A CHRISTMAS STORY
A film review by Chad Polenz
Copyright 1997 Chad Polenz
*** (out of 4 = good) 1983, PG, 94 minutes [1 hour, 34 minutes] [comedy] Starring: Peter Billingsley (Ralph Parker), Melinda Dillon (Mrs. Parker), Darren McGavin (Mr. Parker), Jean Shepherd (Narrator), written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown, Bob Clark, produced by Rene Dupont, directed by Bob Clark.
Truly great Christmas films have much nostalgia to them. "A Christmas Story" is definitely one of the best because it will remind anyone of their childhood - begging their parents and Santa Claus to bring them something they wanted so bad. This is a story of one boy's dream of the Ultimate Christmas Present.
The story revolves around Ralph Parker (Billingsley), a boy in fourth grade in 1950s middle America, where everything is alright and where "Leave It To Beaver" might take place. This movie uses a technique that isn't used anymore: an older man (Shepherd) narrating his childhood. The approach works well as we can get inside Ralph and know how he thinks and feels.
Ralph wants to a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Of course Ralph's parents and other adults are worried. "You'll shoot your eye out" is what the entire world seems to be telling him, but he doesn't give up. When asked to write a "theme" for class, he writes about how happy getting the gun would make him and how he'll be careful. There is a great scene where he imagines he gets the paper back and the teacher gives him an A with a thousand pluses on it, while the other children applaud him and carry him like a king. This is great storytelling because all kids (well... at least boys) have these kinds of fantasies, but so few films play upon them so well.
But the film is not just about the want for that gun, it's about being a kid in America. We see Ralph and his friends constantly daring each other, one such incident leading to a tongue frozen to a flagpole - that's so true! There's also his little bratty brother always falling behind and whining (isn't that all little brothers exist for?). There are even two bullies who torment Ralph and his friends.
Somehow Ralph survives Advent, but then gets himself into big trouble when he uses "the F word." I've never seen a kid suck on a bar of soap in a film before, and it's the little things like this that make this film so accurate in its depiction of adolescence. Is there any way Ralph will get that BB gun now?
"A Christmas Story" is not a landmark in film history, but it is a good movie. The atmosphere, the acting, and the directing all add up to a good, quality family movie that isn't cliche, cheesy, or even preachy. Overall, it is one of the most original Christmas movies ever.
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