Riding the Rails (1997): cast, story & where to watch
1997 · Film · ★ 4.8
Released in 1997, Riding the Rails is a documentary film directed by Lexy Lovell, running about 72 minutes.
What it’s about. Riding the Rails offers a visionary perspective on the presumed romanticism of the road and cautionary legacy of the Great Depression. The filmmakers relay the experiences and painful recollections of these now-elderly survivors of the rails. Forced to travel more by economic necessity than the spirit of adventure, the film's subjects dispel romantic myths of a hobo existence and its corresponding veneer of freedom. Riding the Rails recounts the hoboes' trade secrets for survival and accounts of dank miseries, loneliness, imprisonment, death, and dispossession. Sixty years later, the filmmakers transport their subjects back to the tracks, where the surging impact of sound and movement resuscitates memories of a shattered adolescence and devastating rite of passage.
Who’s in it. Riding the Rails stars Richard Thomas as Narrator.
How it landed. With an audience score of 4.8/10, Riding the Rails has proved divisive with audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on PBS Documentaries Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Riding the Rails page.
If you liked it. Fans of Riding the Rails tend to enjoy One Direction: This Is Us, Burn the Stage: The Movie, BTS World Tour: Love Yourself - Japan Edition and Senna.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Riding the Rails (1997)?
- In US, Riding the Rails is available to stream on PBS Documentaries Amazon Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Riding the Rails worth watching?
- Riding the Rails holds an audience score of 4.8 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy documentary. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Riding the Rails?
- Riding the Rails stars Richard Thomas.
- When was Riding the Rails released?
- Riding the Rails was released in 1997, with a runtime of about 72 minutes.