I thought on Christmas Eve that this would be a fun trivia quiz for fans of the Bob Clark comedy A CHRISTMAS STORY, based on (and narrated by) humorist Jean Shepherd's first book of his collected stories, "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash".. [The book is told from the point of view of Shepherd, now an adult, visiting his old home town again, sitting alone in a bar and reminiscencing about his childhood there - the title is a sign on the bar's wall] (1) what is Ralph's family name, and the street and town where they lived?
(2) name at least 3 items in the teacher's drawer where she puts the fake teeth, and her name?
(3) why does Flick lick the flagpole?
(4) who had yellow eyes and what was his toadie's name?
(5) why did Ralph's dad say he won the leg lamp prize and what country did he first think it was from?
(6) who was named Victor?
(7) what's the first present that Ralph opens?
Answers will follow in a comment, on Christmas...OK - here are the answers, it's now 12/27..
1-The Parkers, of Cleveland St, Holman, Indiana
2- Miss Shields puts the fake teeth in a drawer which has chattering teeth, a slingshot, a yoyo, Slinky, rubber frog, fake mouse, Groucho glasses, and book called "Ace of Test Pilots"(with a rocket ship on the cover)
3-Flick has to lick the pole cuz he was "Triple dog dared"
4-Scut Farcus had yellow teeth and Grover Dill was his toadie
5-Ralph's dad won the lamp due to "mind power"
6-Victor was the Lone Rangers nephew's horse (newspaper quiz his dad was doing, "on American literary characters" - too funny - his mom replies "The Lone Ranger is literary?")
7-Ralph's first present was a pair of socks, then the pink bunny outfit from Aunt Clara The only 'religion' I could spot, other than mom's forgiveness for his fight (and constant tolerance of 'men'), was the Salvation Army band playing carols in the beginning..
The most unusual thing was the constant intrusion of Wizard of Oz characters.. that seems more like a Halloween film, that was shown on Thanksgiving when I grew up..
The Parkers had their Christmas duck dinner at the Chop Suey Palace at the bowling alley! Our favorite Thai restaurant in CA was also at a bowling alley! of course, not the food inside the bowling alley (yikes!), but in a restaurant adjoining said alley..
The house exterior they used was in Cleveland (passing for Indiana, in the stories the house was on "Cleveland St", so there is a literary connection), the interiors were shot in a studio in L.A... the house in Cleveland was bought by a fan, on E-Bay (!), and he restored it like the film, including interiors. Film fans now make pilgrimages there, usually around Christmas time! There's a museum film across the street, with many of the original film props, plus you can buy the 'electric sex' leg lamps there!
