Directed by Bob Clark, A Christmas Story is based on Jean Shepherd’s semi-fictional anecdotes in his 1966 book, In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, and elements from his 1971 book Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories and Other Disasters.
| Christmas Story | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
|
|
The feature stars Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, and Peter Billingsley.
Billingsley plays Ralphie Parker, a boy of 9, who wants only one thing for Christmas: Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle.
The movie is known for the line “You’ll shoot your eye out” (his parents’ reason for not wanting to buy him the BB gun) as well as the iconic leg lamp (which his dad wins in a contest), among other memorable moments.
A classic, it has been shown in a marathon annually on TNT since 1997 and on TBS since 2004 titled “24 Hours of A Christmas Story,” consisting of 12 consecutive airings of the film from the evening of Christmas Eve to the evening of Christmas Day annually.
Released on November 18, 1983, it is often ranked as one of the best Christmas films.
Shot partly in Canada, it earned two Canadian Genie Awards in 1984.
Critical Status:
In 2012, it was selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
A musical adaptation — with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul — premiered at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre in 2009 before appearing on Broadway for a limited run in 2012, with Billingsley among the lead producers.
Credits:
