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The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters

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The Great American Fourth of July
and Other Disasters
Official film logo
Directed byRichard Bartlett
Written byJean Shepherd
Based onIn God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash
by Jean Shepherd
Produced byOlvia Tappan
Starring
CinematographyPeter Hoving
Edited by
  • Dick Bartlett
  • Jeanne Jordan
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed byPublic Broadcasting System (PBS)
Release date
  • March 16, 1982 (1982-03-16)
Running time
75 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters is an American made-for-television family-comedy film, directed by Richard Bartlett, with a script written by Jean Shepherd. Produced by Olvia Tappan, the film is the second installment in the Ralph Parker franchise. Based on Shepherd's book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash and similar to all the other Parker Family films, the film depicts fictionalized events from his real-life childhood.

Released exclusively as it aired on American Playhouse, season one, episode ten, the film was met with moderately positive critical reception. In the years since, the film has been labeled as a 4th of July holiday movie classic film.[1]

Synopsis

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Set during the late-1940s to early-1950s America, high school-aged Ralph Parker prepares himself for the perceived date of his life, with his friend's attractive cousin named Pamela. While he plans the event with precision, his mother and father each respectively prepare to celebrate the nation's Independence Day. Mrs. Parker passes a chain letter around the neighborhood, while inheriting a large sum of wash rags. Mr. Parker decides to display his patriotism by lighting off Roman Candle fireworks from his pockets that night during the neighborhood event. Though Ralph believes he's prepared for the date, he ultimately embarrasses himself. Meanwhile, the parents come to terms with the neighbors' perceptions of their family.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

Cast

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  • Matt Dillon as Ralph "Ralphie" Parker Dillon replaces David Elliot from the first film.
  • James Broderick as Mr. Parker
  • Barbara Bolton as Mrs. Parker
  • Jay Ine as Randy Parker Ine replaces Adam Goodman from the first film.
  • William Lampley as Flick
  • Jeffery Yonis as Schwartz Yonis replaces Brian Utman from the first film.
  • Babe Sargent as Ludlow Kissel
  • Lisa Jacobsen as Pamela[8]

Release

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The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters was released on March 16, 1982, during an episode of the anthological television series American Playhouse.

Sequels

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The film was followed by a number of sequels, as a part of a larger franchise of films, an adaptation for stage, and a television broadcast adaptation of that play. The film's direct follow-up, albeit a prequel chronologically, A Christmas Story, was released in 1983.[2] It would be the second and final time that James Broderick played the Old Man, and his last significant role in his lifetime, as he died of cancer in November 1982.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Now Very Bad staff (July 4, 2014). "The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters (1982)". Now Very Bad... Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Channel Guide staff (December 19, 2012). ""A Christmas Story 2" isn't the only Ralphie sequel out there". Channel Guide Magazine. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  3. ^ TCM staff (1982). "The Great American 4th of July and Other Disasters". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  4. ^ OnesMedia staff (June 23, 2013). "The Great American 4th of July and Other Disasters". OnesMedia. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  5. ^ Letterboxd staff (1982). "The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters". Letterboxd. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  6. ^ OpenVault staff (February 26, 1982). "American Playhouse; Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters, The". Open Vault from GBH. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  7. ^ Southern, Nathan. "American Playhouse: The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters (1982)". All Movie. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  8. ^ HDCinemaFlix.com (2022). "Lisa Jacobsen". HD Cinema Flix. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  9. ^ Blau, Eleanor (November 3, 1982). "James Broderick, 55, Actor Was in Brenner and Family". The New York Times. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
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