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Good Morning and Merry Chirstmas Everyone. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I'm watching the movie The Christmas Story, you know the one they run non-stop from Christmas Eve thru Christmas Day. I love this movie as it brings back a lot of memories of when I was a young lad about the same age as the guys in the movie. I can remember going to the depatrment stores here in town and seeing the large window displays with the Lionel trains running all around and then you could mosey on over to the toy department and see the Lionel display layouts that they would have up and running for the Christmas season. Unfortunately, my dad never gave me a Lionel train set for Christmas, he was into HO scale himself and so I got Atheran HO train sets for my trains. My uncle at my grandmothers house, had what I always wanted and we would play with them all night and day. We must have run the wheels off of them, but it was such a great time.
My question to the members is simply can you all tell me what trains were represented in the shots shown in the movie at the beginning? I'm sorry I'm not all that familiar with all the early train sets and locomotives and cars that were avilable during those time back in the late 40's and early 50's. I'd like to try and see if I could find some of those. What do you guys suggest I look for?
Thanks for your help, it is most appreciated.

J. Motts
sptrainnut
TCA 12-67009
Original Post

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quote:
Originally posted by J. Motts:
My question to the members is simply can you all tell me what trains were represented in the shots shown in the movie at the beginning? I'm sorry I'm not all that familiar with all the early train sets and locomotives and cars that were avilable during those time back in the late 40's and early 50's.
J. Motts
sptrainnut
TCA 12-67009


I know one of them is the Lionel Union Pacific M 10000 Streamliner. Not sure about the others.

This One
I am watching the movie right now. Love it. I believe one of the Engine's is a 736 Berkshire or 2055 Baby Hudson. My eyes are not as good as they were a few years back. But, I know some members on the Forum can give the right answer to your question.

I know Ralphie wants that Red Rider Rifle, for me, give me the Lionel Trains in that display window.

Many thanks, & Merry Christmas.

Billy C
Yes, there's a piggyback flat car that Lionel didn't make until the 50's and the caboose is wrong also. There was an in depth discussion about this a few years back. Also, seems there were many more "train in the store window" scenes that were left out due to time constraints. The exact date the movie represents can be seen on the decoder disc Ralphie uses in the bathroom. You have to freeze frame it on a DVD player. It says 1938 or 1939 - can't remember which due to Christmas schnapps.

quote:
Originally posted by BARailroad:
Just finished watching the movie on WTBS. It's my favorite Christmas movie. The freight cars look to new for the time period the movie was set in. But who cares!


I agree.

One has to remember, Christmas Story is about Ralphie, his family, his adventures, the Red Rider and the Major Award.

Not about the trains that appear briefly in the store window.

Rusty
quote:
One has to remember, Christmas Story is about Ralphie, his family, his adventures, the Red Rider and the Major Award.
Not about the trains that appear briefly in the store window.


Exactly! Applies to all the other props used as well. It is a movie about nostalgia, and has perhaps the most meaning for those of us who grew up in or around the general era depicted. The specific time frame matters not at all. Other "youngsters" born in the 60s and beyond can nit-pick the various scenes or props to death, but the true spirit, significance, and overall relevance of the film's message comes through easily enough to those of us who lived in the late 30s, 40s and early 50s, in particular. Virtually all of us from that general period can relate to certain segments of the film's story line without any difficulty whatsoever.
The short story that this movie is based on, comes from Jean Shepherd's collection: "In God We Trust All Others Pay Cash"

In the conclusion of the book when the reminiscing friends call it a day, Shepherd (Ralph) mentions that their friend Schwartz, was ". . . shot down over Italy. They never found the body."

The book makes it clear that this is the depression, just prior to WW2.

For all the rivet counters who want perfection in an ephemeral movie:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085334/trivia?tab=gf
quote:
Originally posted by InsideTrack:
The short story that this movie is based on, comes from Jean Shepherd's collection: "In God We Trust All Others Pay Cash"

In the conclusion of the book when the reminiscing friends call it a day, Shepherd (Ralph) mentions that their friend Schwartz, was ". . . shot down over Italy. They never found the body."

The book makes it clear that this is the depression, just prior to WW2.



I guess that settles that.
Here you go for all you rivet counters!

quote:
Dating the story

Director Bob Clark stated in the film's DVD commentary that he and author Shepherd wished for the movie to be seen as "amorphously late 30s, early 40s," but a specific year is never mentioned. However, the Little Orphan Annie decoder ring has the year 1940 etched in on the side.
Thanks Guys, for all of the information and comments. As to the time frame of this movie, I figured it was sometime around the very early 40's. As for me, I was born in August of 1948 and was introduced to trains from the get-go as my dad worked for the SP as a signal maintainer. when I was about 4 or so my mom would take me out to a siding North of town called Plain Port and we would meet my dad and he would let me ride to town with him on his speeder. Like I said earlier, my dad was into HO scale and that was what I got for Christmas. I do remember as plain as day going down and viewing the trains in the store windows and in the garden area of Sears to watch the big layout they had set up and wishing I would get a Lionel for Christmas. Now its time for me to give myself those presents I never got, therefore the reason for the questions.

