Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: "A Christmas Story" time setting

This is topic "A Christmas Story" time setting in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 01-05-2003, 05:20 PM:

Can anyone pin down what year "A Christmas Story" is set in? I think the book it's based upon ("In God We Trust--All Others Pay Cash") might have been set in the depression but the movie seems to be set in the 1940's (the DVD box and most reviews agree). No signs or mention of the war so is it before or after? Anyone good at identifying auto models?

The father reads in the paper that "the [white] sox traded Bullfrog" and there was a "Bullfrog" Deitrich on the roster through 1946. But no televisions in the store windows.

Posted by Bob Maar (Member # 763) on 01-05-2003, 05:35 PM:

Steve,

All I can tell you is I got a Red Ryder BB Gun in 1945. Red Ryder and Little Beaver movies were the rage in 44' and 45. So I would guess Mid 40's. We bought our first TV in 48 a 7" Crosley. [Smile]

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 01-05-2003, 05:35 PM:

Bob, you'll shoot your eye out!

Posted by Bob Maar (Member # 763) on 01-05-2003, 05:37 PM:

Like Robert Redford in I was a "Natural".

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 01-05-2003, 06:36 PM:

Someone has identified a 1946 auto (the police car arriving at the flagpole / tongue incident). But Ralphie's dad's car has a 1940 plate and didn't they change plates each year back then? The Little Orphan Annie decoder ring he gets in the mail is dated 1940. I've read that the Red Ryder guns were not made during the war and the one he gets is a pre-war model.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 01-05-2003, 06:37 PM:

There is a PCC streetcar visable in several shots

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 01-05-2003, 07:43 PM:

Oh FUDGE! [Smile]

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 01-05-2003, 07:46 PM:

PCC's date to the mid 30's. The calendar on the wall isn't readable but number placement is consistent with November 1940. Unfortunately the 1946 calendar is identical!

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 01-05-2003, 10:15 PM:

Most of it was filmed in Toronto for one of the reason mentioned was the fact at that time the PCC were in regular service here and several city blocks they service still look the same

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 01-07-2003, 03:37 PM:

I can relate to the time period in "THE CHRISTMAS STORY" in the mid forties because it brought back very happy memories of my childhood at that time. One of the things I prized the most was a BB gun rifle and to see this little boy wanting one so badly, remined me of of the time I pressured my parents in getting me one one for my birthday. I think the rifle I had was a Daisy and not a Red Ryder but it could have been. Except for the show, the Christmas that was dipicted in the movie was very much like the Christmas I remember during the happiest years of my life in the forties.

-Claude

Posted by Gordon Bachlund (Member # 124) on 01-07-2003, 06:11 PM:

Interestingly, the PCC streetcars in the film were the post-war cars with standee windows. Cars appropriate to the period of the film would not have had standee windows. I believe SEPTA in Philadelphia was still running PCCs in 1983 when the picture was filmed.

In addition, if memory serves, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and San Francisco were also running PCCs then.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 01-07-2003, 08:19 PM:

Gordon Toronto retired all the PCC a few years ago and they were sold to SanFransico, Cleavland and Philli

A few years ago when in SanFran for a Dolby course June and I were suprised to see a un repainted TTC streetcar in use I asked the driver since it still said TTC would my TTC transit Pass be accepted. The supervisor who was on the car laughed so hard he aid I guess it could

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 01-13-2003, 07:11 PM:

It was not unrepainted. Muni has 17 PCC cars painted in some of the colors of the 33 various North American cities that had PCC's. 14 are from Philly; 3 native to SF.

BTW, how did they get Flick's tongue to stick to the flagpole? He touches it to the pole and it seems to realistically be stuck there--too quickly to be from freezing unless maybe it's -50°F. Just wondering what technique might have been used in that initial contact.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 01-13-2003, 09:22 PM:

Heck I've got my hand stuck at temperatures a little higher than 5F before.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 01-13-2003, 11:41 PM:

quote:
how did they get Flick's tongue to stick to the flagpole?

I saw an interview with the guy who played that part not too long ago (he's since done porn, if you can believe that). He said special effects rigged it somehow, but he didn't elaborate. Also said it hurt like hell. Looked like it did.

Posted by Hillary Charles (Member # 769) on 01-14-2003, 06:45 AM:

I think he said that behind the pole (unseen to the camera), they rigged up a small vacuum system, which held onto Flick's tongue when he put it there. On camera, it looked like it was sticking to the pole.

Based on the vintage of the toys in the window, and the promotion of "Wizard of Oz" I guessed that either 1939 or 1940 would be the appropriate time setting (the odd anachronistic car notwithstanding).