The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters

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.

The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters
Official film logo
Directed by	Richard Bartlett
Written by	Jean Shepherd
Based on	In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd
Produced by	Olvia Tappan
Starring	Matt Dillon James Broderick Barbara Bolton Jay Ine Jean Shepherd
Cinematography	Peter Hoving
Edited by	Dick Bartlett Jeanne Jordan
Music by	David Amram Marcus Miller
Production companies	American Playhouse The Disney Channel Public Broadcasting System
Distributed by	Public Broadcasting System (PBS)
Release date	March 16, 1982 (1982-03-16)
Running time	75 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

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

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

• Matt Dillon as Ralph "Ralphie" Parker
  • Jean Shepherd as Ralph Parker/the Narrator
• James Broderick as Mr. Parker
• Barbara Bolton as Mrs. Parker
• Jay Ine as Randy Parker
• William Lampley as Flick
• Jeffery Yonis as Schwartz
• Babe Sargent as Ludlow Kissel
• Lisa Jacobsen as Pamela^[8]

Release

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

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, A Christmas Story, was released in 1983^[2] with Darren McGavin playing the Old Man.