[Revolting cat!]

A Christmas Story succeeds despite itself. Weak direction, so-so acting, low budget, it didn't hold together when it was made, so the producers had to ask Jean Shepherd to narrate it to make sense. The mother's hairdo is straight from the 1970s in a movie that's supposed to represent the 1940s (1930s?). What saves it is Jean Shepherds's screenplay and narration. It's cute but could've easily been better.

[dfwgator]

Easy to overlook the flaws, when there are so many great lines. And Darren McGavin was what, 60 when they filmed it?

I think people relate to it because it makes them remember when they were a kid and they would obsess over getting that one present.