The holidays are quickly approaching, and what better way to celebrate the festivities than watching classic movies. During the most wonderful time of the year, my family and I watch one of our favorite holiday movies, A Christmas Story.
Production
A Christmas Story is a 1983 American Christmas comedy film. The director is Bob Clark, who makes it into a feel-good holiday movie. The movie was originally based on the novel “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash” by Jean Shepherd. Shepherd actually narrates the movie, being part of the production.
Throughout the entire month of December, holiday movies are streamed all over national television, from channels like Hallmark to all-time movies on websites like Netflix. Every day is a new movie, leading up to Christmas. One of my all-time favorites, is A Christmas Story, which was released on November 18, 1983, just in time for the holiday season.
The movie runs for 1 hour and 34 minutes and is PG. It has been categorized under the genres of Comedy and Family. The movie had a budget of $3.3 million. It sold out in the box office for $20.6 million. The movie came out on disc/streamed on September 28, 1999.
Peter Billingsley leads the movie as the young role of Ralphie Parker, while Jean Shepherd has the voice of adult Ralphie. Melinda Dillon plays the role of Mrs. Parker, and Darren McGavin as the older Mr. Parker.
The film takes place in Hohman, Indiana, which is off of a fictional version of Shepherd’s hometown of Hammond, near Chicago.
Plot
A Christmas Story is based on the reminiscing of Christmas from Ralphie Parker. Throughout the film, there are many different narrations of Ralphie talking about his Christmas when he was only nine years old.
The plot follows the young boy as he relives one of his best Christmas memories, in the 1940’s. All he wanted was an official Red Ryder BB rifle, but every time he had asked for one, the response would be “you’ll shoot your eye out.” Ralphie asks everyone that he can; his parents, his teacher and Santa, but everyone keeps telling him the same catch phrase.
Following Ralphie in the days leading up to Christmas, the audience sees a young boy dealing with everyday life, from bullies to impressing his parents, to overall enjoying the spirit of Christmas.
Awards
The movie earned two Canadian Genie Awards in 1984. It wins the Canadian Screen Award for Best Screenplay and the Genie Award for Best Achievement in Direction.
Undoubtedly, my family and I will forever love to watch this movie when the holiday season rolls around. Even though it is a heart-felt movie with young Ralphie, it is very amusing.
This movie rated PG, there are some scenes that can be questionable for children. I would not recommend it for children younger than their pre-teens, which is when I had first watched it. They may not understand some of the aspects of the film and may become confused. There are some curse words throughout the movie said by Ralphie, which is something younger audiences shouldn’t hear.
Rotten Tomatoes ranks the movie 87% on the Tomato-meter. “Both warmly nostalgic and darkly humorous, A Christmas Story deserves its status as a holiday perennial.”
I would have to rate the movie as 4 out of 5 presents. My family and I will always find humor in this movie, even as I get older. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys a feel-good Christmas movie, that is more realistic. Parents should just be cautious when showing their children, in case they are still sensitive to curse words and Santa Clause.
