A Christmas Story 1983

     The time period for this film is the post Depression-era of the 1940’s.  It’s based on the novel In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd published in 1966.  One of the stories is about Ralphie Parker and he is nine years old.  He is attempting to convince his parents, teacher and Santa that a Red Ryder Range 200 Shot BB gun really is the perfect Christmas gift?   

     This film is presented as a series of stories about Ralphie and his family.  There are a set of stories about Ralphie and his brother Randy, the kids at school plus Ralphie’s father and mother.  Ralphie's father is referred to as “The Old Man.”  He wins a contest and the prize is a lamp in the shape of a woman’s leg.  Ralphie's mother hates this object!!  “The Old Man” fights a constant battle with the furnace in the Parker home.  “The Old Man” bickers about the possibly 785 smelly hound dogs belonging to the next-door neighbors, the Bumpuses.  These stories are so FUNNY and they take you back to this period in time.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

94 min, Comedy directed by Bob Clark with Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Ian Petrella, Jean Shepher, Scott Schwartz, R.D. Robb, Tedde Moore, Yano Anaya, Zack Ward, Jeff Gillen, Colin Fox, Paul Hubbard, Leslie Carlson.

Note:  Imdb 8.0 out of 10, 89% critic 88% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 4*, Amazon 4.7* out of 5* with 4949 reviews, Metacritic 77 out of 100 with 8 critics 8.7 out of 10 with 166 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Cleveland, Ohio and Ontario, Canada.  The release date was just before Thanksgiving 1984 and the film became a surprise hit.  Complaints were received about its removal from theaters after Christmas.  It played on select screens until after the first of the year in 1984.  There is a scene with Flick getting his tongue stuck to a flagpole in the snow.  A hidden suction tube was used to safely give the illusion that his tongue was frozen to the metal.  In 2005, the home used for the exterior shots was put up for auction on eBay.  A fan of the movie, Brian Jones, purchased it for $150,000.  He spent a year restoring the home and he spent nearly $500,000.  He also purchased the house next door for a gift shop and museum.  The home opened as a tourist attraction on November 25, 2006.