Key Takeaways
- Planes, Trains & Automobiles airs only a few times this year, with the first showing before Thanksgiving on Nov. 27.
- The film can be streamed on Paramount+ and Pluto TV, with Pluto TV being a free option.
- Written and directed by John Hughes, the film is based on a real-life holiday experience he encountered.
Limited Airings of a Thanksgiving Classic
Planes, Trains & Automobiles, a beloved Thanksgiving movie, stars Steve Martin as Neal, an uptight family man, and John Candy as Del, a carefree salesman. This 1987 classic directed by John Hughes has become a holiday staple since its release. However, its airings this year are limited, contrasting with more frequently shown films like A Christmas Story and Home Alone.
For those eager to watch during the holiday season, the film will be broadcast on Showtime at 7 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 27. It will also air twice more on AMC: at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, and at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8. If these times are inconvenient, Planes, Trains & Automobiles can be streamed on Paramount+ or watched for free on Pluto TV, the latter offering ad-supported viewing.
A Look Behind the Film
Written and directed by John Hughes, renowned for his teen films like The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Planes, Trains & Automobiles marked Hughes’ transition into family-friendly fare. The idea stemmed from a personal travel ordeal Hughes experienced as an advertising copywriter. He recounted, “This movie is based on an incident that actually happened to me… I set out from New York to Chicago on Thanksgiving weekend and after a five-day delay, ended up in Phoenix, Arizona, via Wichita, Kansas.”
The film was originally much longer, with the first cut exceeding three hours. It underwent significant editing, ultimately being trimmed to a concise 92-minute runtime. This classic continues to resonate with audiences, encapsulating the chaos and unexpected moments that often accompany holiday travels.
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