Chapter-10 : A Christmas Story

As the silence once again filled the room, Richard waiting for the response from Bob Clark and the person beside him, while seeing them looking at each other Richard heart became a little nervous due ti he tension in the air.

Finally this tense moment was broken by Bob.

"Well Richard, I have to say who did very well, far beyond my expectation in fact. So, well aboard young man." while smiling.

After years of bitter struggle, rejection he have faced finally beard its fruit. Hearing the answer give Richard that satisfaction.

His heart beat rose and inexplicable feeling aroused inside him and shouted while his hand up in the air

"Yesss!!!"

Seeing this seemingly childish movement from a sunny confident kid created a unique gap. Seeing this gap brought a smile in faces of the adults present.

After this indecent everything went smoothly, Ari bargained with them and got him 100,000 salary 2% box office salary before the contract signed by Hanna.

On August 18 the shooting of A Christmas Story started.

A Christmas Story is a 1983 American Christmas comedy film directed by Bob Clark and based on Jean Shepherd's semi-fictional anecdotes in his 1966 book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, with some elements from his 1971 book Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories and Other Disasters.

The film is presented in a series of vignettes, with narration provided by the adult Ralphie Parker reminiscing on one particular Christmas when he was nine years old. Ralphie wanted only one thing that Christmas: a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. Ralphie's desire is rejected by his mother, his teacher Miss Shields, and even a Santa Claus at Higbee's department store, all giving him the same warning: "You'll shoot your eye out."

Christmas morning arrives and Ralphie dives into his presents. He does receive some presents that he enjoys, but he is disappointed that he did not receive the one thing that he wanted more than anything. It appears that all of the presents have been opened when father directs him to look at one last present that he had hidden. Ralphie opens it to reveal the Red Ryder gun.

Ralphie takes the gun outside and fires it at a target perched on a metal sign in the backyard. However, the BB ricochets back and knocks his glasses off. While searching for them, thinking that he has indeed shot his eye out, he steps on them and breaks them. He lies to his mother that a falling icicle broke his glasses, and she believes him. Ralphie is in bed on Christmas night with his gun by his side. The adult Ralphie narrates that this was the best present he ever received.

Shooting went for 2 whole months without any major problem. In fact it is 2 weeks ahead of schedule. For Richard the shooting was quiet easy and didn't face problems that he faced when shooting E.T besides the Director Bob was not as demanding as Steven so, he enjoyed the shooting very much.

He was well liked by everyone in the film crew as well as the other actors, some of it is the credit of being the youngest member in the crew.

By the end of 2nd week of September the film was officially closed and went to post production and being their no complicated editing the film was scheduled to release in 18 November a week before thanksgiving.

As the release day comes nearer, MGM has begun the publicity for this film, they naturally used the gimmick of E.T of the main actor and hyped the news. Although it came to the media attention few tabloid posted on their front page but most of them are wait and see position.

When the films official trailer was released week prior to the film release , Media clamored a little, film critics gave most blend positive or neutral comments.

Seeing the less than warm response , many calculated the film will gross a little over 20 million or close to 25 million taking Richards market appeal. Even Richard himself wasn't very optimistic about the film.

So, when the film was released in 1200 theaters across the North America everybody looked at the first box office result, answer dropped their jaws.

10 million USD that's the answer and directly put it on throne of box office.

On Saturday it grossed 5 million,

On Sunday was 2 million,

On Monday it rebounded to 2.3 million

On Tuesday it grossed 2.1 million

On Wednesday it again rebounded to 2.5 million

On Thursday it grossed 1.8 million

In first week it grossed 20.7 million firmly position the film the box office champion bringing a wave of discussion on the media.

The reviews and discussion was both positive and negative.

Vanity fair Magazine commented "We can see both the sunny humors Ralphie and innocent heartfelt Elliot showcasing Richards superb acting capability."

On the other hand NY Times commented "The Humor of the cast was not even good as television comedy TV series."

Among this clamor the the film grossed another 10 million on thanks giving day

and by 2nd week it earned 18.5 million showcasing a drop of 2% and still remained the box office champion.

The film remained box office champion for three more consecutive week gaing

13.3 million on first,

10.1 million on the next and

9.8 million on the last, gaining a total box office of 72.4 million which was great success during the 80s.

The film was brought down from throne by an action movie name Sudden impact as it was released that week.

The film was finally de-screened from the theaters at the end of December with grossing of 105 million in north America which was achieved last week which is an important mark for a film to be a blockbuster during 80s and grossed a 58 million over seas

with a grand total of 163 million USD in box office.

Not only making Richard famous but also stabilizing his popularity as a child idol.