Favorite Christmas Shows: #2 National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

#2: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

There is no other film on this list, by far, that has resonated with my association of friends more than this film here, at Christmas time. We know it by heart, and quote it by heart. I have friends who watch it multiple times each week from Thanksgiving to Christmas day. (And for what it’s worth, I think that’s a little excessive) But nevertheless, it remains a penultimate favorite for many people around this time of the year.

It’s amazing, really, to think that you have instant classic when this film came out. Technically, it’s a third part of what is a now a four part movie series. But watching it, you wouldn’t know it. It’s entirely self-contained, and a rich comedy throughout.

Christmas Vacation is the story of Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) and his family. Clark wants to have that old fashioned large family Christmas at his home and to that end invites all the relatives out. But, in typical “Vacation” fashion, he overdoes everything in planning and executing this endeavor.

There it is!

It begins with the family going out, and literally freezing their asses off getting the family Christmas tree. (Clark also forgets the saw). Then the relatives arrive, and naturally chaos ensues between the various members of the two extended families. Clark spends most of his time outside decorating his house, leaving his wife Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo), and kids Russ and Audrey (Johnny Galecki and Juliette Lewis)to tend to everyone else.

Can't see the line can you Russ?

Hilarity ensues when the greatest character of them all, Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid), and his family stops by uninvited and Eddie’s backwoods ways of viewing the world and other ways he carries himself.

The infamous Dickie

Clark had envisioned the Hallmark card of Christmases and as things begin to come off the rails ever more as the movie progresses, he gets more and more frustrated with the fact that things are not happening as he envisioned it. The whole situation is made worse by the fact that he had planned to put in a swimming pool with his Christmas bonus check and it hasn’t arrived by Christmas.

To this day, I cannot hear Bing Crosby's Mele Kalikimaka without thinking about this scene

Finally, Christmas comes and many things happen to push Clark to his breaking point, but the final nail is when he gets what he believes is his check, and it turns out to be a jelly of the month club membership. He snaps and takes it out on everyone, and everything around him. In one memorable scene Clark lays into his boss telling him he would like him there right then to really tell him what he thinks.

This inspires Eddie to track the guy down, and bring him back in chains, after which the cops track down everyone at the Griswold’s, and raid the place.

Naturally, I have left much out of this review. Many of you have already seen it, and those that haven’t are missing out on one of the best Christmas films ever made. There’s so much to love about Christmas Vacation, from the one liners, the setups, how Clark gets into trouble, and the feud he has with this neighbors, Todd and Margo. Each and every scene is classic, funny, and memorable. And with a cast such as this, it’s really no surprise. The film has talent throughout.

Merry Christmas!! Shitter was full!

There are not many films that I hold in the highest regard at this time of year, and on another day, or year, this movie would easily be number one. It’s just that good.