For the gentlemen named laming, is this none other than Mr. Andre Ming that used to be in Sn3 at one time? If so Andre, please contact me off list at sptrainnut@att.net.

Thanks again guys, I appreciate all the help.

J. Motts
sptrainnut
TCA 12-67009
Allan Miller quoted:

quote:
"Ralphie, a young boy growing up in the '40's, dreams of owning a Red Rider BB gun."


Where did you get that quote Allan? Is that on the DVD cover? If so, then like many books-to-films, the book content/era was tampered with again for the making of the film.

J. Motts said:

quote:
For the gentlemen named laming, is this none other than Mr. Andre Ming that used to be in Sn3 at one time? If so Andre, please contact me off list at sptrainnut@att.net.


Agghhh!! I've been found out!!!

Email sent.

Andre
"The movie's fictional BB gun, described as the "Red Ryder carbine-action, two hundred shot Range Model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time", does not correspond to any model in existence nor even a prototype; the Red Ryder featured in the movie was specially made to match author Jean Shepherd's story (which may be artistic license, but was the configuration Shepherd claimed to remember). However, the "Buck Jones" Daisy air rifle, immediately above the Red Ryder in the Daisy line, did have a compass and sundial in the stock, but no other features of the "Red Ryder" model. The guns and a stand-up advertisement featuring the Red Ryder character appeared in a Higbee's store window in the film, along with dolls, a train, and Radio Flyer wagons."

As noted above it's called artistic license. Often used in films, books, and other such entertainment-oriented media.

If you're looking for historical accuracy in this entirely fictitious story and film, you're going to be awfully disappointed. When I view the film, I see it for what it is, and I delight in the many memories it conjures up.

Smile
Allan:

Nope, I'm not looking for meticulous detail to some given era, I simply enjoy the movie for what it is. Actually, given the ongoing discussion others were having about the era of the movie, I am now curious as to where your quote came from. If from the DVD, then obviously the movie is supposed to represent a time in the 1940's regardless what the original book depicted.

You still haven't sourced your quote. DVD cover?

Andre
What I really like about "A Christmas Story" is that there's stuff in the movie that everybody who was a kid from the late 1930's to the mid 1950's can relate to, whether it was Ralphie's Red Ryder BB gun or Randy's toy Zeppelin or Dad doing battle with the cranky coal furnace. If you nit-pick it to death (like in Allan's IMDB link, LOL) you spoil the pleasant nostalgia trip that's the whole theme of the movie.
BTW, I'm betting everybody on this forum over the age of 40 remembers those green A-B-C penmanship cards on the walls of their grade school classrooms. Big Grin
Shep was America's last great storyteller (hopefully not THE last, but no one has risen to the throne since). To hear him spin another tale, I would look at Marx trains in a movie about 1999 or HO sound units in a movie about 1925... it is Shep, baby. Nothing else matters.

I wish I could have purchased everyone in the world tickets to see him live. We'd all be better off with a little Jean Shepherd in our lives.


I cut my teeth at a model railroad club as a lad in the 1970's, working on trains and listening to Shep on the AM. Nothing better... Always wanted Mom to pick me up after Shep had started. Rarely got to stay for the whole radio show.

Warm memories...
For those of you looking to see what the Dept. 56 A Christmas Story buildings look like. I have a complete? set on my Christmas layout. More on the Layout contest thread. Also, if not previously stated. Lionel came out with a starter set a couple years back. Not very popular, can pick them up on the bay new for less than retail.
Set #6-30118

Here's a sample:





Having worked in the entertaiment biz for a short time in between working for the gov. I found out one thing that always stays clear in my mind.
A movie never closely follows a book or any part of history exactly or sometimes not even closely, what it does is follows what the producers want, and that is what they think will make money.
I believe the time peroid was intentionaly left to the viewers imagination, I believe this way one can insert his own time line in it to suit his time as a child which I thought was a good idea.
I saw a lot of my time as a child in the movie and this is why I believe the movie is such a hit, everyone sees a little of themselves in the movie.
MHO take it or leave it.
I like to look at it as the early fifty's and the trains in it help a lot with that outlook on it.
John
Funny - I always thought it was more about post war US of A - but it doesn't matter. I watched it again this year Christmas eve [the 1st showing].

Years back - they had original cast members talk about the movie...I can't recall what year that occurred - it seemed it was an anniversary year of the film.

