Christmas Vacation Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Yule crack up!
There's No Place Like Home For A Holiday!
It's Christmas time and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration, but things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen and their two kids. Clark's continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.
| Chevy Chase | Clark Griswold |
| Beverly D'Angelo | Ellen Griswold |
| Juliette Lewis | Audrey Griswold |
| Johnny Galecki | Russell 'Rusty' Griswold |
| John Randolph | Clark Wilhelm Griswold, Sr. |
| Diane Ladd | Nora Griswold |
| E.G. Marshall | Art Smith |
| Doris Roberts | Frances Smith |
| Randy Quaid | Cousin Eddie Johnson |
| Miriam Flynn | Cousin Catherine Johnson |
| Cody Burger | Cousin Rocky Johnson |
| Ellen Hamilton Latzen | Cousin Ruby Sue Johnson |
| William Hickey | Uncle Lewis |
| Mae Questel | Aunt Bethany |
| Sam McMurray | Bill |
| Jeremiah S. Chechik |
7.20 out of 10 (18116 votes)
Visitor Reviews
A Christmas classic
posted on 18 Aug 2009Quaid and Chase have a chemistry together that translates into hilarious entertainment. We get together with friends every year just to watch this movie as part of our Christmas traditions. It has a PG rating for some colorful language that is part of Clark Griswold's (Chevy Chase) ranting. These times are few and far between, but are there and are not suitable for young kids. The movie would have been just as entertaining and enjoyable without the language, but for whatever reason the writers felt that the script needed them. Otherwise the film is suitable for kids of all ages, as it depicts the situations arising from a holiday visit from in-laws, grandparents, and most notably, "Cousin Eddie" (Randy Quaid), and his family. Cousin Eddie owns us and we laugh until it hurts year after year.
Christmastime with The Griswalds
posted on 03 Aug 2009*****POSSIBLE SPOLERS*****One of the best of the "Vacation" sequels (The original "Vacation" just can't be topped) has The Griswalds spending Christmas at home. Clark(Chevy Chase)wants to have an old fashion Christmas with his family and relatives. He is also anxiously awaiting his Xmas bonus from his job so he can have a pool installed. Of course, in Clark's world, things don't always work out the way that he wants it. His brother-in-law Eddie (The funny as always Randy Quaid) and his family shows up, along with their dog, the house is crowded and a LOT of mishaps happen. There are 2 parts that are among my favorites: The Christmas dinner with the (incredibly DRY)turkey and Clark's attempt to place lights on the house. Classic!Beverly D'Angelo is also great as the always-at-her-husband's-side Ellen. Audrey and Rusty are played this time by Juliette Lewis and Johnny Galecki this time and Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays the next door neighbor that is repeatedly tortured by Clark.Even though this is a holiday movie, it works even when the holidays are over. Check it out, and be glad that you don't have a family like them! If you do, I pity you!
GREATEST CHRISTMAS MOVIE EVER (next to Muppet Christmas Carol)
posted on 22 Jul 2009I am a die-hard Christmas fan and watch Christmas movies all year long and I have to say that this is one of the best Christmas movies I have ever seen.Watching this movie shows you what a family Christmas is really like behind closed doors. Chevy Chase makes you crack up all the way through this movie.So get out the egg-nog and figgy pudding because this movie will put you in the Christmas Spirit anytime of the year!!!
The Best Vacation Movie Period. (Warning: Spoilers)
posted on 13 Jul 2009It doesn't matter if you watch this movie on Christmas Eve, the Fourth of July or whenever, it is an absolutely hilarious film! This time around, instead of going to some exotic location for a vacation, Clark Griswold decides to "have a fun, old-fashioned family Christmas" at home. So he invites his parents, his wife Ellen's parents and his uncle Lewis and aunt Bethany, who is well past senile, and later gets a "surprise" visit from his cousin Eddie and his family in a rusted "Tenement on wheels" RV.Well, the holiday goes about as haphazard as you'd might expect, pretty much not unlike a holiday any of us ever had. From Clark's gallant attempt to have a house decorated with 25,000 imported Italian twinkle lights (and nearly killing his yuppie neighbors in the process when the lights flash on and off), to exploding turkeys and burnt Christmas trees and destroyed rooms courtesy of Eddie's dog Snotz(sp?) and a squirrel, until it finally culminates in Clark receiving an envelope from his company. He expects it to be his Christmas bonus (which would pay for the swimming pool he wants to put in), instead it's a Jelly-of-the-Month-Club enrollment, which sends Clark into a hilarious, classic tirade that has to be heard to be appreciated. Basically, he wants his boss brought to his house so he can bitch him out. Naturally, Eddie obliges, bringing out the local SWAT team, who add just a little more chaos to this holiday. Eventually, Clark's boss realizes the folly of his ways, and adds 20% to what he earned that year, surely enough to get the pool and fly the whole family in for the dedication.If there was a rating higher than 10, I'd give it. Do whatever you have to do, within the law, to GET THIS MOVIE!
