From yellow-eyed bully to blue-clad police officer, Scut Farkus made one miraculous turnaround since we were first introduced to him in 1983’s A Christmas Story. Now, the actor who portrayed him, Zack Ward, is spreading Christmas (Story) cheer by commemorating the film’s 40th anniversary.
Taking to X over the weekend (the official release date was November 18th, 1983), Zack Ward noted the special anniversary and how wild the size of the legacy the movie developed over the years is. “40 years ago today “A Christmas Story” was released and honestly, nobody cared. Now, it is in the LIBRARY OF CONGRESS as one of the top 100 most IMPORTANT films of American Cinematic History from the 20th Century and in the Smithsonian as a national treasure. Wow.” Don’t forget the annual 24-hour marathons, either, Farkus!
While it was far from the smash the studio wanted right away (tough sell with Black Christmas director Bob Clark behind the camera?) — it opened behind Amityville 3-D and The Big Chill — A Christmas Story has indeed developed into a cultural touchstone around the holiday season. From Red Ryders to bunny suits to leg lamps to fuuuuudge, the movie is brimming with now-classic moments. And then there is the iconic house, which you can visit and even have a weekend getaway in…if you’re brave enough to stay the night in Cleveland, that is.
Outside of Christmas itself, A Christmas Story has some terrific storytelling and casting: the narration is some of the greatest ever, Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon are top-tier parents and Zack Ward made Scut Farkus one of the best movie bullies of the ‘80s — and that’s saying something. And who can eat mashed potatoes without thinking of Randy?
Zack Ward’s appearance and Scut Farkus’s surprise character development were just two pleasant surprises in last year’s sequel, A Christmas Story Christmas, which I actually found to be quite enjoyable and handled the nostalgia in a commendable way. Of course, Peter Billingsley reprised Ralphie Parker, but the likes of Scott Schwartz (Flick), R.D. Robb (Schwartz), Ian Petrella (Randy Parker), and Yano Anaya (Grover Dill) all turned up. Julie Hagerty replaced Melinda Dillon as Mrs. Parker, who greatly slowed down her movie/TV work and passed away earlier this year.
What is your favorite scene from A Christmas Story? Do you watch it annually? Let us know below!