Right after “It’s a Wonderful Life,” it’s time for us to watch “A Christmas Story.” It’s part of the ritual of Christmas and one of my favorite traditions. Just the narration, spoken by its author, the inimitable Jean Shepherd, is a gem. It’s the story of Christmas seen through the eyes of Ralphie, a kid like me. A kid like you.
I’m not sure what my favorite scene is, but it may be when the neighbor’s pack of hounds takes out the Christmas turkey. Or perhaps the singing of “Jingle Bells” by the staff of the local Chinese restaurant.
There are so many great scenes, it really is hard to pick one. It remains our favorite light-hearted go-to Christmas movie.
It’s hard for me to imagine that anyone over the age five hasn’t seen it. It plays on numerous channels every year, but just in case, we have it on DVD. I know it has been recently released on Blu-ray.
I highly recommend it. Although it is sometimes poignant, it is not sentimental, yet it manages to be both nostalgic and very funny. Probably the best role of Darin McGavin’s career.
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Categories: Christmas, Holidays, Humor, Media, Movies, Reviews
SERENDIPITY - SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
Hard to pick a favorite scene in “A Christmas Story” because there are so many from beginning to end. I’ll also go with the neighbor’s dogs whirlwind attack on the turkey and Darren McGavin’s profanity-laced outrage. Definitely McGavin’s best and funniest film performance. Jean Shepherd was a treasure. And, yes, the kids were just like the kids I knew. Ralphie?? Ah, there’s a kid for the ages!!
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The lack of sentimentality combined with clever dialogue and a representation of “real kids” the way kids actually are really works for me. Parents always say things indicating total outrage when kids lie to them, but ALL kids lie. Some are better at it and get away with it more often. Moreover, mom and dad were kids and THEY lied too. That’s the reality of kid-dom … it IS always better to get caught. Any kid can live with guilt better than punishment. It’s one of the few honest movies about both Christmas and a kids’ eye view of the world.
On Sun, Dec 23, 2012 at 10:30 AM, Serendipity
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I also love the scene where Ralphie breaks into crocodile tears after breaking his glasses and then smiles at the camera as his Mom is soothing his boo-boo. I wish Darren had had more roles like this one. He brought a comic edge to his “Night Stalker” and “Mike Hammer” series.
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ONE OF MY FAVS!!!! I left you some awards. I hope you come by and see! Lots of love, Emily
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Emily, you left my a six pack of awards this morning! I hope you are referring to those awards because if you gave me any more, I may start hyperventilating and pass out from excitement:-)
This is our favorite too … it never stops being funny and sweet … a hard combination, but it works.
On Sun, Dec 23, 2012 at 12:18 AM, Serendipity
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Yes the awards are from this morning. I love this movie because of the way it talks like a real kid would talk!
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And the kid reacts like kids really do, not like the sentimentalized versions we see so often. They are young, but also manipulative, greedy, and very good at getting what they want any way they can. Anyone who has ever raised kids knows all kids lie. Some are better at it than others. REALLY good ones become PR consultants or politicians.
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HAHA!!! TOO FUNNY !!! Totally true!!! You crack me up!
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