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George Caldwell (Gene Wilder), a gardening book editor, is taking to Silver Streak train back to Chicago from LA. He just wants to rest. On board, he meets Hilly Burns (Jill Clayburgh), secretary to a well known historian Professor Schreiner. Unknowingly while trying to romance Hilly, George becomes involved in murder and intrigue along the journey to Chicago. A never ending riot of comedy unfolds with George being thrown off the Silver Streak twice and returning with his old co-star from other films, Richard Prior as Grover T. Muldoon, a thief, in an effort to save Hilly. The professor was murdered by thugs employed by a crook who stole millions by passing off faked paintings and phony art objects. A federal Agent, Bob Sweet, is after Deveraux, not just for the phony art objects, but over some priceless Rembrant Letters. When Sweet is murdered, George and Grover must do whatever they can do to protect Hilly. All of the emergency breaks have been cut and the train is heading full speed to Chicago. Federal agents kill Deveraux and his men, but the train is a runaway with no one at the throttle, and no way to stop it. It is heading for Chicago at 70 mph and a spectacular crash is imminent.Read full review
This is a hilarious 70s romp across America with some great actors from that era. Gene Wilder is well-known, but possibly not in the role of the cheesy romantic who croons "be nasty to the nasturtiums" in pretty Jill Clayburgh's delicate ear, while the plot thickens with the body of a murdered art history professor falling off the roof of the train just outside the cabin where they are making out. Wilder is soon ejected off the train and finds a friendly crop sprayer aviator who takes him to a stop further along the track, where he boards the train again while it's moving. The friendly vitamin salesman, Sweet, who is really a Federal agent, is after a British crook who takes the train by force with his gang of bad guys and the train ends up hurtling towards Chicago as a runaway. Sweet is caught in the crossfire. Richard Pryor champions the jive-talking nervous petty crook image as he and Wilder cavort in and out of the train station with Wilder posing as a Black guy with a transistor radio. Wilder sports a new set of clothes, purchased from a shoe-shine man (arranged by Pryor.) "Pay the man!" shouts Pryor, as Wilder takes yet another piece of garb for cash. It seems almost incongruous that not only should Gene Wilder's character come out of the adventure unscathed, three of the principals make a very scary, and quite unbelievable jump from one car to another on a swiftly moving train, but also that the screenplay should hold such a great happy ending. Well worth a watch if only to get a contrast from Gene Wilder's Charlie (and the Chocolate factory) character, where he is as completely different a character as only he can be!Read full review
I bought this as a Christmas gift for my son who wanted the movie. its a very hard one to find at stores so I was glad someone sold it on eBay. I'm not sure if it works because I haven't played it but I'm sure it does.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Silver Streak is a favorite from my teen years. There are several reasons I like this movie: 1. It shares the name to another famous railroad movie: The Silver Streak from the 1930s. I have a copy of that movie too. 2. There are plenty of good film clips showing Canadian Pacific railroad equipment, painted for the fictional AMRoad. 3. While the plot has its flaws, it still is reasonably credible and moves along nicely. Also, I like the dialog about "200 tons of locomotive crashing through Central Station on its way to Marshal Fields." 4. Many railfans believe the idea for the crash scene was taken from an incident where a Pennsylvania Railroad GG-1 electric smashed through Washington D.C. Union Station with the Federal in 1953. 5. Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor also played very likable characters in this movie. This film was better written than some of the other films I have seen these two comics in. 6. Typical good-guy gets the girl film. Kind of like the 1951 film Denver and Rio Grande. Cute. This is a good film for railfans.Read full review
A great movie that inspires me to want to ride a train right now today. A story about an ordinary person who rides the train to be bored and instead has the most excitement and adventure of his life in three days and also falls in love. A star studded cast, lots of humor, lots of good people, lots of bad ones too and one really awesome train wreck at the end. Something that makes you have more respect for the power of a train. A another great thing is you are never in the same place for long because you are moving around all the time. That's what I call adventure a trip down memory lane a look at the good old days which are now long gone and I miss them. There is nothing more romantic for a married couple to do then ride a train across the country. I thank the director and the actors for there performances and I only wish I could expierence those times myself. THANK YOU SETH WETZELRead full review
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