National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)

The Griswold family's cross-country drive to the Walley World theme park proves to be much more arduous than they ever anticipated.

Director:

Harold Ramis

Writers:

John Hughes (screenplay), John Hughes (short story "Vacation '58")

Stars:

Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Imogene Coca

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chevy Chase	...	Clark Griswold
Beverly D'Angelo	...	Ellen Griswold
Imogene Coca	...	Aunt Edna
Randy Quaid	...	Cousin Eddie
Anthony Michael Hall	...	Rusty Griswold
Dana Barron	...	Audrey Griswold
Eddie Bracken	...	Roy Walley
Brian Doyle-Murray	...	Kamp Komfort Clerk
Miriam Flynn	...	Cousin Catherine
James Keach	...	Motorcycle Cop
Eugene Levy	...	Car Salesman
Frank McRae	...	Grover
John Candy	...	Lasky, Guard at Walleyworld
Christie Brinkley	...	The Girl in the Ferrari
Jane Krakowski	...	Cousin Vicki

Storyline

Having it all planned down to the last detail, the American, well-meaning paterfamilias, Clark Griswold, and his supportive wife, Ellen, take their two teenage children, Rusty and Audrey, on a cross-country trip from the suburbs of Chicago, all the way to sunny California's Walley World amusement park. However, anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and before long, Ellen's cousin, Catherine, and her husband, Eddie, enter the picture, and Clark is on the verge of blowing a gasket. Now, Roy Walley's wonderful park seems so far away, and even though the prospect of a clandestine meeting with the alluring blonde in a fast, 1981 Ferrari 308 GTSi sounds tempting, Clark must do the right thing, and find the promised land. How hard can it be to have the perfect vacation?

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Plot Keywords:

road movie | dysfunctional family | national lampoon series | blonde in ferrari | woman in shower | 

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Taglines:

Every summer Chevy Chase takes his family on a little trip. This year he went too far.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Candy and Frank McRae also appeared in 1941 (1979).

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Goofs

They are clearly in Colorado (mountains) and Clark says: "Hey, hey, easy kids. Everybody in the car. Boat leaves in two minutes ... Or perhaps you don't want to see the second largest ball of twine on the face of the earth, which is only four short hours away?" The second largest ball of twine is located in Cawker City, Kansas. The largest ball of twine is located in Darwin, Minn. Both of which are clearly east of Colorado and not west, which is where the Griswolds are headed.

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Quotes

Clark Griswald: I think you're all fucked in the head. We're ten hours from the fucking fun park and you want to bail out. Well I'll tell you something. This is no longer a vacation. It's a quest. It's a quest for fun. You're gonna have fun, and I'm gonna have fun... We're all gonna have so much fucking fun we're gonna need plastic surgery to remove our goddamn smiles! You'll be whistling 'Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah' out of your assholes! I must be crazy! I'm on a pilgrimage to see a moose. Praise Marty Moose! Holy ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

During the credits, you see snapshots of group photos of where and who the Griswalds met on the vacation. The last photo shows you how they got home, on a plane.

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Alternate Versions

In recent years in AMC and Sundance Channel airings the scene when Audrey and Rusty argue the word "retard" is omitted or muted out.

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Connections

Featured in Star Wars: The Last Plinkett Review (2018)

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Soundtracks

He's So Dull
Performed by Vanity 6
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records

User Reviews

How can you not like this movie?

This is one of those movies that i loved when i was younger so i really didn't know what to think as i watched it again. But to my surprise it is still charming, funny and sweet. Enter Chevy Chase as the last family guy, just wanting to spend time with his loving family. A hilarious journey from Chicago to California to get to an amusement park. You may think, that shouldn't be a problem, but it is. This is one vacation you will never forget. I have always liked Chevy Chase and if you watch this movie you will know why. The sweet caring family man losing more and more of his mind is nothing less than funny as hell. Maybe you will think twice about taking your family on vacation after watching this movie. I rate this movie 7/10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 July 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Vacation

Filming Locations:

2310 North Vermont Avenue, Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,333,358, 31 July 1983

Gross USA:

$61,399,552

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$61,399,552

Company Credits

Production Co:

National Lampoon, Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1