Themes: Fighting the System, Stop the Wrecking Ball, Journey of Self-Discovery
Main Cast: Wilford Brimley, Levon Helm, Mary Steenburgen, Barbara Barrie, Henderson Forsythe
Release Year: 1988
Country: US/FR/WG
Run Time: 103 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Two Southern railroad workers drive a train engine to Chicago to protest the closing of the station in Clifford, Arkansas. Will Haney (Wilford Brimley) and his friend Leo Pickett (Levon Helm) steal the engine and hope to confront the company president to prevent the shutdown. The duo gathers encouragement at every hamlet along the way as entire towns come out to lend support for the cause. The company tries to use the rural rubes to their promotional advantage, but Haney and Pickett take a stand and win an audience with aging company figurehead Thomas Clinton (Henderson Forsythe). Clinton takes a liking to the two activists and agrees to let himself be kidnapped back to Clifford. Mary Steenburgen, Kevin Bacon, and Barbara Barrie co-star in this routine but entertaining moral melodrama. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
Bob Balaban - Warren Gerber; Kevin Bacon - Everett; Michael Beach - Alvin; Holly Hunter - Charlotte Haney; Missy Platt - Jeannie; Caroll Dee Bland - Chester; Trey Wilson - Sheriff Maxie Howell; Don Hood; Clint Howard - Les Sullivan; Rita Jenrette - Sharon; Lillian Grimes - Lucy; Dan DeMott - Travers; Bruce McGill - Billy Haney; Howard Morris - Hobo; Armando Garza - Gonzalez; Velva Walthall - Bartender; Clay Crosby - Gas Station Attendant; Trey Fancher - Tommy; Robert A. Ginnaven - State Trooper; Steve Wilkerson - State Trooper
Credit
Vaughan Edwards - Art Director, Pat McCorkle - Casting, Peter Newman - Co-producer, Walker Stuart - Co-producer, Lewis M. Allen - Co-producer, Van Broughton Ramsey - Costume Designer, Jay Russell - Director, Mercedes Danevic - Editor, Mary Steenburgen - Executive Producer, David Cunningham - Composer (Music Score), Andy Summers - Composer (Music Score), E.E. Bagley - Songwriter, Jolyon Christopher Dantzig - Songwriter, Paul Kennerly - Songwriter, Frank Quinn - Songwriter, John Tiven - Songwriter, Sally Tiven - Songwriter, Allen Toussaint - Songwriter, Mitch Weissman - Songwriter, John Wilf - Songwriter, Linda Castillo - Makeup, Neil Spisak - Production Designer, George Tirl - Cinematographer, Paul Newman - Producer, Paul Kelly - Set Designer, Gary Alper - Sound/Sound Designer, Pierre-Wiliam Glenn - Screenwriter, Jay Russell - Screenwriter, John Wohlbruck - Screenwriter, Bill Kerby - Screenwriter, David Smilow - Screenwriter
