Route 66 Dinner & Movie Series: Rain Man

No American road is as iconic as Route 66. Starting in Chicago, Illinois, and snaking cross-country to Santa Monica, California, Route 66 originally consisted of 2,448 miles of highway, rich with neon-lit motels, quirky roadside attractions, and stretches of deserted landscape. With such a wealth of inspiration, it is no surprise that so many filmmakers have used Route 66 as a backdrop for their films.

One of the pivotal scenes in the 1988 film Rain Man takes place at Route 66’s Big 8 Motel in El Reno, Oklahoma. In the film, a self-centered man learns he has an autistic older brother he never knew about until after their father dies and leaves the older brother the bulk of his multi-million dollar estate. The younger brother takes his institutionalized sibling on a road trip hoping to get some of the money for himself. Rain Main will be shown on Monday, October 27 at 6 p.m. and is rated R and 128 minutes. Library programs are free and open to the public; a meal will be provided.