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| A Christmas Story - 1983 |
If you live in the United States, you know that on Christmas Eve, 1983's "A Christmas Story" plays for twenty-four hours. It's a tradition that has been going on for years, and it is one that my house adheres to strictly. In this film, we follow Ralphie Parker in his quest to find some way to get a coveted Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.
The film's cast includes Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon, Ian Petrella, Scott Schwartz, R.D. Robb, Tedde Moore, and Jean Shepherd.
With Christmas right around the corner, Ralphie Parker has to find someway to convince his parents to put a Red Ryder BB gun under the Christmas tree for him. He stares longingly at it through a store window. (Is anyone else freaked out by that seriously creepy Snow White hiding in the background?)
Throughout the film, he employs different tactics to see if he can get what he wants for Christmas. His mom's answer is a firm "You'll shoot your eye out."
When he writes a Christmas theme about what he wants for Christmas, Ralphie's teacher seems to have the same message for him. In his imagination, Ralphie sees his teacher as the Wicked Witch of the West in cahoots with his mother.
Even Ralphie's visit to a department store Santa ends in disappointment. Disgruntled elves hurry him along. When he tells Santa that he wants a BB gun for Christmas, Santa pipes right in with that oft heard message, "You'll shoot your eye out." Afterwards, Santa pushes a dumbstruck Ralphie down the slide with a tap of his boot.
Have no fear. Ralphie's dad is not deaf to his pleas, and he gets a Red Ryder BB gun for his son for Christmas. Ralphie can hardly contain his joy. (FYI: Ralphie nearly does shoot his eye out!)
Throughout the film, there are several highly enjoyable moments, such as this one, where Ralphie's brother Randy can't put his arms down because he's bundled up so tightly.
In this scene, Ralphie's friend Flick gets his tongue stuck to a pole after a dare. The fire department is called and excitement reigns supreme in the schoolhouse as the kids watch the action.
Ralphie's brother Randy is a notoriously picky eater. On meatloaf night, Mrs. Parker gets her youngest child to partake by asking him to show her how the piggy's eat. Randy thinks it's a hilarious game and dives right into it.
That same night, Ralphie's father receives a "major award" in the form of that iconic leg lamp. Mrs. Parker is absolutely mortified that her husband displays it so prominently in the front window. Later, he accuses her of being jealous after she breaks it while watering a plant. "Get the glue!" he tells her angrily. When she tells him that they are out of glue, Mr. Parker exclaims, "You used up all the glue on purpose!"
Another humorous scene occurs on Christmas morning when Ralphie opens up a present from Aunt Clara. Ralphie can't stand the costume she's made for him. Mrs. Parker thinks it's just adorable, but Mr. Parker can only say "He looks like a deranged Easter bunny."
And when the neighbors' dogs destroy their turkey, the Parker family must find an alternative Christmas dinner. They go to a Chinese restaurant, where the waiters are trying to impart some holiday cheer by singing "Deck The Halls". However, it comes out "Deck the harrs with boughs of horry, fa-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra". Mrs. Parker can barely contain herself.
And nothing can prepare them from the roast duck that is served with its head still attached. Mrs. Parker bursts out laughing and then screams in horror when the head waiter chops off the duck's head with a cleaver.
That night, the kids are tucked safely in bed (with Ralphie holding tightly to his Red Ryder BB gun). Mr. and Mrs. Parker turn out the house lights and watch the falling snow outside with the lighted Christmas tree glowing beside them.
Cast rundown:
Peter Billingsley........................Ralphie Parker
Darren McGavin........................Mr. Parker
Melinda Dillon...........................Mrs. Parker
Ian Petrella..............................Randy Parker
Scott Schwartz.........................Flick
R.D. Robb................................Schwartz
Tedde Moore............................Miss Shields
Jean Shepherd.........................Narrator
And that's all for A Christmas Story. This film has been consistently ranked as a the #1 holiday film in the USA. For the scene where Flick sticks his tongue to a frozen pole, the film creators used a hidden suction tube to create the illusion that his tongue was actually stuck to the pole. For the Chinese restaurant scene, Melinda Dillon was given a different script than the rest of the cast. She did not know that the duck would be served with its head still attached. All of her reactions during that scene are real and unscripted.
Jean Shepherd, who co-wrote the screenplay and narrates the movie, also appears in it. He portrays a man who directs Ralphie and Randy where to go to get in line to see Santa at the department store. Shepherd's wife and screenplay co-writer, Leigh Brown, appears as the woman standing next to him. This movie is taken from Shepherd's semi-autobiographical novel "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash".
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