Best Period Road Trip Movies

[JakeHolman]

The lure of the open road... whether its hitching across state lines or motorcycling through the Andes, what are your favourite Period Road Trip movies? I'm a big fan of On the Road so i'm intrigued by the film adaptation, although early reviews suggest its not a patch on the book (how could it be, I guess?). Never-the-less this peculiar genre can make for some great movie moments as they usually explore not just a physical journey but one of the human spirit.

I'm kicking off with an obvious one, The Motorcycle Diaries, not least because of that fantastic old Norton.

And a real classic, It Happened One Night. Of course, not a 'period' piece when it was made but as many of us love the 30s it's more than worthy of inclusion. Almost a 'perfect' film IMO.

So, where has the open road taken you?

 

[davidraphael]

My 'modern' favourite is probably Paper Moon

Other 'moderns':
Bonnie & Clyde
O Brother Where art Thou?
The Searchers
Road to Perdition

Vintage:
Sullivan's Travels
All the Hope/Crosby 'Road to...' movies
Detour
Grapes of Wrath
The Wizard of Oz!

 

[LizzieMaine]

Harry Langdon's "Tramp Tramp Tramp." The idea of Harry Langdon's love interest being Joan Crawford gives this one added excitement.

Seriously, doesn't she look excited?

 

[Captain Lex]

+1 O Brother Where Art Thou and Sullivan's Travels. The former is just solid good fun, and the latter has some of the best juxtaposition of light and dark (tone, not color) in a film ever. I'd be hard to pressed to really call either road films in the classic, sense, though, so for now I'll have to go also with Paper Moon, as meh as I find the film in general.

PS - Interesting coincidence I forgot until just now - O Brother Where Art Thou's title is a reference to Sullivan's Travels

 

[Chowderhouse]

That's easy to answer. Withnail and I.

 

[davidraphael]

Withnail is an absolute gem.
I didn't mention simply because it's kinda on the edge (or off the edge?) of vintage.

 

[Chowderhouse]

I'll add another one that's great, but is largely forgotten. "Something Wild", directed in 1985 by Jonathan Demme. Wonderful in every way. Takes place in '85, but has a strongly vintage feel throughout. (In addition, the main female character looks and dresses vintage, and gets her new boyfriend to go into a funky junk store and buy a vintage suit and tie.)


YouTube has the entire movie for free. You can watch it here (in English, but with Serbian subtitles):


[video=youtube;3yahYr5UWEU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yahYr5UWEU[/video]

 

[Marcus]

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Honky Tonk Man

 

[davidraphael]

Let's not forget the wonderful "Italian grandmother of all road movies"

La Strada

 

[davidraphael]

I suppose most 'fugitive on the run' movies are road movies. This one is a real favourite.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The Grapes of Wrath.

 

[Chowderhouse]

"Beggars of Life" (1928). Murder, hobo adventure, suspense, and Louise Brooks in drag.

 

[LizzieMaine]

It's A Gift

"THERE's your orange ranch!"

 

[DNO]

Mustn't forget The Long, Long Trailer with Desi and Lucy!

 

[LizzieMaine]

The king of all road trip movies:

"That's him! The guy with the glasses! I'll KILL HIM! I'll KILL HIM!"

 

[DNO]

And, of course, all those Road movies...

 

[davidraphael]

You Only Live Once. 1937 (Fritz Lang)

 

[dhermann1]

Wild Boys of the Road, 1933. Despite the exploitative sounding name, is was a great slice of life of America during the Great Depression.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

The king of all road trip movies:

"That's him! The guy with the glasses! I'll KILL HIM! I'll KILL HIM!"

[video=youtube;lZ9N7oCKC1E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ9N7oCKC1E[/video]