Peter Billingsly certainly still is a success. He is good friends with Vince Vaughn producing some of his movies. He was an executive producer for the first "Iron Man"...wow...kid did good!
By now I thought one of yinz car experts would have set the date by recognizing Ralphie's family automobile. What year was their car? Oh well....no matter... we have now learned the approximate time line.....BTW Jerry Nolan.....those letter cards that decorated most classrooms back then were part of the Peterson Penmanship System.....Now....how many of yinz remember...."round, round ready?..... write". This was the prescibed prompt our teachers would repeat when we practiced "pensmanship. Tom in Picksburgh
'.
Last edited by Tom Shirey
l always took it to be set n the Pre war perlod.
The Wlzard of Oz charatures
Randy's Zepplln toy
no mentlon of WWll
yeah the tralns are postwar but lt doesn't matter.
l fondly remember the letter cards ln the class room.
and l saw a Red Ryder Range model BB gun ln an antlque shop (no compass or tlme thlng) wlth the orlglnal box but dldn't get lt cause l dldn't flgure l could gwet lt on the plane home.
quote:
By now I thought one of yinz car experts would have set the date by recognizing Ralphie's family automobile. What year was their car?

Kind of hard to date things by the year the Ralphie family car was made. Years ago, people didn't buy a new car every couple of years or so. They held onto the family wheels for a good number of years and weren't stuck in that latest-and-greatest rut that you see so often followed today and in recent times.

Heck, I'm driving a 12-year-old car now and it has served me just fine--particularly in these nasty and unpredictable Ohio winters. I may go for something new this coming spring, but even that is something of a "maybe."
quote:
Dating the story

Director Bob Clark stated in the film's DVD commentary that he and author Shepherd wished for the movie to be seen as "amorphously late 30s, early 40s," but a specific year is never mentioned. However, the Little Orphan Annie decoder ring has the year 1940 etched in on the side.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Story


I would say 1940 as 41 would of been a buzz about Dec 7th and the up coming war
Little brother Randy really liked his toy Zeppelin, so you figure the time frame is around 1937-38. But in another scene you hear "The Hut-Sut Song" from 1941 being played on the radio. OK, maybe it's set in WWII, but then Ralphie's family car should have a gas ration sticker in the window. But... what about Farkus's coon-skin cap? They weren't around until 1955 when the Davy Crockett craze started. Then there's that Little Orphan Annie decoder ring... My head hurts!Big Grin
quote:
Originally posted by InsideTrack:

In the conclusion of the book when the reminiscing friends call it a day, Shepherd (Ralph) mentions that their friend Schwartz, was ". . . shot down over Italy. They never found the body."

The book makes it clear that this is the depression, just prior to WW2.



But if he was shot down over Italy, then the earliest it could have been was 1943; most likely it would have been in/after July of 1943 when they invaded Sicily. Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, was in November of 1942 and the Americans were on the western half of the campaign in N. Africa, a good 600+ miles from Sicily. Even with drop tanks, American fighters couldn't reach that far. If they flew to interdict supplies brought in for the Axis, I doubt if they flew that far east until after Montgomery had defeated the Afrika Corp in mid 1943. BTW, Jimmy Doolittle was the American Army Air Force commander in Torch.

And the last thing the Americans wanted was to put an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean. It was still a Nazi pond until very late 1943.

Of course, no one has ever accused Hollywood to be historically accurate.

Bill
quote:
Of course, no one has ever accused Hollywood to be historically accurate.


Just as well in this case. There are toys and other objects in this entirely fictional movie that anyone who grew up in the period of the late 1930s to the early 1950s can easily fondly remember and appreciate. And beyond the objects is a story line that presents family-oriented and peer-related situations that nearly all of us from that broad period can recall. For me, and I imagine for many others, watching this movie has become a wonderful Christmas season tradition.
quote:
Originally posted by laming:
Allan Miller quoted:

quote:
"Ralphie, a young boy growing up in the '40's, dreams of owning a Red Rider BB gun."


Where did you get that quote Allan? Is that on the DVD cover? If so, then like many books-to-films, the book content/era was tampered with again for the making of the film.


It came from IMDB
quote:
But if he was shot down over Italy, then the earliest it could have been was 1943; most likely it would have been in/after July of 1943 when they invaded Sicily. Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, was in November of 1942 and the Americans were on the western half of the campaign in N. Africa, a good 600+ miles from Sicily. Even with drop tanks, American fighters couldn't reach that far. If they flew to interdict supplies brought in for the Axis, I doubt if they flew that far east until after Montgomery had defeated the Afrika Corp in mid 1943. BTW, Jimmy Doolittle was the American Army Air Force commander in Torch.

