After looking at John Candy’s movies on IMDB I can’t help but think that a lot of his movies were not up to his talent level. This one is great though.
This is my go-to Thanksgiving movie, along with The Last Waltz. Steve Martin and John Candy are a great team in this comedy. Personally, I think this is John Candy’s greatest movie. I watch it every year and always look forward to it. The heartwarming ending never fails to get to me.
The movie is full of great scenes and some good lines from Candy and Martin. John Candy can make me laugh with just a look on his face. The guy was a great comedian and a really good actor.
John Hughes is the Director and writer. He shot over 3 hours and had to edit it down. Below is a short plot. For those who haven’t seen it…you are missing a funny movie. It was rated R because of a one-minute scene with the F-Bomb used 18 times by mostly Martin. The movie was released in 1987.
John Hughes was the 1980s. I was expecting a credit that read: 1980’s – Directed by John Hughes. Hughes had a certain style that you can see in his movies. A lot of delayed timing routines from The Breakfast Club to Uncle Buck.
I do wish Candy and Martin would have done another movie together.
By the way….there is a new extended version of the movie that has been released that has over 75 minutes of extra footage.
Some great quotes:
Neal: Del… Why did you kiss my ear?
Del: Why are you holding my hand?
Neal: [frowns] Where’s your other hand?
Del: Between two pillows…
Neal: Those aren’t pillows!
Del: You play with your balls a lot.
Neal: I do NOT play with my balls.
Del: Larry Bird doesn’t do as much ball-handling in one night as you do in an hour!
Neal: Are you trying to start a fight?
Del: No. I’m simply stating a fact. That’s all. You fidget with your nuts a lot.
Neal: You know what’d make me happy?
Del: Another couple of balls, and an extra set of fingers?
For those who know the movie…
YOU’RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!
Short Plot
In New York, a marketing executive Neal Page wants to travel home to Chicago for Thanksgiving. He has difficulties getting a taxi and his flight is canceled. He meets in the airport the clumsy and talkative shower curtain ring salesman Del Griffith who has taken his cab and they travel side-by-side to Chicago. However the bad weather shuts down O’Hare Airport and they land at Wichita, Kansas. They both want to go to Chicago and they decide to travel together. Neal is cursed/blessed with the presence of Del Griffith, shower curtain ring salesman and all-around blabbermouth who is never short of advice, conversation, bad jokes, or company.
Along their journey, Neal changes his viewpoint about Del Griffith and his own behavior.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093748/
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love this movie
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Great movie. The scene where their driving down the wrong side of the highway is one of my all time favs. Candy was a comedic genius. Loved his stuff on SCTV as well like ‘Fishing Musician” and ‘Yellow Belly”
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I saw that fishing Musician….that is great.
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Funny as hell! Love them both. Candy from his ‘SCTV’ days & of course Steve Martin who’s even funny in Wells Fargo commercials now.
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I loved SCTV as well…he was such a great comedy actor.
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Ya’…we mis ’em don’t we.
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RIP John, he was gone too soon. He was one of the funniest actors around, unfortunately his size and comic abilities seemed to limit the roles he got and like you say, often the movies weren’t all that great. Some of his SCTV bits still make me laugh out loud when I look them up – the Jester in ‘Mrs. Falbo’s Tiny Town’, the Fishin’ Musician, Paul Fistinyerface on the high school dance shows…. classic
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I would say Uncle Buck and this one were two of his best… I loved his SCTV stuff…one of the few guys along with Belushi who could make me laugh by just walking on a set.
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Two great comedy actors.
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Wonderful review of a hilarious film. One of my favorites. Absolutely love John Candy! My husband and I watch SCTV clips all the time. Didn’t know John Hughes directed it.
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Yea we watch it every year….I didn’t know he directed it either. Thanks Pam
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My Thanksgiving movie growing up was The Wizard of Oz. It was on TV every year (after the Packers/Lions game). It was not until adulthood that I learned that Oz was in color.
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Oh wow…the color scene is what I remembered about it so well.
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Yeah, it blew me away to find out what I was missing. And I don’t think it was the LSD. Only rich people had color TVs when I was a kid.
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We didn’t get one till 1975 or so when I was 8. So many tales are tied to the movie like the Pink Floyd one
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This movie has so much heart and is so funny! I can’t seem to find the clip, but Steve Martin was talking about the movie and John Candy. He said that there was a much longer speech from Candy that they edited. Steve had a copy of the script and started to read the speech and teared up. They obviously loved each other
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There is an extended version….I ordered the wrong one last year…I want to get the extended one.
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I know its mixing up movies and metaphors but ‘there’s no place like home’ and ‘You can’t go home.’ I’ll look at this one tonight.
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It’s worth it obbverse.
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I’ve seen that picture a few times and like it. I didn’t know there was an extended version. More than 75 minutes of additional footage sounds pretty massive!
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Yea…Bailey and I are going probably Friday to see if we can find it locally.
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Been awhile since seeing this one. Your post makes me want to see it again. John Candy brought a lot of light into the world. Love Steve Martin also, very funny and very talented actor and musician. Was just listening to his album with The Steep Canyon Rangers and Edie Brickell. Highly recommend it! And of course have been enjoying him on Only Murders in the Building.
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I remember this…I love it.
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Ear worms! 🙂
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Oh I remember I believe…you featuring a song or two by them….I really liked it.
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It’s got a little bit of everything in there. Martin’s humor shines through several of the songs. I was happy to see Edie Brickell again also.
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Yes I checked out the album at the time… I’ll check it out again
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Great synopsis of a fantastic movie. John Candy was such a comedic genius that his dramatic work is often overlooked. The vulnerability he shows in this movie was incredible – his ability to switch from those hilarious moments and lines to the convey the crux of the movie – being alone in the Holiday season – is why this movie works.
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I agree…in many of his movies he carried the movie. I wish he would have had more movies like this up to his talent levels.
Belushi and Canday could make me laugh by just walking out on a stage.
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I love that flick! Great post.
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Very funny movie Max! 🤣
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