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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.
MPAA Rating:
Genre(s):
Drama
Run Time:
103min.
Theatrical Release Date:
05/22/1987
DVD Release Date:
01/07/2003
Distributor(s):
Orion Classics
Director(s):
Jay Russell
Starring:
Wilford Brimley , Levon Helm , Mary Steenburgen , Barbara Barrie , Henderson Forsythe
Themes:
Journey of Self-Discovery,Stop the Wrecking Ball,Fighting the System
Tone:
Affectionate,Bittersweet,Heartwarming,Wry,Rousing
Keywords:
executive,labor [work],locomotive,protester,railroad,railroad-yard
Country of Origin:
USA (05-22-1987)
Language:
English