And the last thing the Americans wanted was to put an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean. It was still a Nazi pond until very late 1943.


my father was flying B-17's over italy (and other places) out of north africa beginning in june of 43.

seems to me that if the time of the movie is 1940, none of the boys would have been old enough to fight in WWII. they would have to have been born in 1918 or so like my father was.
quote:
Originally posted by Allan Miller:
It doesn't matter the least bit, people! It's not based on a real-life historical event from any specific period. It's an entertaining fantasy film and a fictitious representation of the type of life events that any of us in the "senior" category can easily relate to.


Allan,

I understand... I see your point... Poor boy, they just don't get it!

Bless you!

C
quote:
It's not based on a real-life historical event from any specific period. It's an entertaining fantasy film and a fictitious representation of the type of life events that any of us in the "senior" category can easily relate to.




Psssst - Alan, don't tell 'em, but Lassie was a BOY!
To be honest i have watched the movie twice and i just don't get it. I grew up in the 50's and the movie does nothing for me. I would rather watch the likes of Srooge w/ Alastir syms (not spelled correctly) Holiday inn w/ Bing crosby, The polar express and a Charlie Browns Christmas. I tried watching the Christmas story again this year and could watch less then a third of the movie before i got bored. Oh well plenty of others to watch.


Dave
I second that.
My Christmas story exactly parallels Ralphie's except that for me it was a Lionel train set-especially the part about not finding it under the tree; after the "orgy of unbridled avarice" ended my Dad asked me if I'd gotten what I wanted. Well, not exactly, upon which he pointed to a large box stuck back in a corner: the Lionel steam turbine set. Most memorable Christmas ever (I was eight).
One of the sets shown in the dept. store window is a Lionel 250E Hiawatha set. (Lionel remade it about 20 yrs. ago.) Dick K.


quote:
Originally posted by J. Motts:
Good Morning and Merry Chirstmas Everyone. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I'm watching the movie The Christmas Story, you know the one they run non-stop from Christmas Eve thru Christmas Day. I love this movie as it brings back a lot of memories of when I was a young lad about the same age as the guys in the movie. I can remember going to the depatrment stores here in town and seeing the large window displays with the Lionel trains running all around and then you could mosey on over to the toy department and see the Lionel display layouts that they would have up and running for the Christmas season. Unfortunately, my dad never gave me a Lionel train set for Christmas, he was into HO scale himself and so I got Atheran HO train sets for my trains. My uncle at my grandmothers house, had what I always wanted and we would play with them all night and day. We must have run the wheels off of them, but it was such a great time.
My question to the members is simply can you all tell me what trains were represented in the shots shown in the movie at the beginning? I'm sorry I'm not all that familiar with all the early train sets and locomotives and cars that were avilable during those time back in the late 40's and early 50's. I'd like to try and see if I could find some of those. What do you guys suggest I look for?
Thanks for your help, it is most appreciated.

J. Motts
sptrainnut
TCA 12-67009
quote:
Originally posted by rex desilets:
I second that.
My Christmas story exactly parallels Ralphie's except that for me it was a Lionel train set-especially the part about not finding it under the tree; after the "orgy of unbridled avarice" ended my Dad asked me if I'd gotten what I wanted. Well, not exactly, upon which he pointed to a large box stuck back in a corner: the Lionel steam turbine set. Most memorable Christmas ever (I was eight).



now that had to be a great Christmas! do you still have the set?
quote:
Originally posted by Allan Miller:
quote:
By now I thought one of yinz car experts would have set the date by recognizing Ralphie's family automobile. What year was their car?

Kind of hard to date things by the year the Ralphie family car was made. Years ago, people didn't buy a new car every couple of years or so. They held onto the family wheels for a good number of years and weren't stuck in that latest-and-greatest rut that you see so often followed today and in recent times.


Didn't Ralphie say that some men were Catholics others Baptists and that his dad was an Oldsmobile man?

Jerry
WIKI says....

Vehicles
Cleveland car buffs donated the use of a number of vintage vehicles for the film, which helped to enhance the authenticity of the production despite a limited budget. During filming in downtown Cleveland, members of a local antique automobile club, following a preset route, repeatedly circled the square.

The Parker family car was a 1937 Oldsmobile Model F-37 four-door trunkback sedan. The Old Man's relationship with his car is revealed in some of the film's lines: "Some men are Baptist, others Catholic; my father was an Oldsmobile man";
quote:
Originally posted by J. Motts:
My question to the members is simply can you all tell me what trains were represented in the shots shown in the movie at the beginning? J. Motts
sptrainnut
TCA 12-67009


I think by now it has been listed as a Hiawatha, an M10000, and there was a semi-scale hudson with an assortment of postwar cars.

There was also a layout inside the store, just like the old department stores had. It was cut from the movie. There was debate about the use of a Santa Fe F3 and a rebuilt 623 switcher painted for NYC.

I'll see if I can find the pictures of the inside layout.

At the end of shooting one night, Bob Clark suggested we all have a go at the slide where Santa sat. So at 2am one Sunday morning before we called it quits, we all went down the slide.

