A Christmas Story (1983) is a bonafide American classic and a Christmas-time staple. Bob Clark's film tells the story of Ralphie, a young kid who tries to convince everyone possible – parents, teacher, and Santa – that the Red Ryder BB gun is the best possible gift he could get even though nearly everyone warns that he'll "shoot [his] eye out." Along the way, the film shows both Ralphie's family life and his time in school, as well as some other short vignettes in his life.
Acclaimed film critic Roger Ebert, who gave the film a rating of 4/4 stars and added the film to his "great movie" list, wrote the following of the film: "There are many small but perfect moments in 'A Christmas Story'" and said that the movie was "pitch-perfect" and a "classic." Critics on Rotten Tomatoes approved of the film 89% of the time; audience members on Rotten Tomatoes approved of the film 88% of the time. Users on IMDb gave the film a rating of 8 out of 10 stars. The movie won a few Genie Awards (the Canadian Oscars) and was selected for preservation in the National Film Archive. The film was also a moderate financial success, grossing $20.6 million against a budget of $3.3 million.
