The Disney Channel broadcast this movie in the mid 80's. They added an introduction that features Jean Shepherd driving to South of the Border, a fireworks store in South Carolina, in a Rolls Royce. My father recorded the movie from the Disney Channel, so we are fortunate to be able to watch it every year. I haven't tried this, but you might want to contact the Disney Channel and see if they still have a copy. What a great film! Good luck.
American Playhouse (TV Series)
The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters (1982)
User Reviews
Review this title14 Reviews
Good Family Fun from Shep
RNMorton19 December 2000
Good family fun from the late Jean Shepherd, better known as writer/narrator of "A Christmas Story". This story comes from the same book, "In God We Trust", and focuses on Jean as a midwestern teen (played by a young Matt Dillon). Best moments are the blind date and the 4th of July spectacular. Catch it when it's played, as it's rarely if ever shown on TV.
Comic fireworks display.
st-shot25 December 2011
This follow-up to the achingly funny Phantom of the Open Hearth does not disappoint in the least with its subversively good natured look at the Fourth of July according to Jean Shephard. Shephard again narrates a story of growing up in his Midwestern Indiana home around the oppressive presence of fire eating, smoke belching steel mills with nostalgic comic resignation. As in the last film the story centers around an American rite of passage along with a variety of funny subplots involving the devious or otherwise machinations of a drunk and a drum major, a blind date of life changing proportion and an infinite amount of wash clothes.
Director Richard Bartlett follow much of the same style that infused Hearth with a combination of comic hyperbole and bittersweet existence all tempered by the teen glee of Jean Shephard's narration. James Broderick and Mary Bolton as the parents are back giving superbly understated performances while newcomer Matt Dillon shines as the narrator in his youth botching his blind date with cringing results.
A Christmas Story by Shephard was turned into a minor film by a Hollywood studio in 83 and has since attained an amazing cult status and justly so. But for my money 4th of July along with Hearth do Shephard and his story more justice because they are more subtle, less in a hurry to get the big laugh and have James Broderick.
Director Richard Bartlett follow much of the same style that infused Hearth with a combination of comic hyperbole and bittersweet existence all tempered by the teen glee of Jean Shephard's narration. James Broderick and Mary Bolton as the parents are back giving superbly understated performances while newcomer Matt Dillon shines as the narrator in his youth botching his blind date with cringing results.
A Christmas Story by Shephard was turned into a minor film by a Hollywood studio in 83 and has since attained an amazing cult status and justly so. But for my money 4th of July along with Hearth do Shephard and his story more justice because they are more subtle, less in a hurry to get the big laugh and have James Broderick.
Very Funny, very similar to 'A Christmas Story'
richard.fuller128 January 2002
Very funny program dealing with Matt Dillon as a teen in small town America. It is the fourth of July and what appears to be the town drunk staggers into town and sets off an enormous fire cracker that proceeds to chase a small band of children like in a Wile E. Coyote cartoon. Mother is on a chain list to receive wash rags through the mail. Dillon must endure a blind date to the movies and the high school band's pride and joy, the band leader who knows how to throw the baton, has his day as well. I only saw this once and that has been nearly twenty years ago now, when it aired on PBS. What a funny show this was. Would love to see it again.
Greatest Jean Shepherd Flick of All !!!
slawking12 December 2005
Yes, Jean Shepherd fans will easily recognize the familiar characters established warmly in the classic movie "A Christmas Story". Ralph and his brother Randy have survived grade school, living with Mom and "The Old Man" and hurdling the obstacles of 1930's Teenagerhood in Hohman Indiana.
This is the definitive Fourth of July movie, an encapsulation of several of Sheps fondest stories from his days on the radio. The movie climaxes with the "Ballad of Ludlow Kissel" sung and performed by Sheps late wife and co-writer, Leigh Brown. If you can find it on DVD, or VHS, it is worth the effort.
This is a gem that deserves to be reintroduced to the American Public. Thanks Shep for the stories, and Exclesior, You Fatheads!
This is the definitive Fourth of July movie, an encapsulation of several of Sheps fondest stories from his days on the radio. The movie climaxes with the "Ballad of Ludlow Kissel" sung and performed by Sheps late wife and co-writer, Leigh Brown. If you can find it on DVD, or VHS, it is worth the effort.
This is a gem that deserves to be reintroduced to the American Public. Thanks Shep for the stories, and Exclesior, You Fatheads!
The finest Jean Shepherd film ever.