The guy had a good sense of humor.

Regards,

Lou N
Up late watching Baylor and Washington score 1,000 points in the Alamo Bowl.

Why the football reference? Here is my entry into the artistic license used with this movie, dates and correctness be damned! But that’s what makes it fun!

According to IMDB “The film is set in 1941, according to the reference made by Mrs. Parker to Mr. Parker about an upcoming game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. These two teams met in a playoff game on December 14, 1941, a Sunday. It was their only playoff game against each other until January 23, 2011. The only previous time these two teams met during a regular season game in December was December 10, 1933. Throughout the 1940's the second game of the regular season between these two teams all occurred in November, the two latest being mid-November in 1942 and 1948.”

I watched for the first time ever this year during the TBS marathon. Loved it right away and can’t believe what I’ve missed all these years. Here are two photos from the "Christmas Story" section of my layout.



quote:
Originally posted by Allan Miller:
"The movie's fictional BB gun, described as the "Red Ryder carbine-action, two hundred shot Range Model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time", does not correspond to any model in existence nor even a prototype; the Red Ryder featured in the movie was specially made to match author Jean Shepherd's story (which may be artistic license, but was the configuration Shepherd claimed to remember). However, the "Buck Jones" Daisy air rifle, immediately above the Red Ryder in the Daisy line, did have a compass and sundial in the stock, but no other features of the "Red Ryder" model. The guns and a stand-up advertisement featuring the Red Ryder character appeared in a Higbee's store window in the film, along with dolls, a train, and Radio Flyer wagons."



If I remember correctly the Lone Ranger model also had a compass.
quote:
Originally posted by david1:
To be honest i have watched the movie twice and i just don't get it. I grew up in the 50's and the movie does nothing for me. I would rather watch the likes of Srooge w/ Alastir syms (not spelled correctly) Holiday inn w/ Bing crosby, The polar express and a Charlie Browns Christmas. I tried watching the Christmas story again this year and could watch less then a third of the movie before i got bored. Oh well plenty of others to watch.


Dave


Had to chuckle when I saw this thread was still going. Always seems like it's one of the fun annual traditions here on the forum.

Dave, I really enjoy this movie and love to watch it several times each season (we have the DVD!), but I know where you're coming from. We had a spirited debate at the office last week about "A Chrstimas Story" and folks seem to fall into two camps, i.e., those that love the flick and others who don't. Not much in between. We also concluded that there's a bit of gender influence at work as most of the guys give it a thumbs up and the women did not. Unscientific poll, of course. Call it "The Three Stooges Effect". Big Grin

"His eyes were yellow I tell you, he had yellow eyes." Smile
quote:
We had a spirited debate at the office last week about "A Chrstimas Story" and folks seem to fall into two camps, i.e., those that love the flick and others who don't. Not much in between. We also concluded that there's a bit of gender influence at work as most of the guys give it a thumbs up and the women did not.

Pretty much spot on!

There are folks who love the film (I'm among them) and folks who don't care for it at all. Very few in between.

Almost invariably, women think less of the film than do men, and that seems to hold true across all age groups.

Obviously a whole lot of folks like and/or relate to the movie or you wouldn't see it aired non-stop during every Christmas season, and you wouldn't see the many ancillary products made (I have a leg lamp on my desk at home). Big Grin
quote:
Originally posted by johnstrains:
And it should be noted, the "neighbor" who walks up to admire the the Major Award is Bob Clark. None other than the film's director making a cameo! Smile


Also note that the well dressed gentleman in the Santa line that tells the kids that "this is the beginning of the line, the end in down there" - is Jean Shepard.

Regards,

Lou N
This has been a very fun thread.

Just think: We've learned what trains were used, cameo appearances by previously unknown (to us) personalities, the years of mfg'er concerning the cars that were involved... all sorts of fun stuff! Even some anecdotal recollections by forum members of their own versions of Christmas Story they've lived!

One of the Christmas gifts the wife and I purchased this year for our 12 year old grand daughter was the DVD version. She loves the film to death and just about wore out the VHS version we had.

As for me: The various anachronims in the film are gladly accepted. I super enjoy the movie and see SOOO many things I can relate to concerning my 50's childhood.

(Anybody else have to wear one of those snow suits??)

Andre
"The exact date the movie represents can be seen on the decoder disc Ralphie uses in the bathroom. You have to freeze frame it on a DVD player. It says 1938 or 1939."

In addition to the decoder ring, one might also see exactly which issue of LOOK Magazine Ralphie uses in the first minutes of the film to con his mom into seeing a Red Ryder ad he had taken from Boys Life. I bet the cover photo would allow an easy determination of its issue date.

