A Christmas Story (1983)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Bob Clark

Writers:

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

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 | Indiana

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
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)
Giada Dobrzenska	...	Little girl at parade (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)

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
Kenneth Heeley-Ray	....	post-production supervisor (as Ken Heeley-Ray)
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
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist (uncredited)
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 Companies

• Christmas Tree Films
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1997) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• MGM/UA Entertainment Company (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Vídeo Arte (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

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:

Director Bob Clark mentions in the commentary on the 2003 DVD that he worked with writer Jean Shepherd for nearly ten years on the concept of ‘A Christmas Story’ before the film was made.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Ralphie is decoding Annie's secret message in the bathroom, the text's case on his writing changes from lower case to upper case between shots (watch the "E/e" in "Be"... (Be sure to drink your Ovaltine)).

Quotes:

Ralphie as Adult: [narrating] My father worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium, a master.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999) (V)

Soundtrack:

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Classic Christmas film that doesn't age

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!