Flying Candy class

WHEN John Candy died of a heart attack in a Mexico hotel earlier this year, World and Pearl were quick to wheel out some of his less memorable films (Uncle Buck and so on). At last we are able to see the film Candy might have liked to be remembered by. Planes, Trains And Automobiles shows him not only to be a great comedian but also a great actor.

This was the first venture into adult movies for teenage guru John Hughes. He produced, wrote and directed and did a fine job too. The film was made in 1987; Hughes later went back to children's films with Home Alone.

It is two days before Thanksgiving and yuppie marketing consultant Neal Page (Steve Martin) is racing from Manhattan to try and get a plane home to be with his family in Chicago. The flight has been delayed. Hours later he eventually gets on board, only to find himself sitting next to Del Griffith (Candy), a huge slob wearing a polyester suit.

When the flight is detoured to Wichita it is just the beginning of Page's trip and his association with the irritating, but well-meaning Griffith.

The concept is as thin as the hair on an egg, but somehow Hughes keeps up the momentum. Planes, Trains And Automobiles could have been a repetitious bore, but Hughes manages to infuse it with humanity, sentiment and many hilarious scenes.

Martin is excellent, but in the less flamboyant of the two roles.