My observance is that the Radio Flyer wagons in the store window bear a logo and typeface that was current in the '80s when the film was made! It is nothing even similar to the Radio Flyer wagon I had in the 1960s, let alone how it might have appeared in the late '30s - early '40s.
What ever the date the movies is supposed to be is not as important to me as the memories it provided of my childhood in the late 40s. Even though the location is different there were many similarities between it and where I lived. The stores that had toy and train layouts in the windows. The houses and we were always taking shortcuts through neighbors yards. The school and the snow. And I defiantly knew what was going to happen with the tongue except mine was stuck for only a couple of seconds to the downspout on the side of the house.

I don't remember wearing snowsuits. We wore what was called a Navy Pee coat. Smile

The Little Orphan Annie Radio show ran from 1931 until 1942. Ovaltine was the sponsor until 1940 when Puffed Wheat Sparkies became the sponsor. The decoder rings started in 1935 and ended with 1940. Here is an article about the decoder rings. It says the decoder ring used in the movie was the 1940 version.
http://www.achristmasstoryhous...little-orphan-annie/

And if you download this youtube video of the bathroom scene, run it full screen you can see the decoder ring is the 1940 version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...tHNA&feature=related

Robert
quote:
If you look closely during the infamous tire changing scene, you can see some boats in the background. They look like the type of craft you'd see on the Great Lakes. And they are! That scene, among others in the movie, was filmed in St. Catherines, Ontario right next to a ship canal.


That scene was shot at the Cherry Street bridge over the ship canal in Toronto's "Inner Harbor". The scene at the Christmas tree lot was also shot in Toronto. You can see the Dundas Street street car passing by in the background. I believe the St Catharines scenes are the exterior shots of Ralphie's school.
quote:
This has been a very fun thread.

Just think: We've learned what trains were used, cameo appearances by previously unknown (to us) personalities, the years of mfg'er concerning the cars that were involved... all sorts of fun stuff! Even some anecdotal recollections by forum members of their own versions of Christmas Story they've lived!


Funny...I was at a Farmer's Market over the weekend and one of the vendors had old Playboys for sale (discretely I might add). I found myself asking about the issues from the 60's where chapters from the book were first printed. I'd be interested in any other background info which might have been printed with the chapters. He said I was the first person to ever ask him about the ARTICLES! lol

--Greg
quote:
The Little Orphan Annie Radio show ran from 1931 until 1942. Ovaltine was the sponsor until 1940 when Puffed Wheat Sparkies became the sponsor. The decoder rings started in 1935 and ended with 1940. Here is an article about the decoder rings. It says the decoder ring used in the movie was the 1940 version.

The point is: There is no specific time (year) intended or implied for the film, per the director's own words. Also, no single published work of the author was used as the basis for creating the film's storyline--vignettes of this, that, or the other were taken from a variety of his stories, including those presented to live audiences during his college speaking tour.

The film is, as I noted earlier, designed to evoke nostalgic feelings in a wide-ranging audience, and especially those who can relate to similar situations in their own lives, be they from the 30s, 40s, or 50s.
quote:
Originally posted by Allan Miller:
The film is, as I noted earlier, designed to evoke nostalgic feelings in a wide-ranging audience, and especially those who can relate to similar situations in their own lives, be they from the 30s, 40s, or 50s.


Allan, this is exactly correct. I was born in '61. Grew up in Chicago. This movie evokes all the memories of my era as well. WIndow shopping on State Street and Michigan Avenue. Waiting in line in the grand old Marshall Field's on State Street to see Santa. Pulling sleds thru the snow on Lake Shore Drive, bundled up like Eskimos

Snowball fights. Trains were still THE cool, mechanical toy my friends and I all wanted.
The special bond with dad, who always seemed to know exactly what my brother and I wanted for Christmas.
More worried about "the bell rang," than staying outside to save a friend from a mud/snow/slush puddle. (no one at my school licked the flag pole Smile ).

All the lights that adorned State street and Michigan Avenue.
I could go on and on...

Most importantly it evoked those wonderful memories of what was truly magical about Christmastime back then for us kids.

At least for this relative young'n (I'm 49), this film did it's job and did it excpetionally well. I, for one, have never cared to nor tried to figure out an exact year for this film. Oh sure I could tell it was the 40's, but to that I shrug my shoulders, as it just doesn't matter.
quote:
To tell you the truth, I've never watched the second disc, but will do so this afternoon since I plan to spend the rest of the day doing virtually nothing. I will report any interesting "discoveries" here.


Did you get around to listening to Jean Shepard's reading of the short stories on which the movie was based?
He had a radio show in the NYC area for years. Many of his short stories were told on a periodic basis, often matched to the season (holiday) in which they took place.
The man could tell a story.
quote:
At least for this relative young'n (I'm 49), this film did it's job and did it exceptionally well.
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I completely agree! I'm nowhere near as young as you, but I can sure well remember events similar to those depicted in the film--truly great memories!

