“Sorry, folks. The park’s closed.”
Arguably the launching pad for Chevy Chase’s successful cinematic career, National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) spawned multiple sequels, introduced us to numerous actors who would go on to bigger things, and became a cornerstone for screwball comedies. The film tells the story of Clark Griswold (Chase) and his family as they drive from Chicago to California in order to enjoy a few days of fun at Walley World, an amusement park based upon the adventures of a lovable moose not unlike Disneyland (the destination of the family in the original script that was scrapped to avoid the fury of the Mouse).
The film wastes no time delivering laughs, as Clark and eldest child Rusty (Anthony Michael Hall) go to pick up the family’s new ride at a local car lot. Due to an error by the car dealer (Eugene Levy), the family is saddled with the clunky Wagon Queen Family Truckster, an unreliable behemoth that proves to be pretty tough on multiple occasions throughout the film. Rounding out the family is Clark’s gorgeous wife Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo) and their young daughter, Audrey (Dana Barron). The group heads out in the Truckster and experience numerous mishaps on their journey.
At one point in the film, the family meets up with Ellen’s cousins, Eddie and Catherine, and their children. Eddie is played by Randy Quaid and is an iconic character in his own right. He and Catherine (Miriam Flynn) prepare a meal for the Griswolds and let them stay the night. Eddie and Catherine’s oldest daughter, Vicki (played by a young Jane Krakowski), introduces Audrey to marijuana and their son, Dale (John P. Navin, Jr.) teaches Rusty about self love. Before leaving Eddie and Catherine’s home, Eddie springs a surprise on the Griswolds. He tells them that Ellen’s crazy Aunt Edna (the legendary Imogene Coca) will be riding along with them in order to drop her off in Phoenix, AZ.
The family gets in more trouble on their road trip. From getting “shot” by a bartender in Dodge City to losing everything from cash to tires, they get into numerous funny situations. One recurring issue is a mysterious woman in a Ferrari that Clark continues to see on the road. Things come to a head at a hotel one evening when the lady, played by Christie Brinkley, convinces Clark to go skinny dipping with her.
When the family finally arrives at Walley World, the park is closed for repairs. Desperate to have some fun with his family and needing a break from all of the insanity from the road trip, Clark pulls a BB gun on the park’s security guards (John Candy and Frank McRae) and demands that they allow him and his family to have fun. It all leads up to a wacky ending to a wacky film and it’s definitely worth putting on your “must see” list.
While Chase was already an established celebrity thanks to his work on Saturday Night Live and in films like Caddyshack and Foul Play, Vacation opened the door to films such as Fletch, Spies Like Us, and Three Amigos. D’Angelo was already an established actor and even had a Golden Globe nomination under her belt for portraying Patsy Cline in 1980’s Coal Miner’s Daughter, but Vacation launched her into bigger roles in films throughout the 80’s, 90’s and she is still a successful working actor today. Hall went on to star in a string of hit films including Edward Scissorhands, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, The Dark Knight, and the TV series The Dead Zone. Dana Barron went on to have a solid career as a guest star in multiple television shows and is the only Griswold child to reprise her role in more than one Vacation film when she starred in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure. The film also starred the aforementioned Coca, Candy, Krakowski, and Levy, and numerous other actors that were either already established or on the cusp of stardom like Brian Doyle-Murray, Mickey Jones, John Diehl, and Eddie Bracken.
In each sequel that followed the original film, only Clark, Ellen, Eddie, and Catherine are portrayed by the same actors. It’s a running gag of the film series that the adults age but the kids always remain young. The film spawned four sequels and one spin-off sequel (the Cousin Eddie film) and has consistently made multiple Top 100 Comedy lists over the years. I highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t seen it yet.
Thanks for taking a trip back in time with me on this post. I’ve had a major crush on Beverly D’Angelo ever since I saw this film and hope to meet her one day. I’d also love to meet any other member of the cast, especially Chevy Chase. See you all again real soon!
Ken's Alternate Universe! 