Why John Hughes Was Terrified to Meet His Comedy Idol
Filmmaker John Hughes was a master of teen angst, but his greatest holiday film required a different kind of magic. He found it by pairing two comedy titans, one of whom he considered the greatest of all time, despite being initially intimidated to even meet him. Their collaboration created an enduring classic.
John Hughes is widely celebrated for breathing new life into the coming-of-age genre. With films from The Breakfast Club to the Home Alone series, he had an uncanny ability to create young characters that felt real and empathetic. But his talent wasn't confined to teen stories. In 1987, he wrote and directed what would become a holiday staple. While many movies are set around Christmas or New Year's, Planes, Trains and Automobiles stands as the ultimate Thanksgiving story, perfectly capturing the stress and deep emotions of the holiday. To bring his sharp, R-rated script to life, Hughes needed a true Hollywood heavyweight. He found one in Steve Martin, a performer he deeply admired.
A Meeting of Titans
Martin was more than just a popular stand-up; he was a cultural phenomenon who had successfully transitioned to the big screen. He wasn't just playing a caricature of himself, either. With roles in satires like All of Me and Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, he had proven his range as a serious actor. Despite Martin's impressive resume, Hughes was genuinely nervous about meeting him before filming began. In a conversation with The Boston Herald, Hughes admitted his surprise at how approachable Martin was and how seamlessly he connected with his co-star.
"He was the first real rock-and-roll comedian who appeared in arenas, not little clubs," Hughes recalled. "So I was a little in awe when he came to my home for a meeting for Planes, Trains. I found him disarming and cooperative. Then I met John Candy, he was the same sort of man. We became fast friends."
An Unlikely Pairing
The idea of putting Martin and John Candy together seemed strange at first. Both were beloved comedians, but they operated in different spheres and appealed to different audiences. Martin's work often leaned toward more intellectual satire, while Candy was a star of many National Lampoon films, celebrated for his brilliant physical comedy. On paper, it didn't seem like a natural fit.
Crafting a Classic
Any doubts about the pairing vanished once the cameras started rolling. The chemistry between Martin and Candy became the heart and soul of the film, cementing Planes, Trains and Automobiles as a high point in both of their careers. The movie managed to be both bitingly funny and genuinely sweet, exploring the difficult yet rewarding nature of friendship and family. When Candy passed away in 1994, the film was frequently mentioned as one of his greatest achievements.
Many hit comedies from the 1980s, like Ghostbusters and Footloose have since been remade for new generations. Yet, the thought of anyone trying to remake Planes, Trains and Automobiles has always been met with resistance. The dynamic between Martin and Candy is considered so perfect, so irreplaceable, that it represents a kind of cinematic magic Hughes captured that continues to resonate decades later.