I remember when
posted on 10 Jul 2009I remember watching this movie for the first time I was just married and it was like a week before Christmas. Like most couples starting out I was certainly not well financially I was living with my mother-inlaw. Yea Yea I know hold back the tears.... Anyway the only advantage I had living with the bieatch was that she had HBO. Me and and my wife where nestled together in bed and started watching this movie. At first I was not going to watch this movie because of Chevy Chase (not a big fan) but the laughs started to get more and more intense as the movie went on. There are so many season in this movie that over the years they have been quieted by so many of my friends. My favorite scene is when Eddie brings back Clark's boss and the swat team busts into the house and yells FREEZE. The first couple times watching I never noticed that Beverly Deangelo gripped chase nuts. then the police officer intros himself and deangelo shakes his hand and goes back to chases nuts (classic for back then). I admit I started a tradition every year with my family (now diviorced anyone single?) and we watch this movie at Thanksgiving along with Bad Santa, Its a wonder life and Christmas story. I hope that when I make it to the golden 70TH year of my existence on this planet and I am watching this movie on my new kick ass space age surround sound equipment I will always keep the tradition alive.
A Christmas must-watch
posted on 01 Jul 2009Every Christmas season, my family and I are pretty much obligated to watch this movie... it's a traditional staple! Let's face it: slapstick is always appreciated... especially when it involves one of America's favorite families, the Griswolds, with Clark just trying to do the best he possibly can.I'm sure everyone has a favorite part of the movie, and this is one of those movies you can watch over and over and it never gets stale. For that simple reason alone, this movie is worthy of a high mark.10/10 One last thing: for those that haven't seen this (although, I'm sure everyone has) it's a must!
real holiday
posted on 19 Jun 2009This movie depicts the way holidays happen, not how we look back on the good things and laugh. This movie looks at the bad and makes you laugh now instead of later. Everyone has a cousin eddie. You can't laugh at him to his face, why not laugh at this movie. I watch this every christmas with the family after we have been drinking for a while...And clark going through the snow drifts instead of over them makes me cry from laughter!
my favorite Christmas movie
posted on 07 Jun 2009Christmas Vacation never lets me down our family has a tradition of watching this every year at Christmas and I crack up every year. I guess our family is similar to the Griswolds, the all American family just trying to have a "old fashioned family Christmas." Christmas Vacation has a great cast of characters, I love how Clark messes with his rich snobby neighbors. Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Doris Roberts, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus are great in this holiday classic. I know the Griswold kids change every movie it seems, but I thought the actors who played the kids this time were the best of the Griswold kids. Christmas Vacation is a great Christmas comedy a funny and entertaining classic.
I want to spend every Christmas with the Griswold's!
posted on 02 May 2009Those of you who have seen the previous "Vacation" movies, know that not only do they have memorable characters, but also great lines that you can repeat over and over again, and they never get old. I loved the entire "Vacation" movies, and not only are they brilliantly written but the acting is perfect. My favourite actors in the entire series are: Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid aka Clark W. Griswold (Chase) and Cousin Eddie (Quaid). They have the most hilarious lines, and the scenes with them are very funny. In this movie Clark and his family decide to spend Christmas at home, and invite the whole family to visit. Awwww, what a nice Christmas story. Well, Clark decides this is going to be the best Christmas ever, so he goes through tons of hilarious and side-splitting moments to make it just that. I can't tell you what all he goes through, but this movie is one of the best Christmas movies ever. Not only does it have great characters, a hilarious script, there are those touching moments as well, which as far as I know, every Christmas movie should have. I'm giving this movie a 10 out of 10, because this movie has to be the greatest movie I've ever seen. There's not a part in it, that I don't like, or maybe I think they over-did, so this Christmas if your looking for a movie to watch, make it this one, that's if you like comedies, which personally I love.
You will split at least one rib, laughing! The best of the vacation series, without a doubt.
posted on 29 Apr 2009This movie is destined to go down in the annals of history as one of the best Christmas movies around. It is very family-oriented and has at least one character to which everyone will relate. Clark is at his funniest. The movie is touching in that Clark is always trying to let his family have the very best time that he can. That is why he overplays everything. I have watched this movie at least 100 times, and I have laughed out loud every single time. The humour never stops! The only sad part is that it eventually ends and the watchers are rudely cast from the middle of a warm family Christmas back into the reality of a harsh world. Buy this movie and watch it over, and over and over again. You will not regret it.
Clark Griswold with a stapler, it can't not be funny
posted on 17 Apr 2009The plot here is pretty non-existent(Christmas, that's pretty much it), but I think it's fairly smart that they decided to make a "Vacation" movie where they just stay home. Gags from around the house, pretty easy but it's entertaining. Chevy Chase on a ladder, Chevy Chase with a chainsaw, Chevy Chase with a squirrel, it's really that sort of thing. There's this beautiful simplicity to a tree breaking through a window. And then when those things can't be milked anymore Cousin Eddie gets his time in the spotlight, he's pretty funny I guess. But what I like most about this movie is that it's Christmas for actual people, they don't ham it up. They don't give any forced moral lessons, they don't tell us what Christmas should be all about(well maybe they kinda do, I just didn't mind), they don't even have a Santa cameo if you can believe it. I was quite surprised by that, I thought they'd screw it up near the ending. This is definitely one of the better holiday movies, interesting throughout.
