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A Christmas Story (PG, 1983)

common sense media says

Wonderful antidote to cutesy holiday tales; some swearing.

parents & educators say
  • 41% say language is an issue
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that both kids and adults use and discuss strong language ("ass," "son of a bitch"), and one famous scene involves young Ralphie using the "F" word (though movie viewers hear the word "fudge"). In one scene, the main character is punished for swearing by having his mouth washed out with soap. He's also bullied and beats up his nemesis, then cries afterward. One child sticks his tongue on a flagpole on a dare and needs the fire department to unstick him.

Educational value: Shows kids growing up in the 1930s/'40s listening to the radio for entertainment. Kids can read up more about the "Little Orphan Annie" program.
Positive messages: Underneath some ironic and satirical humor this is a warm story about a 1930s/'40s family. It is a refreshing look at a less-than-perfect holiday experience and the unexpected joy that can be found when things don't go as planned.
Positive role models: Ralphie engages in some questionable behavior, especially when it comes to lying in order to stay out of trouble. But he is a tame child by today's standards. And while Ralphie's dad seems like the disciplinarian, it's his mom who hands out the soap when he's caught swearing.
Violence & scariness: It's mostly yelling and arm-twisting when two bullies harass kids daily, though Ralphie's friend does come to class with a black eye after one altercation. Ralphie punches one bully until he gets a bloody nose. A dream sequence shows Ralphie with his prized BB gun shooting and killing four comical bandits. A kid touches an icy metal pole with his tongue on a dare and it freezes to the pole.
Sexy stuff: Ralphie's dad wins a lamp shaped like a woman's leg. Ralphie calls it the "soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window" and continues to run his hand up the leg when his mother's not watching.
Language: Some language said by both adults and children, including "ass," "son of a bitch," "hell," "hot damn," and insults like "idiot," "dumb," etc. Lots of discussion about the use of profanity, by Ralphie's father who constantly swears while fixing the heater, but especially when Ralphie lets slip the "F" word in front of his dad, which is heard by the audience as "fudge." He's punished with a mouthful of soap.
Consumerism: Main character is obsessed with getting a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Mentions of other brands, some still available (Ovaltine) some not (Look magazine). And the infamous leg lamp is now a hot item at Christmastime.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Ralphie's parents drink wine after opening presents and his dad offers him a sip -- mom turns it down for him.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on A Christmas Story

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

  • Families can talk about bullies: What makes people act like bullies? What makes people befriend bullies? How will the bully's life change after Ralphie fights him?

  • Why is it hard for Ralphie to talk to his parents about what he wants for Christmas?

  • Why is Ralphie so disappointed by the decoder? Do products get advertised during your favorite shows? Does it sometimes catch you by surprise like it did Ralphie?

What's the story?

What's the story?

Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) is a 9-year-old boy in 1930s/'40s Gary, Indiana, whose entire life is consumed with his one wish: to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. He also has to deal with a seemingly endless wait for his Little Orphan Annie decoder ring, a nasty bully, and an overworked department-store Santa. His father (Darren McGavin) seems preoccupied with the neighbors' dogs (he hates them), a huge lamp in the shape of a lady's fishnet-stocking-clad leg that he won, the family's furnace, and the Christmas turkey. His mother seems preoccupied with getting his brother to eat and getting the leg-lamp out of the house, but both parents manage to come through for a chaotic but very merry Christmas.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Part of the appeal of this movie, based on the memoirs of humorist Jean Shepard (who narrates), is the authenticity of the period detail, much of which will seem bizarre to kids today. But what is really engaging is his feel for the timeless details of childhood. Today's kids may not have Ralphie's exquisitely calibrated system of dares and double-dog dares, but they will have some equivalent that is just as thoroughly understood and immutable in their own schoolyard community. And they will have a bully to deal with, something sent away for with box-tops to haunt the mailbox for, a sibling to be annoyed by, an essay to dream of impressing the teacher with, the adult world to try to figure out, and, most of all, some magic dream of the ultimate Christmas present to hope for beyond all reason.

This is a nice antidote to all those Christmas television specials with perfectly harmonized carols and perfectly wrapped gifts. Because people tend to get so obsessive about every single detail at Christmas, the last scene of this movie, when the family's Christmas dinner is exactly the opposite of what they had planned, is especially sweet. Their reaction, seeing it not as a disappointment but as a delightful and funny adventure to enjoy remembering in future Christmases, is a lesson for all families.

Movie themes & details

Themes
holidays
Movie Details
Studio: Warner Bros.
Director: Bob Clark
Cast: Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon, Peter Billingsley
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 98 minutes
Theatrical release: November 18, 1983
DVD release: October 7, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG
This review was written by Nell Minow
 
 

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What parents & educators say

9
Based on 27 parent & educator reviews:
  • 41% say language is an issue
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Most useful reviews by all members

sunnytwo22
teen, 14 years old
10
 
Great Movie For 10 and Up
This is such a great movie and for my family it is a classic. We are watching right now on Christmas. It is not ok for younger kids because they say bad words and there is the leg lamp of course.
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JazzerGyrl
parent of 9 and 11 year old
10
 
Screen it before your kids do
I know my husband loves this movie, but I can't stand it at all. As a parent, I like it even less. The language is terrible for kids to see, it makes children think Santa does not get you what you want-and he is portrayed as being really nasty in this movie at the mall. The father feeling up a sexy leg lamp is something little ones just simply would not get. All in all, I think that you have to decide on how mature your child is before you watch this movie. It also is really watered down when they run it on television, so if you buy it on DVD, make sure you screen it before showing your kids, I think you will be shocked at the content the networks leave out.
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CedricDoodlehopper
teen, 15 years old
10
 
