Close out the summer season at the Norton Simon Museum with a special four-part film series celebrating the 100th anniversary of Route 66. Running every Saturday afternoon throughout August, On Route 66 explores journeys across “the Main Street of America,” with each featured film spotlighting the iconic California stretch connecting Los Angeles to Chicago.
Curated and introduced by filmmaker and educator Joe Petricca, the lineup spans genres and eras to show how this legendary highway has captured the American imagination:
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Saturday, August 1 (Easy Rider, 1969, R): Dennis Hopper’s counterculture classic follows two bikers searching for spiritual freedom across a changing American landscape. (Note: Contains depictions of drug use, sex, and violence.)
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Saturday, August 8 (Hollywood or Bust, 1956, NR): Frank Tashlin directs Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in a hilarious road-trip comedy as two unlikely partners head West toward movie stardom.
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Saturday, August 15 (The Grapes of Wrath, 1940, NR): John Ford’s powerful adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel chronicles the Joad family’s grueling Dust Bowl migration along Route 66 toward California.
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Saturday, August 22 (Cars, 2006, G): Pixar’s beloved animated feature captures the nostalgic spirit, history, and forgotten small towns along the famous highway.
Screenings take place in the Museum’s theater every Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and are free with general museum admission. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis, with doors opening 30 minutes prior to showtime.
