It’s funny. I’m 37 and have never seen more than 5 minutes of that movie. I know the lamp scene and the tongue/pole scene, but that’s it. I always turn it off, wondering why everyone thinks it’s so great.
What am I missing?
It takes a different approach. It isn’t “the joke” so much as the telling of the joke. Maybe you should start at the beginning.
I think you have to have a Dad like the Dad in the movie to appreciate it....
“What am I missing?”
What you are missing is about 10-40 years. To really appreciate and miss the good ole days of the Holiday season, and to look back at it with humor, you have to have lived through it.
check it out and watch the whole movie then maybe you’ll see what you are missing.
The rest of the moviem for starters.
Do you remember the Christmas tree lights that went out when one bulb went out? There are lots of little joys in the movie, like that and Ralphie's A+ essay fantasy sequence.
Why don’t you actually watch the movie and find out.
You’re not alone, I can’t see the attraction. That movie isn’t the least bit entertaining, and I have an excellent sense of humor. I sort of dread Christmas because of the constant references to this movie.
I like it, but the fact is it’s still not appropriate for kids. Thus, it’s hard for me to ever put it in “classic” category. Same as all movies these days, or most.
The father is obnoxious (cussing never mind the sexual lamp). That about sums up why this movie is inappropriate; also a few cussing from the kids.
But overall it is good.
And Peter Billingsly - LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE MY BROTHER AS A YOUNG BOY. Including the glasses.
The neat thing about the movie is the reminiscing. You know, the “I remember that!” kind of stuff. It really takes you back to mid 1900’s Americana. I grew up in the 50’s, so much of it just hits me right. The art direction is great - the classroom, the teacher, the kitchen.
For instance, I remember the red snowsuit they jammed Randy in - only mine was blue. And when they left him behind when he yelled, “Wait up” - I had forgotten, but that was a common part of our vocabulary I haven’t used in years.
When my mom saw the little Orphan Annie decoder pin, she remembered hers. And we all remember getting our mouths washed out with soap at least once.
It’s just a great spot on remembrance of childhood as it used to be.
By the way, there was a second movie, Ollie Hopnoodle, and a third with Charles Grodin. The third was pretty bad, but the second was pretty good, if not the classic the first was. Instead of centering on Christmas, the setting is the yearly family summer driving vacation we all remember back when plane rides were a true luxury.
Different actors, but when Randy throws his “Salmon Surprise” sandwich across the highway (’I want a PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH!’, it’s pretty funny. And I remember the red plaid picnic set. Unfortunately, the movie is out of print. I think Disney now owns it.
You are too young to understand.
What am I missing?
Not much. It is sort of vulgar in a cutsie way. I think this film is an either like it or it leaves one cold. I am left cold and interestingly, so is the rest of the family.