A Christmas Story (1983)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Bob Clark

Writers:

Jean Shepherd (novel)
Jean Shepherd (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

18 November 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Tagline:

A Tribute to the Original, Traditional, One-Hundred-Percent, Red-Blooded, Two-Fisted, All-American Christmas...

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.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | BB Gun | School | 1940s | Lamp

Awards:

2 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Melinda Dillon	...	Mrs. Parker
Darren McGavin	...	The Old Man - Mr. Parker
Peter Billingsley	...	Ralphie Parker
Ian Petrella	...	Randy Parker
Scott Schwartz	...	Flick
R.D. Robb	...	Schwartz
Tedde Moore	...	Miss Shields
Yano Anaya	...	Grover Dill
Zack Ward	...	Scut Farkus
Jeff Gillen	...	Santa Claus
Colin Fox	...	Ming the Merciless (scenes deleted)
Paul Hubbard	...	Flash Gordon (scenes deleted)
Leslie Carlson	...	Tree Man (as Les Carlson)
Jim Hunter	...	Freight Man
Patty Johnson	...	Head Elf

Runtime:

94 min | USA:93 min (20th Anniversary)

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

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

Filming Locations:

3159 W. 11th Street, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Company:

Christmas Tree Films

Trivia:

According to Peter Billingsley (young Ralphie) in the DVD Commentary, the nonsensical ramblings that Ralphie exclaims while beating up Scott Farkus were scripted, word for word.

Goofs:

Continuity: After the bully hits Ralph with a snowball, the snow suddenly disappears from his face as well as his coat.

Quotes:

Narrator: Aunt Clara had for years labored under the delusion that I was not only perpetually 4 years old, but also a girl.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Step by Step: Christmas Story (#3.11)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Peter and the Wolf

a contemporary classic

Bob Clark, the director behind the collegiate slasher flick "Black Christmas" and the naughty sex comedy "Porky's" surprisingly went on to hold the reins of the charming, innocent, nostalgic holiday romp "A Christmas Story" in 1983. The film is seen through the eyes of nine-year-old Ralphie, and is frequently told through the older more knowing voice of Jean Shepherd, who wrote the source material "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash" in 1966. The film takes place sometime in the early 1940s (Shepherd has been quoted as saying specifically 1940), although the tone and texture of the film allow for more of the uncertain "period" look. The film follows the struggles of our child protagonist, specifically his longing for a very specific BB gun, which he references nearly thirty times during the course of the film, explaining why the come back "you'll shoot your eye out" is so associated with this movie. "A Christmas Story" is a wonderful, relaxing, little movie that never seems to age.