A Christmas Story (1983)

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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Four Christmases (2008)

 

Four Christmases - 2008

2008's "Four Christmases" tells the story of a couple who usually travel abroad so they can avoid their families during the holidays.  This Christmas, however, sees them staying in town because of bad weather.  They spend the day with their respective families and end up discovering things about each other that they never even knew.

The film's cast includes Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, Jon Favreau, Mary Steenburgen, Dwight Yoakam, Tim McGraw, Kristin Chenoweth, Katy Mixon, Peter Billingsley, Brian Baumgartner, Carol Kane, and Jeanette Miller.

Brad and Kate are a fun-loving, San Francisco-based couple who enjoy the lighter side of life.  They don't want marriage or kids, and neither of them like spending time with their families at Christmas.  In fact, every year they travel to some foreign destination on Christmas Day so that they have an excuse not to visit with them.

This year, however, a thick fog ruins their travel plans and grounds all outbound flights.  When they are interviewed by a news crew, their families now know that they are in town, and they insist they come to visit.

First up is a visit to Brad's father Howard and Brad's two rowdy brothers.  Kate learns that Brad's real name is "Orlando" and can't believe he never told her.

It's a very different atmosphere at this house.  From the food choices to the brothers' wrestling matches, Kate take it all in.

However, Brad and Kate have to make a quick exit when Brad ignites a television set on fire and Kate accidentally knocks a baby's head against a door.  "Give me back my baby," comes the angry response from the baby's mother.

The next house visited belongs to Kate's mom, Marilyn.  Kate instantly recognizes changes when she sees religious figures along the walkway to the door.

After warning Brad that it could be a kind of "cougar den" inside the house, Brad finds out firsthand what Kate meant.  The ladies love him!

Kate doesn't have such a great time when her sister begins to tease her and she must also relive some terrible childhood memories that involve a bouncy house.

And things get even more uncomfortable for the duo when they visit the church pastored by Kate's mother's boyfriend, Pastor Phil.  They are recruited to play Joseph and Mary in the Christmas pageant, a role Brad takes to with gusto.

Next it's on to Brad's mother's house, where Kate finds out that Brad's mother Paul is married to his former childhood best friend, which irritates Brad to no end.

There's also a pretty intense game of Taboo.  Kate and Brad realize they don't know each other as well as they thought.

It causes Kate to rethink their entire relationship.  So much so, that she decides to go to her father's house alone.  There she watches as her family blends together peacefully, something she's never observed before.

And a heart to heart talk with her father lets Kate know that everything is going to be alright.

It turns out everything IS alright.  Kate and Brad reconcile and agree to dive into a fully committed relationship, which includes marriage and a family of their own.

Cast rundown:

   Vince Vaughn.............................Brad McVie

   Reese Witherspoon.....................Kate

   Robert Duvall.............................Howard McVie

   Sissy Spacek.............................Paula

   Jon Voight.................................Creighton

   Jon Favreau...............................Denver McVie

   Mary Steenburgen......................Marilyn

   Dwight Yoakam..........................Pastor Phil

   Tim McGraw..............................Dallas McVie

   Kristin Chenoweth......................Courtney

   Katy Mixon................................Susan McVie

   Peter Billingsley..........................Ticket Agent

   Brian Baumgartner.....................Eric

   Carol Kane................................Aunt Sarah

   Jeanette Miller...........................Gram-Gram

And that's it for Four Christmases.  Apparently, Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn did not get along during filming.  He arrived on set late and unkempt, while she arrived on time and looking camera-ready.  Vince Vaughn didn't promote the film when it was reported in the gossip columns that there were problems on the set.  However, watching the film, you would never know that the two principle actors were at odds.

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