The year is 1940. Ralphie Parker who is 9 years old wants an Official Red Ryder Carbine BB Gun with a compass in the stock and a thing that tells time. Everyone warns him "You'll shoot your eye out". This is the main plot of a Christmas Movie that was very little well known at the time of release in 1983. Nowadays A Christmas Story is one of the most well known Holiday Films in existence along with It's A Wonderful Life, Elf, and Christmas Vacation. But, how did it get that way?
To get a better understanding we have to go back to 1966. American writer, humorist, and radio show host Jean Shepherd wrote a book called "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash". Shepherd at the time also hosted a Radio show on WOR in the New York City area. During the show and in the book he would tell stories of The Parker Family. They were actually based off his own Childhood growing up in Indiana, but rather used a "Universal I" in the form of Ralphie Parker rather than his own name. The story was in the 1966 book and an episode of his radio show in 1974. In the '80s Bob Clark directed a hit movie called "Porky's" A well known raunchy teen comedy. MGM wanted Clark to work on Porky's 2. Clark agreed with one condition, he wanted to make a Christmas movie based off the Jean Shepherd stories he heard while in New York. MGM reluctantly gave him $3 million to do it. MGM did not want another Christmas Movie seeing at the time they were not profitable and the audiences were embracing "It's A Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street" as annual Holiday Classics.
Clark would film the movie in Cleveland, Ohio and Toronto, Ontario, Canada throughout 1982 and 1983. Jack Nicholson was the first choice to play "The Old Man", but that would have meant doubling the budget, so the role went to Darren Mcgavin and the role of Ralpie went to Peter Billingsley who at the time was in Hershey's Syrup commercials. The snow seen in the movie was actually fake foam snow as that winter was actually mild for the area. The movie came out Thanksgiving weekend 1983 and was not a hit, but it still made budge so it also wasn't a flop.
In 1985, HBO began airing the movie and in 1986 it was released to VHS. In the '90s Ted Turner bought the rights to the film and began airing it in 24-hour marathons on Christmas Eve/Day on TBS and TNT. A tradition that still carries to this day. To date, this movie is regarded as being one of the most popular Christmas Movies of all time and has sold a lot of leg lamps. in 2004 The house in Cleveland Ohio was purchased and has been turned into a museum, gift shop, and bed and breakfast. You can even rent the house for the night! The movie actually did more for the city of Cleveland, Ohio than it did for Indiana where the story took place. Shepherd was also kicked off set and told not to return after he was revealed to have been interfering with the actors' scenes by wanting them to act a certain way. Which in a way it was his story, but then again he wasn't directing so it kinda makes him look like an ass.
Altogether the movie is very well done, however, 2 viewings during the Season is enough for me let alone 12 different showings in a 24 hour period. If you have seen this movie what did you think of it?
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