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A Christmas Story
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A Christmas Story (1983) More at IMDb Pro »

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Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   42,717 votes
Director:
Bob Clark
Writers:
Jean Shepherd (novel)
Jean Shepherd (screenplay) ...
(more)
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
Awards:
2 wins & 11 nominations more
User Comments:
Classic Christmas film that doesn't age more

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
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
Drew Hocevar ... Male Elf
David Svoboda ... Goggles
Dwayne McLean ... Black Bart
Helen E. Kaider ... Wicked Witch
John Wong ... Chop Suey Palace Owner
Johan Sebastian Wong ... Waiter #1
Fred Lee ... Waiter #2
Dan Ma ... Waiter #3
Rocco Bellusci ... Street Kid
Tommy Wallace ... Boy in School
Jean Shepherd ... Narrator / Adult Ralphie / Man in Line for Santa / Santa (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bob Clark ... Swede (uncredited)
Bill Kravitz ... Billy (uncredited)
Jordan-Patrick Marcantonio ... Boy Visiting Santa (uncredited)

Julie Matthews ... Caroler (uncredited)
Christine Powrie ... Screaming Girl On Slide After Ralphie (uncredited)
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Directed by
Bob Clark 
 
Writing credits
Jean Shepherd (novel "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash")

Jean Shepherd (screenplay) &
Leigh Brown (screenplay) &
Bob Clark (screenplay)

Produced by
Bob Clark .... producer
René Dupont .... producer
Gary Goch .... associate producer
 
Original Music by
Paul Zaza 
Carl Zittrer 
 
Cinematography by
Reginald H. Morris 
 
Film Editing by
Stan Cole 
 
Casting by
Jane Feinberg 
Mike Fenton 
Karen Hazzard 
Marci Liroff 
 
Production Design by
Reuben Freed 
 
Art Direction by
Gavin Mitchell 
 
Set Decoration by
Mark S. Freeborn 
 
Costume Design by
Mary E. McLeod 
 
Makeup Department
Ken Brooke .... makeup artist
James D. Brown .... hair stylist (as James Brown)
 
Production Management
Marilyn Stonehouse .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Don Brough .... second assistant director
Ken Goch .... assistant director
Alan Goluboff .... third assistant director
 
Art Department
J. Tracy Budd .... property master
Ken Clark .... prop man (as Ken Clarke)
Carmi Gallo .... assistant art director
Bill Harman .... construction supervisor (as Bill Harmon)
 
Sound Department
David Appleby .... sound recordist
Alan Bernard .... sound mixer
Gudrun Christian .... assistant sound editor
Steven Cole .... sound effects editor
David Evans .... sound effects editor
Wayne Griffin .... dialogue editor
Joe Grimaldi .... sound recordist
Tom Hanrath .... assistant sound editor
Ann Heeley-Ray .... assistant sound editor
Kenneth Heeley-Ray .... sound supervisor (as Ken Heeley-Ray)
Malcolm Rennings .... boom operator
Don White .... adr recording mixer
Don White .... foley recording mixer
Glen Gauthier .... utility sound (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Neil Trifunovich .... special effects coordinator
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Ron Gillham .... key grip
Chris Holmes .... gaffer
Jay Kohne .... second assistant camera
Gordon Langevin .... assistant camera
Ken McCahan .... electrician
Harald Ortenburger .... camera operator
Shin Sugino .... still photographer
 
Casting Department
P.K. Fields .... casting assistant: New York/Chicago
Karen Hazzard .... casting: Toronto
Julie Matthews .... extras casting: Cleveland
Joanne Pasciuto .... casting: New York/Chicago
Marcia Shulman .... casting: New York/Chicago
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Kemp .... wardrobe supervisor (as Lynda Kemp)
 
Editorial Department
Neil Grieve .... assistant editor
Rick Grieve .... assistant editor
Stephen R. Sheridan .... color timer
 
Music Department
Frank Morrone .... music engineer
 
Other crew
David Craig .... production coordinator: Cleveland
Joanne Jackson .... production accountant
Janice Kaye .... unit publicist
Kevin King .... payroll accountant
Suzanne Lore .... production office coordinator
Michael MacDonald .... location manager
Blanche McDermaid .... script supervisor
Cindy Morton .... location manager
Denise Mulvey .... production secretary
Charles Northcote .... coach: children
Dale Young .... stand-in (uncredited)
 

Production CompaniesDistributors
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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
MOVIEmeter: ?
^ 6% since last week why?

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Mrs. Parker's memory is correct. The Lone Ranger's nephew, Dan Reid, rode a horse named "Victor". He was the son of the Lone Ranger's horse, Silver. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: At the beginning of the movie when we see Christmas activities in the large town square, there's a red-and-cream "Peter Witt"-type trolley car, as well as an elevated view of a two-car trolley. There are no trolley tracks, nor are there overhead wires to power the trolley. more
Quotes:
Ralphie: [in his fantasy, Ralphie explains the cause of his blindness] It... It 'twas... soap poisoning! more
Soundtrack:
Peter and the Wolf more

FAQ

Is this movie based on a novel?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
How did they make the boy's tongue stick to the flagpole?
more
38 out of 50 people found the following comment useful:-
Classic Christmas film that doesn't age, 13 December 2004
10/10
Author: MovieAddict2008 from UK

Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) wants a Red Rider BB Gun for Christmas but his mother is totally against it - the "you'll shoot your eye out" discussion being a major opposition.

This is essentially a story about childhood and is very spot-on in regards to the yearning of children and the whole Christmas era - I've been watching it since I was a child and every Christmas when it comes on TV I watch it again. It's funny, poignant and totally memorable - it has some of the best scenes of all-time and although I know a few people who dislike it because it's a bit "weird" and "dark," most people I know love it.

Worth watching every Christmas, forever!

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Message Boards

Discuss this title with other users on IMDb message board for A Christmas Story (1983)
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Does anyone else watch it all day? HeathIsMyHero
Funny reaction from teachers when we watched this at school agentJ8
Delete your post A Christmas Story style karenlynn1
A Christmas Story Wrong Answer Game trashcanman
YES! It's no longer in the Top 250!!! Vooshvazool
What other Christmas movies... Scifiboy666
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