Classic Christmas Film
This is a good movie. It has some bad language, although there is much more language that is implied than actually said (including the f-word, which just sounds like "fudge"). They also say a*s and b***h and a few other bad words.
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musicgirl1797
teen, 15 years old
10
 
good movie, but some stuff maybe to inappropriate for younger kids
i think this movie is really hilarious, but i think that the language is too strong for elementery school kids. even though a bunch of the language was hard to make out, some words were clear to me. it also references the f words, even though it is not described.
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fezzihair100
kid, 9 years old
9
 
love it I thin you should watch it
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Plague
parent
4
 
A Christmas Story
Definitely a fun family film, and a classic.
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SallyP
adult
10
 
Funny for adults and teens, but language is terrible for younger kids
I have watched this movie many times, and think it's really funny. I thought my 9-year old would like it this year, so we started to watch it, and I had apparently forgotten how bad the language is! MUCH more swearing that you would typically see in a PG or even PG13 movie these days... My daughter also really hated the bullying. We didn't finish watching the movie... we'll probably try again when she's about 12!
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runner26
parent of 5 and 7 year old
10
 
Wait for your teenager.
A great movie. Not appropriate for kids. CSM reviewer is off: Consumerism includes, Ovaltine and many other items Lots of sexual stuff Parents are portraied as idiots and use bad language that gets beeped out.
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DangerWoman
adult
8
 
A Christmas Story: A Christmas Classic Of the 20th Century!
I feel that, after 26 years, that this movie is worthy of being one of the great holiday movies of the 20th Century! I should also mention that there are some examples of big bullies and adults who did NOT understand Ralphie's wish and quest to get what he really wanted in the first place. But, Ralphie fought back and on Christmas Day, he did get what he really wanted!
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slovesdogs2000
kid, 11 years old
8
 
Too much swearing
ok movie but way too many cusses out of a lil kid. lil kid drops the f bomb in front of dad but movie changed the word to fudge so it wasnt heard although they told you he said it. gets secret decoder pen from ovaltine and gets a message, decodes it, finds out its an advertisement and says son of a b****
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naner14
adult
 
Verry Funny
I watched this movie, mostly by accident once, and I loved it. It's really funny, and very family appropriate. There aren't really any draw backs, except bullying (which is combatted in this movie) and swearing, but the words were only implied with other harmless words. However, the kids were punished for saying the words that the harmless words stood for. But it was a funny movie.
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CSM Screen ...
adult
10
 
Not for children
I rented the movie so it was not edited by cable. The language used by the children were very bad one would call his friend Ralphie a smart ass, a few times and Ralphie said he used the F word instead of the Fuuu that replaced it. Not really for children and too much innuendo for tweens. Watch it on cable not rented version. But most children don't get the humor so they don't really like it anyway.
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science
kid, 10 years old
9
 
ha ha
cool like it but they say son of a b***h but who cares it's funny
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Ba movie girl
adult
6
 
its a great family movie
i love a christmas story it has a couple of scary scenes and it has just a little to much violence for kids to watch i love this movie though and it is funny and hilarious and Melinda Dillion did a great job as playing the mom and so did Darren Mcgavin playing as the dad and the leg lamp part was hilarious so was the part when santa pushed ralphie down the slide backwards and when flick put his tongue on the flag pole and when ralphie was inside the pink bunny suit to me i think the movie was very good the movie is a classic and it does have a lot of profanity i would recommened a christmas movie if u are looking for a great christmas movie then watch a chritsmas story and the movie it self is a defiently family movie to watch over and over again it just had some language
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brennafly
 
Love this movie!
I watch this movie every Christmas! It is a classic at my house. It is so funny, and the whole family can watch it together. There is some language, the boy says "fudge" instead of the f word, and the father swears. There is a fistfight between too boys , and that is about all of the violence. I absolutely love this movie.
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sweetpanda14
adult
6
 
Very Funny
Despite the profanity , A Christmas Story is very funny and a classic! Its about an eight year old boy named Ralphie who wishes one thing for Christmas : A Red Ryder BB Gun. My favorite parts were when Ralphie tells Santa Claus what he wanted for Christmas and the end. Overall I would recommend this movie.
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HunterJumper13
teen, 15 years old
2
 
Perfect for all ages, listen to a kid
This is a classic. I've been watching this with my faimily for as long as I can remember. Honestly, if your kid can't handel the language in it, how on earth are they going to survive the real world? I mean really, this movie is hilarious. The bullying, that's funny too, and I mean really: It's a good message for kids I guess, because it tells them to toughen up... Look at all the kids that are murdering themselves because someone called them a "mean name" online? This is a terrific movie for kids. And I have to ask SCHMEEGLE98, I didn't understand your comment about homeschoolers...
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tuckers mom
parent of and 8 , 12 , 13 year old
9
 
A Christmas Story
This is a great classic holiday movie. love the traditions - the christmas turkey, getting a tree on christmas eve, visiting santa. it does have some language but I love the timelessness of Ralphie really, really wanting that certain toy for Christmas.
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Justino4
teen, 14 years old
7
 
A Bit Vulgar
There is somewhat a lot of bad content in such PG movie. I think it should be PG-13 for cussing. The bad content includes some sexual themes such as the leg lamp and some violence such as Ralphie's shooting scene at the beginning of the movie. Most of the bad content can be included in a PG movie, but is still a bit vulgar.
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Squid Kid
kid, 13 years old
10
 
Obviously not my fave. Ralphie uses the F-Bomb in one part, and everyone seems to have said @$$, b----, d---, and even sh*t. There's too many bad words, and if you don't like people cussing in real life, don't see a movie that contains it either.
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