Best 12 John Candy Movies You Didn't Know
Candy Franklin (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994) was a Canadian actor and comedian who was best known for his roles in Hollywood films.
Author:Iram MartinsReviewer:Elisa MuellerSep 23, 202111.2K Shares320.4K Views
Candy Franklin (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994) was a Canadian actor and comedian who was best known for his roles in Hollywood films.
Candy rose to prominence in the 1970s as a member of the Second City's Toronto branch and its Second City Television (SCTV) series, as well as through roles in comedies such as Stripes, National Lampoon's Vacation, Splash, Cool Runnings, Summer Rental, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and Uncle Buck, as well as more dramatic roles in Only the Lonely and JFK.
Del Griffith, the chatty shower-curtain ring salesman in John Hughes' comedy Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, was one of his most well-known cinematic roles. Candy was also a co-owner of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the club won the Grey Cup in 1991 while under his control. Candy died at the age of 43 in 1994. Wagons East and Canadian Bacon, his last two cinematic performances, are dedicated to his memory.
Splash (1984)
This film starring Tom Hanks was one of the most well-known of the 1980s. Splash also stars Daryl Hannah and John Candy in the role of Tom Hanks' brother. They run a production company together.
After a mishap in the sea, Hanks meets a mermaid, and their lives are flipped upside down. This film was directed by Ron Howard and was initially a box office flop.
Freddie, played by John Candy, delivers some of the film's most genuine laughs. He's a womanizer, which sets him apart from his brother Allen. Freddie is baffled as to why Allen has been so preoccupied lately.
Allen has gotten romantically engaged with the mermaid he discovered on the beach, and he has no clue. Each of the film's protagonists is coping with their own kind of rejection. Candy's persona seems to be quite fragile.
Anyone who grew up in the 1980s will like this film. It features fantastic music, a stunning female lead, and a touching narrative.
Splash - 1984 Trailer
Brewster’s Millions (1985)
One of the films that started John Candy's career as a movie star was Brewster's Millions. The film, which starred John Candy and Richard Pryor and was released in 1985, tells the tale of a washed-up baseball pitcher who becomes an overnight billionaire.
Candy and Pryor are a match made in heaven, and it's a pity they never had another chance to collaborate on a picture. John Candy was a co-star in this picture, which was intended to highlight Pryor's skills, but the charming Canadian nearly steals the show with his hilarious moments.
In the film, Pryor's character unexpectedly leaves a $30 million bequest, but there's a catch. He must first spend $1 million in one month with nothing to show for it in order to claim the whole inheritance.
Candy portrays Pryor's charming sidekick who attempts to assist him in spending the money. The two of them learn important lessons about the actual worth of money, as well as the fact that no amount of money can make someone happy who is unhappy.
Brewster's Millions Official Trailer #1 - John Candy Movie (1985) HD
Only The Lonely (1991)
John Candy's career was at a fork in the road in 1991. He took the tough decision to abandon his signature comedic approach in favor of more serious parts. Candy was paired with Ally Sheedy, another famous 1980s actress who was nearing the end of a great career, in Only the Lonely.
While there is some humor in the picture, it is mainly a drama about Candy's relationship with his mother. She still views her son Danny as a kid, and she is adamant about keeping him under her care.
Danny's mother is unprepared to share her son's devotion with another woman when Danny meets and falls in love with Theresa. As Candy stretches his theatrical wings, the film takes several emotional twists.
Some may find it impossible to imagine John Candy in a role that isn't based on slapstick or conventional comedy. Candy, on the other hand, is widely regarded as having given an outstanding performance in this picture.
Who knows how the actor would be regarded by his fans now if he had had more opportunities to pursue major film parts?
Only the Lonely (1991) Trailer
Cool Runnings (1993)
Candy started looking for new kinds of components in the 1990s. That's how he landed the role of Irv Blitzer, the once-disgraced fictitious trainer for the first Jamaican bobsled team at the 1988 Winter Olympics, in this uplifting sports comedy.
To get the role, he even accepted a salary cut, beating out Kurt Russell and Scott Glenn. Although some critics considered it condescending in its culture-clash portrayals of the squad, Janet Maslin said it was at least bronze-medal worthy as "a charming, effervescent sports dream, spurred forward by a reggae soundtrack and delightfully performed by an attractive ensemble."
1993: Cool Runnings Trailer HQ
Little Shop Of Horrors (1986)
Rick Moranis' character, Nebbishy Seymour Krelborn, and his exotic man-eating plant, Audrey II, appear on local radio station WSKID to advertise his place of business, Mushnik's Flower Shop, and his unique specimen that sprang to life during a solar eclipse.
Candy, wearing a pompadour, makes a short but memorable appearance as Wilk Wilkinson, a 1960s-style radio jockey who hosts a program called "Weird World," where individuals with anomalies are invited.
Candy's uncanny DJ stylings and sound effects are particularly apparent in the scene, as he manages to stretch the word "strange" into several syllables when he asks, "Seymour, where did you acquire such a WEEEEIIIIRRRRDDD plant?"
Little Shop Of Horrors (1986) Official Trailer - Steve Martin, Bill Murray Comedy Musical HD
Canadian Bacon (1995)
"There is a time to ponder and a time to act," says the author. And now, guys are not the time to reflect, "Candy's Bud Boomer, the gung-ho sheriff of Niagara County, New York, declares.
The actor's most recent film finished before "Wagons East," is Michael Moore's lone non-documentary, which imagines a not-too-fanciful concept of a US president (Alan Alda) gaining favor by waging a cold war with our peaceful northern neighbors. Have at it if the mere mention of Canadian imports like maple syrup and Alex Trebek makes you chuckle.
