This fabulous
comedy from
1983, also known as
Vacation, was directed by
Harold Ramis. It was written by
John Hughes. The cast includes
Chevy Chase,
Beverly D'Angelo,
Randy Quaid,
Anthony Michael Hall,
Dana Barron,
Christie Brinkley,
John Candy, and more.
Every summer Chevy Chase takes his family on a little trip. This year he went too far.
It's time for a Griswold family vacation. Clark W. Griswold (Chevy Chase) wants to make this a family vacation to remember. He does just that, but not the way he hoped. Clark, Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo), Rusty (Anthony Michael Hall), and Audrey (Dana Barron) get in the family station wagon and begin there trek from Chicago to the Walley World, a Disneyland-like theme park on the West Coast. Along the way they run into Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) and family. Wind up giving Aunt Edna a ride to Phoenix. Getting pieces of their car ripped off in East St. Louis. Pretty much anything and everything that could go wrong does.
Why aren't we flying? Because getting there is half the fun. -- Clark Griswold
Classic Chevy Chase! This film is great and spawned one of the best series of movies in comedic history, European Vacation, Christmas Vacation, and Vegas Vacation. Christmas Vacation possibly even tops this one. Chase is amazing in this movie, Clark Griswold is the character Chase was born to play. And the lovely Beverly D'Angelo plays an extremely understanding wife who is every bit has funny as Chase. Randy Quaid does an excellent job as the simple-minded cousin. And the kids are also played quite well.
Cousin Vicki: I'm going steady, and I French kiss.
Audrey Griswold: So? Everybody does that.
Cousin Vicki: Yeah, but Daddy says I'm the best at it.
Hey, hey, easy kids. Everybody in the car. Boat leaves in two minutes... or perhaps you don't want to see the second largest ball of twine on the face of the earth, which is only four short hours away? -- Clark Griswold
I think you're all fucked in the head. We're ten hours from the fucking fun park and you want to bail out. Well I'll tell you something. This is no longer a vacation. It's a quest. It's a quest for fun. I'm gonna have fun and you're gonna have fun. We're all gonna have so much fucking fun we'll need plastic surgery to remove our godamn smiles. You'll be whistling 'Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah' out of you're assholes! I gotta be crazy! I'm on a pilgrimage to see a moose. Praise Marty Moose! Holy Shit! -- Clark Griswold
Followed by: National Lampoon's European Vacation, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation