Plot hole: After the car burns, and they arrive at the motel, Neal only has $17.00 on him and nothing but melted credit cards, forcing him to give up his watch to help pay for the room. Del only has $2.00 but his watch doesn't quite flip the bill. At this point, between Neal and Del, they only have $2.00. However, when Neal invites Del into the room, so he doesn't freeze to death, they are eating Doritos and drinking shooters. Even in 1987 Doritos and a bunch of shooters must have cost more than $2.00. This is assuming Del didn't already have them in his trunk. But even if he did, at the end, Neal gets on his train, makes a return trip to find Del just where he thought he'd be, and then they'd both have to get back onto that train. After all, they both showed up at Neal's home. Once again, It would take money to get on that train. Four train fares with only $2.00. Neal's first trip, return trip, and Neal with Del for the last trip = four fares.
Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)
1 plot hole - chronological order
Directed by: John Hughes
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Steve Martin, John Candy, Michael McKean, Laila Robins
Continuity mistake: When John Candy and Steve Martin are travelling from Jefferson City, Missouri to St. Louis they are crossing the Mississippi River to enter downtown St. Louis. This would not have been possible unless the bus driver overshot the entire city and ended up across the river in Illinois.
Suggested correction: I agree with the original post. However, there could be several possibilities for this scenario: 1. Road closures, 2. Road construction, 3. Accidents, 4. Detours, and 5. Heavy "holiday traffic" could have contributed to the bus having to enter St. Louis from the east despite coming from Kansas in the west.
State Trooper: What the hell are you driving here?
Del: We had a small fire last night, but we caught it in the nick of time.
State Trooper: Do you have any idea how fast you were going?
Del: Funny enough, I was just talking to my friend about that. Our speedometer has melted and as a result it's very hard to see with any degree of accuracy exactly how fast we were going.
Trivia: When Neal's wife is watching TV in bed, she is impossibly viewing the John Hughes film "She's Having a Baby," which didn't even premier in theaters until February of 1988, three months after "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" premiered in November 1987. John Hughes (who directed both films) used his own unreleased "She's Having A Baby" footage/soundtrack and a cameo by Kevin Bacon as teasers for the upcoming 1988 film. There's still some speculation that the plots of the two films actually intersect, and that Kevin Bacon (who is credited as the Taxi-Racer in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles") was playing his character, Jake, from "She's Having a Baby."
Question: Del was able to get a rental due to having Neil's card. Then, how was Neil able to get a rental card that eventually got him left in the parking lot if he didn't have a card?
Answer: He had multiple cards. He shows the burnt remains when he tries to rent a room.
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