"A Christmas Story" Show Casting Actors

The reason Ralphie must work so hard to trick his parents into getting the BB gun is due to the “conspiracy of irrational prejudice against Red Ryder and his peacemaker” expressed by every adult to whom he voices his desire, starting with his mother: “You’ll shoot your eye out.” In addition to her opposition to BB guns, Ralphie’s mother is also revealed to be prejudiced against lamps molded in the shape of a sexually charged female leg. This prejudice is not entirely irrational, however.

Ralphie’s father is only ever referred to as “the Old Man” by the older Ralphie who serves as the film’s narrator. His father wins the leg lamp as a “major award” for winning a contest and his fetishistic love for the lamp is what stimulates the prejudice expressed by Ralphie’s mom. Subplots involving the lamp, Ralphie’s first expression of the F-word, an ongoing battle with the furnace, and dealing with the out-of-control dogs.

Ralphie’s teacher surprises him by revealing that she is also part of the adult conspiracy against BB guns. After getting immediately shot down by his mom, Ralphie plots to write about the BB gun as part of an essay assignment in which students are supposed to write about what they want for Christmas. Ralphie is convinced his essay is pure poetry and that the A+ grade it will receive will change his mother’s mind.

Rather than the real Santa Claus, he is the overworked man hired to play Santa Claus at the local department store. He also reveals himself as part of the conspiracy with his reply to Ralphie once he—finally—manages to blurt out what he wants Santa to bring him for Christmas: “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.”

The movie is narrated by Ralphie as an older man looking back nostalgically upon the year in which he received the best Christmas present he ever—and would ever—get. Although not shown on screen as old Ralphie, the actor supplying the narration—who wrote the stories on which the film was based—does show up as the guy who shows Ralphie where the end of the line to Santa Claus is after he unknowingly steps up to the front of the line.