This film is the definition of a cinematic unicorn. I know nothing about Writer/Narrator Jean Shepherd, and imagine him to be a later version of radio personality Will Rogers and an earlier version of Garrison Keillor (who I just learned Shepherd hated with a passion.) His other cinematic contributions were forgettable duds. Producer, Director, co-Writer Bob Clark made this between Porkys and Rhinestone and his previous Christmas film was Black Christmas. I remember arriving late to the theater, so I missed the opening minutes which has always been my least favorite part of the film. I also remember laughing like I have never laughed before and rarely have since.
It’s about the hope for a BB gun as a Christmas present, and fans of the film can recite the specifications, which is constantly blocked with “you’ll shoot your eye out.” The bulk of the film is a series of delightful, surprisingly recognizable episodes. My personal favorites are the decoder ring, the little brother wrapped in winter clothes, and a child’s first utterance of the ‘F’ word, which is followed by an observation of the taste of soap. It’s one of the most consistently funny scripts of all-time, though some of the humor has aged poorly and those moments of now uncomfortable silence really stick out against the rest. It’s a Christmas Classic without doubt and while I usually research how a film came together, this is a case where I don’t want to know. Let it live as a unicorn.
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