Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987) and the sad lack of cell phones

The heartwarming 1987 John Hughes comedy Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, with it's Thanksgiving theme, has become a traditional holiday film and fan favorite. This weekend, with a piece of leftover pumpkin pie, I sat down - once again - to watch the comedic genius paring of John Candy and Steve Martin, who plays a character trying to make it home to his family for the holiday. There are some very funny moments in the film; it's hard to pick, but I'd say my favorite sight gag is the one with the dog in the back of the truck.  I went to a showing of this on its opening day - hard to believe it's been 25 years now. The theater at that screening was packed with people, and it was fun hearing everyone laughing. I bet alot of them have bought the DVD or Blu Ray.  This time while watching, I noticed a few quirky things going on in the background. For example, in the beginning, Steve Martin hails a cab for the airport in New York passes by a Roy Rogers fast food restaurant, which I'm sure has been gone for at least a decade or two.  In another scene on a bus, a passenger is shown reading a magazine with Michael J Fox and Family Ties on the cover.

Martin looks up at a clock in the airport, and it's 

one of those old "flip clocks"!  Not even a digital clock 

in the airport yet! 

Poor Martin tries to call home several times using a pay phone: from a restaurant, from the airport, etc. If only he had a cell phone, he'd be able to call home more frequently, and his wife would be calling or texting, too. But then again, the movie wouldn't be as funny, would it? I imagine that if the film is ever remade, Martin's character would have to lose his phone somehow.