As in The Major Award.
#24 of 31 Things I Love About Christmas: A Christmas Story.
Not the one with the manger. The other Christmas Story.
1983’s A Christmas Story (ACS) is a masterpiece. This movie ranks in my top 10 of all time (Animal House, The Godfather, Ocean’s 11, Slap Shot, Bull Durham, Caddyshack, Goodfellas, A Christmas Story, The Naked Gun (all 3) and Youngblood. I know that is technically 12 but don’t tell me how to count. The very name of this blog is taken from a line in the movie.
Let me start by saying in this overly politically correct world we stumble about in 2011, this script would have never made it onto the silver screen. Most directors wouldn’t dare go in places this one goes. As it is I am waiting for the day where there is a call for kids to leave Santa Claus a rice cake and a can of Vitamin Water instead of those evil cookies and milk/egg nog.
The kids in the movie are terrible to each other.
The Old Man says naughty words.
Ralphie says Thee word. The big one. The queen mother of dirty words. The F dash dash dash word.
Kids dare each other to do something hilariously stupid. I TRIPLE DOG DARE YA!
Ralphie wants a gun.
The Old Man threatens to use his screwdriver & plumber’s helper to get that kid to eat. Why did he just ASK?
The leg lamp would be called a sexist display and degrading to women.
Kids bully each other. The Scott Fargas affair, as it came to be known.
Ralphie pummels Scott Fargas. They would now be encouraged to use their words.
Santa is evil and kicks children down a slide.
Ralphie is happy he got a gun.
The Old Man says its’ ok to shoot the Bumpuses’ dogs. Serves ya right, ya smelly buggers.
Ralphie shot his eye out.
Ralphie LIES about his broken glasses (an icicle fell off the garage? Classic.)
THE ENTIRE CHINESE RESTAURANT SCENE. Sing something else…….
I know some have grown to hate it, due to its' over exposure. And by over exposure I mean the now legendary 24 hour marathon showing of ACS on TNT/TBS. You can’t hate this movie. Unless you’re a communist of some sort or have no sense of humor.
There are so so many little nuances to this movie that make it for me. One I always remember is just after Ralphie says “Oh Fudge” and the Old Man tells him “Get in the car, go on” and he kinda grins to himself. He knows full well his kid “heard that word at least ten times a day” from him. It’s a small thing but it’s just one of those things I’ve picked up on.
The entire Christmas morning exchange, the happy as a clam Mom, way too excited at that hour. The Old Man barely awake but enjoy it as best he can. The boys look puzzled at the gift of socks…and over the shoulder they throw them (EVERY kid has had this thought). The look of mischief on The Old Man’s face when Ralphie goes to open the BB gun (he had one when he was eight years old himself). The straight face when The Old Man flips over the remaining turkey leg after their dinner has been ravished by the Bumpauses’ dogs and announces “Alright, everybody upstairs. Get dressed. We are going out to eat.”
Not to mention. The bunny suit. This might be one of the funniest scenes in the history of American cinema. Pure gold. “He looks like a deranged Easter Bunny.” And if word got out about this it could “Easily make life at Warren G Harding School a veritable Hell.”
According to the Wikipedia page for the movie, it was released Thanksgiving Weekend ’83. Did mildly well and was re-released into the theaters through January because the demand was so high.
I think it remains the favorite that it has because of its’ realistic view of the holidays. When you are nine years old “the entire kid year” DOES revolve around Christmas. You do your best to slug your way through those weeks in December. Everyone has that toy or gift they wait and wait for and if lucky enough they actually get it. Every kid has been pushed around to some extent. Parents doing the best they can in their day to day struggles which vary from the dysfunctional furnace (A-ha, a-ha it’s a clinker!), to a “shattered major award.”
At the end of the movie you have a family who care for each other and love each other very much and are happy to make it through another Christmas. All in all, everything turns out just fine. The ending clip of The Old Man and his wife enjoying the snowfall by the light of the Christmas tree is one of the most touching scenes in the entire movie.
This is the kind of classic every director would give a foot to make.
I actually own the soundtrack to this movie. Complete with an hour of clips of dialogue from the movie.
There is an entire website devoted to replica memorabilia and collectibles from the movie.
The house shown in exterior shots has been turned into a complete replica/museum of the house on the inside and gift shop.
There have been many of Christmas movies. All chasing to achieve the timelessness of this classic, and they usually fail. This movie was truly a once in a lifetime marvel.
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