Let’s face it, there is nothing quite like the spontaneity of taking a road trip; load up your car and head out on the highway. However, if you don’t have the time or inclination to take a real road trip and you think you have seen all of the road trip flicks out there, such as Easy Rider and Road Trip, think again, bet there are a few you haven’t seen.
Start off with Duel with Dennis Weaver, an intense portrayal of road rage if there ever was one. Weaver plays an ordinary man on his way to a business meeting, has what appears to be a seemingly small incident with a truck driver, however things quickly fly out of control and he has to fight to stay alive. Interestingly this was one of Steven Spielberg’s first noteworthy efforts as a director.
Another good choice wood be Midnight Run with Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin. De Niro plays a bounty hunter after an accountant (Grodin) who stole millions of dollars from the mob, was caught and then jumped bail. Since the accountant does not like to fly they have to find other ways to get to Los Angeles from New York. This one is really worthwhile because it is one of De Niro’s earliest comic performances before his long run of dramatic ones.
The next not to be missed road trip flick is “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World” with a cast of characters that includes Milton Berle, Sid Caesar and Spencer Tracy. This has to be at the top of the epic road trip comedy flicks list (if there was such a list) as Stanley Kramer, the director, managed to assemble a huge, huge amount of top notch performers to tell this story of a race to recover $350,000.00 that was stolen from the tuna factory. Other talents in this movie include Don Knotts, Jack Benny, Buster Keaton and Jerry Lewis; who could ask for anything more?
The last one on the list is “Lost in America” with Albert Brooks and Julie Hagerty; a couple quits their stressful and high powered jobs to travel America and live the American dream. Unfortunately after a night in Las Vegas the American Dream begins to look more like a nightmare. One good reason for watching this is the scene where Albert Brooks starts pleading with a casino boss to return their lost “nest egg”.
