Christmas is a time for tradition – presents, decorations, carols, and mince pies. But what better tradition to celebrate than the Christmas movie? Join The Hollywood News for the Movie Advent Calendar – a film each day ’til Christmas. For the full Advent Calendar so far, click here.
Director Bob Clark first caught audiences’ attention with the festive-themed slasher BLACK CHRISTMAS in 1973, but it’s another of his films that has made THN’s list of festive favourites. A CHRISTMAS STORY, made in 1983, is a cult classic, loved by many a film fan across the world.
It tells the semi-biographical tale of Ralphie and his Christmas wish to get his hands on his ideal gift for the big day. Every role in the film is perfectly cast and as the focus is always on Ralphie Parker himself, Clark has the actual author Jean Shepard – on whose childhood the events are based – narrating the film, bringing the story’s inner child to the fore. The characters are easily connected with, and give a sense of familiarity; they invoke memories of the Christmases past and the presents we have all longed for during those lengthy, cold nights. Credit must also go to the film’s production design: for a film shot in 1983, it perfectly captures the essence of growing up in the US during the 1940’s (even without having that experience, A CHRISTMAS STORY helps one understand what it may have been like). It almost appears as if your looking through the frosted window of another family’s life, taking a peak and experiencing their build up to Christmas .
The film is set in Indiana and centres on Ralphie’s longing for what he considers the must-have gift for his perfect Christmas – the Red Ryder BB gun. It’s up to Ralphie to convince his overprotective mother (CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND’s Melinda Dillon) and his domineering-but-lovable father ‘The Old Man’ (the late Darren McGavin’s performance is now as iconic as Peter Billingsley’s little Ralphie) that it’s a well deserved ‘must-have’ for him. Ralphie even appeals to his teacher, Miss Shields, as well as a local store Santa Claus, but he’s always met with the same sharp response – ‘You’ll put your eye out!’ A run-in with suitably-named school bully Skut Farkus also compromises his chances – he knows his father would not approve of bad behaviour in the school yard, even if provoked.
After BLACK CHRISTMAS, Bob Clark went on to make the high-school classic PORKY’S films and (unfortunately) the terrible BABY GENIUSES. His final film before his tragic death in 2007 was a sequel to BABY GENIUSES entitled SUPERBABIES which was also a major disappointment. But A CHRISTMAS STORY will be remembered as his masterpiece. Actor Peter Billingsley, who played our hero Ralphie, recently turned to directing with COUPLES RETREAT, a tiresome feature that surprising wasted an all-star A-list cast in this laughter-free comedy. Luckily we will always have Ralphie to thank him for.
So, does Ralphie receive the all-important gift when Christmas Day arrives? I shall not divulge the ending of this perfect Yuletide caper for all those yet to see A CHRISTMAS STORY, other than to say it’s wrapped up perfectly… just like all those shiny presents under the tree we all longed for over the years.
