National Lampoon’s Vacation brings new meaning to Murphy’s Law, as a man tries to take his family on a summertime road trip and just can’t catch a break. Just in case being cooped up with your family in a station wagon isn’t humiliating enough, the foursome is endlessly put through the wringer on the jaunt to their beloved theme park, Walley World.
Clark Griswold’s (Chevy Chase) unflappable pluck in the face of the innumerable disasters endured by the Griswolds sets the tone for the story, and we are along for the ride as we grit our teeth and watch his slow, gradual descent into madness.
With a script written by John Hughes and a star-studded cast — including Beverly D’Angelo (a staple of the Vacation franchise), Randy Quaid (Kingpin), Imogene Coca, Eugene Levy, and supermodel and Uptown Girl Christie Brinkley in her film debut — the comedy grossed more than $60M in 1983 ($182,457,172.13 today).
Based on a short story (titled Vacation ’58, published in September 1979 in National Lampoon’s Magazine) written by John Hughes, the original story was set in 1958 and told in retrospect by Rusty Griswold – the long-suffering son of the family. In the short story the family’s destination is Disney World, but Warner Bros. could not procure the rights to use the name or location for the film.
Originally released on July 29, 1983, the film is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a special theatrical re-release on July 16, just in time for your summer vacation frivolity.
