than two hours, I rate my experience with The Outlaw Josey Wales at 3.75-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, October 28, 2020