Never had my tongue stuck to a flagpole (and never saw it happen to a friend), but I did have my mouth washed out with soap on one occasion, and I most definitely remember standing on the cold, snow-covered sidewalks of downtown Youngstown and Cleveland gazing into those department store windows at the trains and other toys.

I also remember ordering those various premiums advertised in comic books and in the Sunday newspaper comics (including the latest Lionel catalog), and then anxiously watching the mailbox day after day awaiting their arrival.

My neighbors didn't have a pack of dogs, but one neighbor just up the street had one very nasty terrier of some sort and I can remember trying to outrun that little bugger on many occasions (and sometimes losing).
Chiming in here, a bit late on the discussion, I agree with Allan's comments that the film was designed to evoke memories that any of us might have had when we were kids, growing up, and our own reactions to Christmas preparations. Jean Shepherd grew up in Hammond, IN, I believe, yet the movie was filmed far from there. The outside shots of the Christmas parade and the family and other people looking in the store windows were looking at Higbee's Department Store on Public Square in Cleveland. (Higbee's closed about 15 years ago but the building remains and it is now being remodeled to become a gambling casino and will be renamed the "Horseshoe Casino", maintaining lots of the original charm and class of the old Higbee's)

The house that Ralphie and Randy lived in was also located in Cleveland in the Tremont area and has been restored, on the outside, to exactly the way it looked in the movie. It is now open as a museum and is a very interesting place to visit. In the movie, the inside shots were generally made at a soundstage in Toronto, but the "A Christmas Story" house has been remodeled, inside, to look just as it did in the movie. You can recognize the kitchen sink where Randy hid because "Daddy is going to kill Ralphie". Out the back window is the same shed that Ralphie shot "Black Bart" and the other badmen with his trusty Red Ryder BB gun. And the two twin beds look out over the street, just as when Ralphie and Randy slept in them.

I would recommend a visit to the house on your next trip to Cleveland. Well worth the visit. It's open to the public for a small fee.

Incidentally, the trains in the movie were provided by Don Spiedel, a former TCA National President, and Bill Cus, another Cleveland TCA pal who passed away last year. The movie's director and others in charge were not fussy about historical accuracy. The steam engines and trains are post war and would not have been made when the setting of the movie took place in 1940. The purpose of the movie was to entertain; not be a historical piece on Lionel trains.

Paul Fischer
quote:
Originally posted by fisch330:

Incidentally, the trains in the movie were provided by Don Spiedel, a former TCA National President, and Bill Cus, another Cleveland TCA pal who passed away last year. The movie's director and others in charge were not fussy about historical accuracy. The steam engines and trains are post war and would not have been made when the setting of the movie took place in 1940. The purpose of the movie was to entertain; not be a historical piece on Lionel trains.

Paul Fischer


Exactly. Very nicely put, Paul.
quote:
I also remember ordering those various premiums advertised in comic books and in the Sunday newspaper comics (including the latest Lionel catalog), and then anxiously watching the mailbox day after day awaiting their arrival.


Around 1955-56 I was hooked on a TV program called "Captain Midnight". I believe I sent in for a bunch of stuff including a badge and a Ovaltine mug with his photo on it. For little me to get a real "box" in the mail was something I'll never forget......from Captain Midnight headquarters too boot.



TEX
Steve
quote:
Originally posted by Allan Miller:
quote:
By now I thought one of yinz car experts would have set the date by recognizing Ralphie's family automobile. What year was their car?

Kind of hard to date things by the year the Ralphie family car was made. Years ago, people didn't buy a new car every couple of years or so. They held onto the family wheels for a good number of years and weren't stuck in that latest-and-greatest rut that you see so often followed today and in recent times.

Heck, I'm driving a 12-year-old car now and it has served me just fine--particularly in these nasty and unpredictable Ohio winters. I may go for something new this coming spring, but even that is something of a "maybe."



The car the father drives is a 1939 Oldsmobile
quote:
Originally posted by fisch330:
Incidentally, the trains in the movie were provided by Don Spiedel, a former TCA National President, and Bill Cus, another Cleveland TCA pal who passed away last year. The movie's director and others in charge were not fussy about historical accuracy. The steam engines and trains are post war and would not have been made when the setting of the movie took place in 1940. The purpose of the movie was to entertain; not be a historical piece on Lionel trains.

Paul Fischer


Paul,

Don't forget Ted Nyerges, without whose interaction with the movie folks, we wouldn't have had this opportunity. I finally have some pix to add of the inside layout, the one I previously mentioned that was not used in the movie.

Regards,

Lou N

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We picked up the Blu-ray Widescreen copy this year, not a lot of extras but I prefer seeing movies in the right shape with nothing cut-off the sides. One of the extras notes that the real "Red Ryder" rifle didn't have the sundial,etc., but the reissue they did after the movie hit cult status does. Whatever era it is, it's still fun to watch.
quote:
Originally posted by Allan Miller:
According to the director, there were a number of filmed scenes that did not make it into the final film and ended up on the cutting room floor do to time restraints, budget, and other factors.