Christmas isn't quite Christmas without giving this a watch
posted on 05 Apr 2009By far, this movie is a true Christmas comedy. Although many Christmas movies come close, none make me laugh quite as much as this one does.No matter how many times I have seen Christmas Vacation, I just can't get tired of it. If anything, the movie is even better after repeat viewings and I find myself laughing before certain scenes are played out. If anyone is looking to expand their Christmas viewing staple, I would highly recommend adding this one to the list. The script is brilliantly written out with loads of feel-good moments and hilarious lines, and the casting is among the best I have seen.
A romp-stomping good time!
posted on 18 Mar 2009This is by far one of the funniest Christmas movies put on film. Nothing was spared by the comedy penned by the writers. We even have a taste of a family man shopping for his wife in the undergarments section of a department store with a beautiful customer service rep. showing off some of the latest fashions. Nothing should be neglected while watching this movie...so get the egg-nog because the Griswalds are at it again.Recommended viewing: 9/10.
great movie
posted on 09 Mar 2009this is such a funny movie. i watch it many many times a year. it just cracks me up. did anyone ever notice that just after eddie and catherine arrive at the house, when eddie and clark are drinking eggnog inside, that Eddie is wearing a black dickie under his white sweater. that is just too funny, what a character. a holiday must-watch!
Better than most in the series
posted on 06 Mar 2009Christmas Vacation is the second best movie in the National Lampoon's Vacation series, the original Vacation being the best. European and Vegas Vacation should never have been made but whatever. Christmas provides enough laughs that you forget about European Vacation anyway.Chevy Chase again plays probably his funniest movie character in the bumbling family man Clark W. Grizwold. Beverly DeAngelo returns as his long suffering wife Ellen. The kids are new like in every Vacation movie but that shouldn't weigh too heavy on you because the kids always suck. Look for a pre-fame Juliette Lewis as Audrey. The grandparents are all annoying and hilarious at the same time. Randy Quaid is again in his best role ever as Cousin Eddie. This time Eddie has brought the family with him with predictable results. The whole movie is a great holiday comedy and one that I watch around Christmas time every year. It's too bad that Chevy Chase has for some reason sank into obscurity. Maybe it's because he isn't the nice guy that Clark is in real life. Bottom Line: If you haven't been watching this then you really are missing out. It's a great christmas movie. You gotta see it.
Merrry Christmas from Chevy Chase!
posted on 03 Mar 2009This is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. It is definatly up there with "A Christmas Story" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". This is my Christmas. Silly relatives, a Christmas-loving psycho, and one of the best times of my life. Show this movie to everyone in your life. You can relate to it somehow, trust me.9/10
Funny xmas movie featuring the Griswolds...however, it gets to sentimental at times.
posted on 23 Jan 2009Just because it is a Christmas movie I am afraid they do go a bit heavy at times on the sentimental stuff. The movie has the Griswolds, not going on a family trip of any kind, but rather having a nice family vacation right in their own home. You know the type, the one where everyone comes together to celebrate the xmas season together as the parents of both spouses are there. You know the type, hell in your house type scenario. Why anyone would subject themselves to the kind of torture that can only come from having as many family members under one roof is beyond me. We also know the Griswolds do not have the best track record when it comes to planning that perfect vacation. Not only do they have trouble getting a tree right from the get go they also have pandemonium when the in-laws arrive. Clark has run ins with his yuppie neighbors, of course he would be living by people like this. It always seems people who like to decorate their house get stuck by the ones who like the minimal xmas and vice versa and boy does Clark believe in a lot of lights. Of course, once he gets them all put up there is a bit of a trick to getting them on. Then guess who stops by, but the relatives that are not invited in the form of good ol cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid stealing the show a bit in this one). So there you have it, a more realistic movie than European to be sure, but I still liked it a bit better and of this one the first one and European I like this one the least. Never saw Vegas, from the previews it did not look all that good to me. However, this one is still funny and even though I consider it the weakest it is actually rather strong for a xmas movie.
Funniest movie ever...
posted on 08 Jan 2009This movie kills me every time I see it. I always like to watch it after a hard day at work... doesn't really matter if it's Christmas time or not. Chevy Chase is great, as usual, playing Clark Griswold, the slightly dorky, clutsy father. If you love Chevy Chase and are just in the mood for tons of laughs, check out this movie. In fact, check out the rest of the National Lampoon movies too! :-) 10/10
Super movie!
posted on 18 Aug 2009This is a REALLY funny movie! Chevy Chase (as Clark W. Griswald) is at his best! So is Randy Quaid, who plays the hilarious Cousin Ed. Some of the one-liners and dialog are so funny that our entire family repeats them periodically (when they fit in). Examples: "...an old-fashioned, Griswald family Christmas." "That there's an RRRR VVVV." "Do you think it really matters, Eddie?"We watch this movie each year at Christmas, and also several other times during the year!