IMDb > A Christmas Story (1983)
A Christmas Story
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A Christmas Story (1983) More at IMDbPro »

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A Christmas Story (1983) -- US Home Video Trailer from MGM/UA
A Christmas Story (1983) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)
A Christmas Story (1983) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)
A Christmas Story (1983) -- AllTrailers.net - Trailer (Flash)
A Christmas Story (1983) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   48,944 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 31% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Bob Clark
Writers:
Jean Shepherd (novel)
Jean Shepherd (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for A Christmas Story on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 November 1983 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Family more
Tagline:
A Tribute to the Original, Traditional, One-Hundred-Percent, Red-Blooded, Two-Fisted, All-American Christmas... more
Plot:
Ralphie has to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder BB gun really is the perfect gift for the 1940's. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
2 wins & 11 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(50 articles)
Hallmark Offering Really Nerdy Christmas Tree Ornaments
 (From Cinematical. 10 November 2009, 9:02 AM, PST)

Holiday Preview: Anywhere But a Movie Theater
 (From IFC. 4 November 2009, 11:14 AM, PST)

User Comments:
Family holiday fun more (373 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
94 min | USA:93 min (20th Anniversary)
Country:
USA | Canada
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Argentina:Atp | Finland:S | Singapore:PG | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Norway:7 (original rating) | Australia:G

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Ralph's school exteriors were filmed at Victoria School in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: The wall clock in Ralphie's kitchen has no power cord. Battery-powered wall clocks did not exist in 1940. more
Quotes:
Ralphie as Adult: Mothers know nothing about creeping marauders burrowing through the snow toward the kitchen where only you and you alone stand between your tiny, huddled family and insensate evil. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Hamlet more

FAQ

How would you go about detaching a tongue stuck to a cold flagpole?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
How did they make Flick's tongue stick to the flagpole?
more
26 out of 33 people found the following comment useful.
Family holiday fun, 9 January 2004
8/10
Author: Jenny Crosby (Jennydavis131) from Portland, Oregon

A Christmas story is a classic holiday film that is very funny and entertaining. This is a movie that should be viewed by everyone, and can been seen on television during thanksgiving and Christmas time. In most families, this film is already a tradition to watch every year and that's because it has a wonderful plot, great characters and believable actors.

A Christmas Story is about an average middle class family living in a small town in the 1940's. The film contains an average family of a regular husband and wife relationship and two young boys. The eldest of the boys is named Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) who is the star of the film. All that Ralphie wants is to have a perfect Christmas containing the perfect gift, a Red Ryder carbon action BB gun. This is all that Ralphie can think about day and night. When Ralphie has to write a Theme about what he wants for Christmas, his teacher replies to him `you'll shoot your eye out' which seems to be the only reply to him throughout the whole film.

What makes this film so great is the ability to relate to Ralphie with his problems throughout the movie, such as wanting that one gift that everyone thinks that you're too young to have and are unable to get. The acting is very convincing and makes you think that this could even be you in the movie.

There are some very hilarious parts in this film that also make it very good. This particular scene also contains some very cheesy acting which also makes it funny. Ralphie has a dream about getting his Red Ryder BB gun and saving his family from a bunch of evil villains. In this scene Ralphie is wearing the white sparkly cowboy suit and he shoots down the evil villains and saves the day with his gun in a very unrealistic way.

There really wasn't much music that can be commented on in this movie, just that it was the orchestral type of music that was out in the time period of the 40's. The costumes where great and convincing. I also liked how real they made the 40's look. You actually think it might have been made in that time period which makes the film very authentic.

I would recommend this film to anyone who wants some holiday laughs and some great family time together. I would rate this film a 9 out of ten because it's so memorable.

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