National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
"Christmas Vacation" (original title)

The Griswold family's plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster.

Director:

Jeremiah S. Chechik

Writer:

John Hughes

Stars:

Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Juliette Lewis

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chevy Chase	...	Clark
Beverly D'Angelo	...	Ellen
Juliette Lewis	...	Audrey
Johnny Galecki	...	Rusty
John Randolph	...	Clark, Sr.
Diane Ladd	...	Nora
E.G. Marshall	...	Art
Doris Roberts	...	Francis
Randy Quaid	...	Eddie
Miriam Flynn	...	Cathrine
Cody Burger	...	Rocky
Ellen Hamilton Latzen	...	Ruby Sue
William Hickey	...	Lewis
Mae Questel	...	Bethany
Sam McMurray	...	Bill

Storyline

It's Christmas time and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration, but things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen and their two kids. Clark's continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | boss | christmas bonus | christmas eve | vacation | 

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Taglines:

There's No Place Like Home For A Holiday!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 December 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Filming Locations:

Mattison Boyd Jones House - 727 West Kenneth Road, Glendale, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$27,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$71,320,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, Hughes Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is one of three films released in 1989 to feature an animated title sequence. The other two are Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Troop Beverly Hills.

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Goofs

The swat team leader tells Clark "I told you to freeze", and Clark asks "May we blink?". Behind the swat leader, the front door is standing wide open. After Clark asks "May we blink?", Mrs. Shirley and the police chief enter the house through the front door, but when they do, they open the door, the same door that was standing wide open seconds before.

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Quotes

Audrey: Would it be indecent to ask the grandparents to stay at a hotel?

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Crazy Credits

"THE END" is lit up in Christmas lights. One of the bulbs pops, making the lit up "THE END" go dark.

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Connections

Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #19.61 (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Silent Night"
(uncredited)
Music by Franz Gruber
Lyrics by Joseph Mohr

User Reviews

Best Vaction/Christmas Movie

Poor Clark Griswold, no matter how optimistic he is, his family vacations always seem to go severely wrong. First time around he went across America in a metallic pea Station Wagon and it ended in disaster. Then they went across Europe and met similar, albeit much less funny, results.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Griswolds, Clark is food additives expert who works for a company that doesn't appreciate him. He sets high standards for holiday events that no one can live up to and is notorious for dragging his grudging family along on every painstaking detail of every scheme. His wife Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo) is the voice of reason, who keeps the family rooted in reality and responds with frequent deadpan bewilderment to his constant disasters. The long-suffering kids, Russ and Audrey (Johnny Galecki and a very young Juliette Lewis) have turned into the living embodiment of pure cynicism, but there's no talking any sense into Clark Griswold. Ever!

But now Clark just wants to stay at home in the snowy Chicago suburbs for a 'fun, old-fashioned, family Christmas' and he's going to let nothing stop him. His enthusiasm for the holidays manages to infect the audience and you'll be rooting for him the whole way. He's an anti-Scrooge and if you're having a Christmas crisis then you need to watch this movie. Any disasters can be overcome.

But that's easier said than done. He didn't bargain on bickering family members (including the voice of Betty Boop, Mae Questel, as a senile old aunt), a house covered in non-working Christmas lights, a seriously over-cooked turkey, snotty Yuppie neighbors making fun of him or Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) and his hickabilly family turning up unannounced to sponge some Christmas cheer off him.

What stops it from being just another generic Christmas movie is a brilliant script by John Hughes packed full of hilarious set-pieces and perfect comic timing from Chevy Chase. He's a great actor but his appeal sadly declined in the 90s when he refused to evolve into more serious roles like Bill Murray did. Clark Griswold and Fletch are probably his most famous roles and this Vacation is definitely one you need to take.

It's hard to pick the best moments but Randy Quaid's sudden appearance will make you grin a mile wide, a cat wrapped up in a box (with Happy Birthday paper!) that meets an unfortunate end and 'an asshole in his bathrobe emptying a chemical toilet into the sewer' are just plain brilliant. But what gives Christmas Vacation something more that makes it so much more special that all the other Christmas movies is that wonderful theme song! It's absolutely brilliant! But that ain't the only great tune the film as to offer. There are also some classic songs by Ray Charles, Bing Crosby and Gene Autry.

Although not the best of the bunch (Harold Ramis' direction had an evil edge to the first film that made it just that little bit better), this film has become a Yuletide classic and must be watched every year. Since Christmas is full of annual traditions this film is definitely one you should add to the list. It would criminal to give it anything less that the highly coveted 10/10.