Canadian Bacon Official Trailer #1 - Rip Torn Movie (1995) HD
JFK (1991)
In a rare departure from comedy, John Candy takes on a dramatic role in this Oliver Stone film about President John F. Kennedy's assassination. Candy has a little role in the film, but it is an essential one. Candy proved in this film that he was capable of taking on more challenging roles.
It's a must-see for anybody who wants to see John Candy's acting abilities at their full potential. JFK International Airport. Dean Andrews, Jr. is played by John Candy, a New Orleans attorney who becomes engaged in Jim Garrison's inquiry into the Kennedy murder.
Candy has succeeded in capturing the spirit of this real-life figure. Andrews made headlines for his actions during Clay Shaw's trial. His suave demeanor is a great match for John Candy, and the scenes in which he appears are among the most enjoyable to watch.
Candy would have been fantastic in more serious parts, but his premature death prevented fans from seeing him in them.
JFK (1991) Official Trailer - Kevin Costner, Oliver Stone Thriller Movie HD
The Great Outdoors (1988)
When snobby in-laws interrupt a family retreat, a fairly ordinary weeklong lakeside vacation goes wrong. Fellow Canadians Aykroyd and Candy should have been comic gold as dueling brothers-in-law, and the big man gives it his all during a frenetic water-skiing scene and a steak-eating battle.
They are, however, overshadowed by raccoons, bears, bats, and leeches that crawl into a rowboat. Annette Bening's cinematic debut and she only got better from there.
The Great Outdoors (1988) Official Trailer - Dan Akroyd, John Candy Movie HD
Spaceballs (1987)
Given that George Lucas's "Star Wars" series has no end in sight, this very ridiculous but not unsatisfactory Yiddish-infused take on the theme has developed a cult following over the years.
Candy is fantastic as Barf, a hairy canine take on Chewbacca who serves as a companion to Bill Pullman's Han Solo-Esque mercenary Lone Starr. "I'm a mog-part man, half dog," his creation joyfully says. "I'm the greatest buddy I've ever had."
Moranis, his "SCTV" pal, plays the evil Dark Helmet, or Darth Vader, although they had no scenes together. Regardless, Mel Brooks' Yoda-ish Yogurt never fails to amuse anytime he exclaims, "May the Schwartz be with you."
Spaceballs (1987) | Official Trailer | MGM Studios
Armed And Dangerous (1986)
This was not one of John Candy's more successful projects. Despite its dismal box office performance, Candy was able to reconnect with one of his Second City castmates in the film.
He co-stars with Eugene Levy in this story about two security officers who get involved in a big criminal investigation. As a comedic team, Levy and Candy perform well together. They also co-starred in the film Splash, which is also on this list.
Candy is a fictional character. Frank is a former cop who was wrongfully terminated. He befriends Norman, a lawyer portrayed by Levy. Frank and Norman are unemployed and need to find employment in order to make ends meet.
They've been hired as guards by a security firm. It doesn't take the two of them long to figure out that something odd is going on at the security firm. Frank and Norman rescue the day in the end, as the crowd laughs at their antics. Those who like pure slapstick humor should check it out, despite its bad reception.
Armed and Dangerous (1986) Trailer
The Blues Brothers (1980)
Candy was often cast as police enforcement or security officer, maybe due to his baby face and 6-foot-2 stature. He plays a parole officer chasing the titular brothers, portrayed by Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, in this musical spin-off of an "SNL" sketch. During one of their performances, Burton Mercer tries to catch them.
Before the performance, he kindly buys drinks for his two coworkers’ orange whips, to be precise—before taking part in a car pursuit that ends with Candy overhearing on the police radio that their vehicle has crashed into a truck.
The Blues Brothers Official Trailer #1 - Dan Aykroyd Movie (1980) HD
National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)
Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) and his family finally take the road trip of a lifetime to visit Walley World, a California amusement park with Marty Moose as its mascot.
They arrive at their goal after many misadventures, only to discover from Candy's mild-mannered security officer, Russ Lasky, that the park would be closed for renovations for the next two weeks.
He says, "The moose should have told you that upfront." However, after traveling 2,460 miles, Clark has had enough and forces Russ to escort them through the park, including the huge roller coaster Screemy Enemy, with a BB pistol. Levy, a former colleague from "SCTV," appears as a used car salesperson.
National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) - Road Closed Scene (5/10) | Movieclips
Iram Martins
Author
Iram Martins is a seasoned travel writer and explorer with over a decade of experience in uncovering the world's hidden gems. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Management from the University of Lisbon, Iram's credentials highlight his authority in the realm of travel.
As an author of numerous travel guides and articles for top travel publications, his writing is celebrated for its vivid descriptions and practical insights.
Iram’s passion for cultural immersion and off-the-beaten-path adventures shines through in his work, captivating readers and inspiring wanderlust.
Outside of his writing pursuits, Iram enjoys learning new languages, reviewing films and TV shows, writing about celebrity lifestyles, and attending cultural festivals.
Elisa Mueller
Reviewer
Elisa Mueller, a Kansas City native, grew up surrounded by the wonders of books and movies, inspired by her parents' passion for education and film.
She earned bachelor's degrees in English and Journalism from the University of Kansas before moving to New York City, where she spent a decade at Entertainment Weekly, visiting film sets worldwide.
With over 8 years in the entertainment industry, Elisa is a seasoned journalist and media analyst, holding a degree in Journalism from NYU. Her insightful critiques have been featured in prestigious publications, cementing her reputation for accuracy and depth.
Outside of work, she enjoys attending film festivals, painting, writing fiction, and studying numerology.
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