National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Clark Griswold just wants a good old-fashioned family Christmas. The house has other ideas.
Clark plans the perfect Christmas: the biggest tree, 25,000 lights, the whole family, and a bonus check for a pool. Instead he gets Cousin Eddie, a squirrel, a sledding incident, and jelly-of-the-month club math. The third Vacation film became the one everybody quotes — usually while untangling lights.
John Hughes adapted his own short story 'Christmas '59,' and director Jeremiah Chechik found the truth inside the slapstick: Clark Griswold isn't chasing a great Christmas, he's chasing the memory of his father's, and the gap between the dream and the reality is where every joke lives. The 25,000 twinkle lights, the squirrel in the tree, and Cousin Eddie emptying the RV tank in the street are quotable to the point of folk song. Of the whole Vacation series, this is the one families actually schedule their December around.
From the Film
The Facts
- Year
- 1989
- Director
- Jeremiah Chechik
- Runtime
- 97 minutes
- Genres
- Comedy, Family
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Chevy Chase | Clark Griswold |
| Beverly D'Angelo | Ellen Griswold |
| Randy Quaid | Eddie Johnson |
| Juliette Lewis | Audrey Griswold |
| Johnny Galecki | Russell "Rusty" Griswold |
| Julia Louis-Dreyfus | Margo Chester |
| Miriam Flynn | Catherine Johnson |
| Diane Ladd | Nora Griswold |
Good to know: The third film in the National Lampoon Vacation series, it is now viewed as a Christmas classic despite initially mixed reviews.
Where to watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
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