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Plot

Nine years after the Yuletide slasher flick Black Christmas, Porky's director Bob Clark once again took on the holiday genre, switching from gasps to laughs with A Christmas Story. Adapted from a memoir by humorist Jean Shepherd (who narrates), the film centers on Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley), a young boy living in 1940s Indiana, desperately yearning for a Red Rider BB gun for Christmas. Despite protests from his mother (Melinda Dillon) that he'll shoot his eye out, Ralphie persists, unsuccessfully trying to enlist the assistance of both his teacher and Santa Claus. All the while, Ralphie finds himself dealing with the constant taunts of a pair of bullies and trying to not get in the middle of a feud between his mother and father (Darren McGavin) regarding a sexy lamp.
MPAA Rating:
PG
Genre(s):
Comedy,Family
Run Time:
95min.
Theatrical Release Date:
11/18/1983
DVD Release Date:
10/29/1997
Distributor(s):
MGM/UA
Director(s):
Bob Clark
Starring:
Melinda Dillon , Darren McGavin , Peter Billingsley , Ian Petrella , Scott Schwartz
Themes:
Bullies,Eccentric Families,Mischievous Children
Tone:
Madcap,Gentle,Irreverent,Witty,Endearing,Warm,Humorous,Nostalgic
Keywords:
Christmas,bully,childhood-adventures,family-dynamics,gun,obsession,scheme,sibling,small-town
Language:
English