[Movie 309 / Day 330]
Almost a decade after Bob Clarke had shocked audiences with the holiday horror BLACK CHRISTMAS, he took a break from writing and directing dick and fart jokes in the PORKY’S franchise to create a wonderful little story about a boy, Ralphie, that wants nothing more in the world for Christmas than to get his hands on a Red Ryder BB gun – but has to convince every adult he comes into contact with (be it parents, teachers, even Santa) that it would make a perfect gift.
Set in the 1940s, the story is narrated by a grown up Ralphie who is reminiscing on that one particular Christmas. What makes this movie so special though isn’t finding out whether Ralphie achieves his quest and receives a Red Ryder on Christmas Day, but the myriad little adventures that went with growing up in 1940s America. Those adventures take the form of being bullied on the way to school (and discovering that most bullies ain’t so tough); being forced to wear a ridiculous outfit given to him by a crazy aunt; suffering a slip of the tongue and using one of the very worst swear words in the presence of a parent – and finding out the consequences of using that word; even the tiniest little thing like the sheer overwhelming excitement caused by the arrival of a long-awaited secret decoder coin that can be used to decipher the secret message at the end of his favourite radio show (and the crashing disappointment caused when that message is finally decoded).
While it’s set in the 1940s and most viewers aren’t going to know what it was like to want a BB gun more than anything else in the world, I can almost guarantee that you’ll find something that will set off a little spark of reminiscence in this movie, harking back to the best of your own childhood Christmases. And as everyone wants to feel warm, cuddly and happy at this time of year, A CHRISTMAS STORY really hits the mark and in doing so becomes one of simplest, yet most enjoyable, Christmas movies I’ve ever seen.
My Rating: 
[ IMDB rating: 8.0 / 10 | IMDB link | Running time: 94 mins ]
