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

Imogene Coca suffered what is believed to have been a stroke during production. Harold Ramis said they filmed a scene that morning, and by that afternoon she couldn't remember anything they did. After getting out of the hospital, she and her husband worked together to re-learn her lines, and get her back on-set to finish the movie.

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Goofs

As the Griswolds are leaving Chicago, the exterior, overhead shots of the Truckster show downtown Chicago, with high-rise skyscrapers in the background. But the "in the car" views show a lower-class industrial area.

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Quotes

Ellen Griswold: Gee Cath looks like you really got your hands full.
Catherine: Oh, it's not so bad. Eddie says after the baby comes, I can quit one of my night jobs.

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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

CBS edited 3 minutes from this film for its 1985 network television premiere.

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Connections

Spoofed in Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation (1992)

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Soundtracks

Christie's Song
(uncredited)
Music by Ralph Burns
[Plays when Clark and The Girl in the Ferrari are in the bar.]

User Reviews

I don't work for the C.I.A.... I used to...

This movie is so great! I can't say enough wonderful things about it. Although I did like the third and fourth better than this, it's difficult to not like it just as much as the others. The writing is hysterical, and the acting extremely well done, and the casting perfect for this film. All the characters are funny and right on cue. I can't say that there is even one boring or bad scene in the whole 98 minutes.

If you've seen this film you have to appreciate the comical genius behind it. Chevy Chase is one of the most talented comedians, and should deserve so much more credit for his skills and ability than he does. I think this is probably the best role he ever received, and Beverly D'angelo is great as his wife, she was perfect for the character she portrayed.

If I had to pick a favorite scene it would probably have to be when he finally meets the blond in the corvette, and tells her he used to work for the C.I.A. But, then again there are so many other funny parts, it's hard to pick just one!

A definite 10 out of 10.

And that's my review.

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