I'll assume you saw the pix of the inside layout a few messages back. They did film it; I always thought it would end up on the "features" DVD but, sadly, it never did.

Lou N
I love everything about the movie, even the part where everyone goes out to eat at a Chinese restaurant because the at home meal was eaten by the Bumpus dogs. I was able to convince my wife to have chinese food for Christmas this time and we loved it. I think that will be our new Christmas tradition from now on. Cool

By the way "Flick lives"
Lou: Good photos there particularly of Bill and Don. I will see Don on Monday and talk about the photos. He once told me that they had an inside the store, layout, much like the old days when trains were a really big thing at Christmas and a big source of seasonal income during the Holidays. Sure wish Bill was still around that I could needle him about his "movie star" status. Any chance of getting copies of those photos? And their locomotive engineer's uniforms are priceless!

I also heard that the movie was considered a "flop" when it first came out. It had been produced on a limited budget but didn't start making money until some years after it's first release. Now, I'm sure the residuals are making a lot of people pretty wealthy.

Paul Fischer
quote:
Originally posted by Amfleet25124:

According to IMDB “The film is set in 1941, according to the reference made by Mrs. Parker to Mr. Parker about an upcoming game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. These two teams met in a playoff game on December 14, 1941, a Sunday.


Given that Pearl Harbor was Dec 7th 1941, did that game happen or was it postponed or played but subdued due to the 911 equivalent at that moment?
quote:
Originally posted by rrman:
quote:
Originally posted by Amfleet25124:

According to IMDB “The film is set in 1941, according to the reference made by Mrs. Parker to Mr. Parker about an upcoming game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. These two teams met in a playoff game on December 14, 1941, a Sunday.


Given that Pearl Harbor was Dec 7th 1941, did that game happen or was it postponed or played but subdued due to the 911 equivalent at that moment?


They played. The Bears defeated the Packers 33-14.


Sun-Times
quote:
Originally posted by EscapeRocks:
Lou,

Thank you very much for posting those pics. I love the shot of Darren sitting in front of the layout. Also, the shot of Jean looking atthe trains is excellent.

Thanks again!


You are quite welcome. Note the age disparity of the trains; prewar and postwar. It will be a topic for discussion for years.

Lou
quote:
Originally posted by fisch330:
Lou: Good photos there particularly of Bill and Don. I will see Don on Monday and talk about the photos. He once told me that they had an inside the store, layout, much like the old days when trains were a really big thing at Christmas and a big source of seasonal income during the Holidays. Sure wish Bill was still around that I could needle him about his "movie star" status. Any chance of getting copies of those photos? And their locomotive engineer's uniforms are priceless!

Paul Fischer


Hi Paul,

There are more photos than the ones shown here. We can catch up at the TCA meet on the 21st.


Lou
quote:
Note the age disparity of the trains; prewar and postwar. It will be a topic for discussion for years.

Only among those who have an interest in irrelevant minutia. It's a film about a general period of time and human experiences that many can relate to; not one made to document a specific place, time, or event. And the trains are such minor players in the film that they really are quite insignificant.
Yep, that's right, Allan. It's about a general period of time, of which were
my young years. Almost everything in that movie is relevant for me. Even in our small town (3000) one or two stores had Lionel Trains in the windows. Every boy I knew had either the Red Rider lever action or the Daisy pump gun!
And the coal furnace event brought back many memories. My father was ever bit
as good as Darren reading the riot act to our coal burner. I can remember he would go to the basement when it got cold in our home. There was loud shaking of the grates of the old coal burner, an some shoveling. He would call my mother to "open up the damper" with a gadget that was very like the one in the movie.Then upstairs we were treated to the barrage of foul language, and some nasty green gas. When it all went away, the house became warm again!
So much in the movie touches on what life was like, in particular for me, having been born in 1935 and living in that exact same era.
I wonder how many of you old guys can remember sending in your money for the latest Lionel Catalog, and waiting, waiting almost forever for it to arrive!
Almost as bad as Ralphie waiting for his decoder ring.

As Allan has said, the movie is about an era, not a specific time. And as such, as he has also said, there much familiar to a lot of us, especially us old geezers!

Ed Mullan
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I wonder how many of you old guys can remember sending in your money for the latest Lionel Catalog, and waiting, waiting almost forever for it to arrive!

Ah, yes, a ritual practiced over several or more years! Waiting for the mailman to arrive back then was like waiting for the UPS guy today.

And we had one of those problematic coal furnaces, as well. Eventually had it converted to gas, which certainly made things easier, cleaner, and more comfortable.
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