By Jacob Cameron

A Christmas Story is over 40 years old, and it has more than earned its status as a Christmas movie classic. There’s the “24 Hours of a Christmas Story” broadcast on TBS every year. And unlike It’s a Wonderful Life or A Charlie Brown Christmas, where those films came to success slowly, A Christmas Story was lauded from the very beginning.

Chances are that you know the plot of this incredibly well. Ralphie Parker, played by eventual film director Peter Billingsley, wants a Red Ryder beebee gun for Christmas. He is repeatedly curtailed and denied his prize. The movie acts as a series of short stories following an eccentric family around Christmas time in the late 1930’s. Stories that involve: dogs, lamps, tongues, flagpoles, a street fight, a slide, a dreaded four letter word, and more.

The joy of this film is watching this family and their various dynamics and misadventures. Ralphie’s dad and his never-ending wars with the basement furnace and the Bumpass family hounds. Ralphie’s mom is trying to get Ralphie’s brother to eat dinner. The number of iconic quotes and moments in this film are endless. The reader is probably thinking of two or three of their favorite quotes while reading this article.

But the film is more than just the famous quotes, there is a genuine heart at the center. Ralphie is a relatable character in every way. He gets excited for things, he struggles in school, and he gets bullied and fights back. At one time or another, we’ve been Ralphie Parker. Credit goes to Peter Billingsley for this great performance.

Darren McGavin is similarly great as the Old Man. According to Bob Clark, the film’s director, Jack Nicholson, was once considered for the role. And while an early 80’s Jack Nicholson in this role is incredibly tantalizing, Darren McGavin is the old man. Always crotchety, somewhat deranged, and yet uniquely lovable all at once. We also can’t forget Melinda Dillon as Ralphie’s mom, who is similarly great.

The film was based on the book “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash” by Jean Shepherd. Shepherd also provided the voiceover narration for the film. This book was based on stories from Shepherd’s own life, which were originally published in Playboy magazine between 1964 and 1966. It’s easy to see that Shepherd had a great amount of appreciation and nostalgia for his childhood. And clearly, having a great amount of stories to choose from. While not shying away from the embarrassing moments.

This film would spawn three sequels: the forgotten TV Movie My Summer Story, the straight-to-DVD A Christmas Story 2, and the HBO MAX exclusive A Christmas Story Christmas. While the latter of these three is good, nothing will top the original. Even Bob Clark returning to direct My Summer Story couldn’t save it from irrelevance. A Christmas Story is a masterpiece of a Christmas film, and it’s one that can be watched and rewatched for years to come.

5 stars