JoeBobJones17 July 2011
The Great American 4th of July reigns supreme as the best of the Jean Shepherd films, including A Christmas Story. It is a very rarely seen creation of Shep from the American Playhouse series of films with PBS, never ommercially released, but blessedly is now on you tube in sequential parts. This is a MUST SEE by any fan of A Christmas Story, Jean Shepherd, or Matt Dillon for that matter. Dillon can't be a day over 16 in this when he played Ralphie, older here than in the Christmas Story setting, but better than Dillon, the great James Broderick plays "The Old Man" to such a fine degree that lovers of Darren McGavin's performance might change their loyalty.
The film loosely revolves around the 4th of July and more of Shep's stories, but its joy is the simple, classic Shepherd narrative story telling and characterization. That Dillon and Broderick starred in this glorious piece firmly places it in the ranks all time no-budget glory. They are perfect. The film is perfect. Plot matters not at all as does the sheer urgency of seeing it. It's another amalgam of Shep's stories which are welded together in film. It's all brilliant, touching, hilarious, and so wonderful. You may find yourself repeating "Hi Ralph!" after watching, for the rest of your days, and that would be a good thing.
The film loosely revolves around the 4th of July and more of Shep's stories, but its joy is the simple, classic Shepherd narrative story telling and characterization. That Dillon and Broderick starred in this glorious piece firmly places it in the ranks all time no-budget glory. They are perfect. The film is perfect. Plot matters not at all as does the sheer urgency of seeing it. It's another amalgam of Shep's stories which are welded together in film. It's all brilliant, touching, hilarious, and so wonderful. You may find yourself repeating "Hi Ralph!" after watching, for the rest of your days, and that would be a good thing.
Very clever quasi-documentary about teenager's life in Indiana.
pvdandt6 November 2000
I have not seen this since I stumbled upon it almost 20 years ago at age 11. A very clever film highlighting major events in a few months of a teenager's life in Indiana (as i remember it). I think the self-narration and exaggerated dream/narration sequences were groundbreaking humor at the time, used now by everything from The Wonder Years to Ally McBeal. No clue where I could get a copy of this now. Perhaps PBS will show it again.
Really Should be Released ASAP
paulaapodaca5 April 2007
This is a gem, a real piece of Americana. It should be released as DVD in single film format and then it should also be released as at least a 2 or 3 movie set. The purely American character of each of the films is touching, and for those of us who lived in the United States in the immediate post-war years, it is specific to our experiences as we watched our parents try to adapt to that life. It has been 25 years since I have seen this movie---it has become a fond memory of mine and each time I see A Christmas Story, I am regretful that its companion stories have been left on the shelf. The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters needs to be offered to us now---our thirst for it is overwhelming.
Superb Americana. It doesn't get any better than this.
6MONTAGE15 December 2003
Jean Shepherd, the Mark Twain of our generation, sets it out with humor, pathos, and general joy. Shepherd's WOR radio shows -- monologues of 1 to 5 hours, late at night (depending on the year, circa 1959-1970) were perhaps even better, with that gravely voice and the night shadows surrounding his yarns.
Fourth of July Story
BandSAboutMovies20 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Directed by Richard Barlett and written by Jean Shepherd, who also wrote the original stories that these were based on. You will probably know A Christmas Story, but Ralphie Parker had several adventures before and after that film.
James Broderick returns as The Old Man, Barbara Bolton is back as mom and Shepherd again plays the older Ralphie, who starts the story visiting South of the Border and buying fireworks. In the actual movie, he's played by Matt Dillon and Jay Ine is Randy.
Ralphie is high school aged here and excited to meet his friend's attractive cousin named Pamela, a date he eventually botches. That said, the main part of the story is all about his father's obsession with fireworks and his mother's chain letter that keeps wash rags coming to their house.
If A Christmas Story has its holiday, so does this. The only downer is the repeated reference to fireworks as dago bombs, but I guess it was the 1940s and that's how people referred to Italians. It was how my grandmother did until her death a year or so ago, despite my dad being, yes, Italian.
James Broderick returns as The Old Man, Barbara Bolton is back as mom and Shepherd again plays the older Ralphie, who starts the story visiting South of the Border and buying fireworks. In the actual movie, he's played by Matt Dillon and Jay Ine is Randy.
Ralphie is high school aged here and excited to meet his friend's attractive cousin named Pamela, a date he eventually botches. That said, the main part of the story is all about his father's obsession with fireworks and his mother's chain letter that keeps wash rags coming to their house.
If A Christmas Story has its holiday, so does this. The only downer is the repeated reference to fireworks as dago bombs, but I guess it was the 1940s and that's how people referred to Italians. It was how my grandmother did until her death a year or so ago, despite my dad being, yes, Italian.
Another classic about mid-century America by the writer of A Christmas Story, Jean Shepard
sbs5cats30 January 2002
Another classic story about mid-century America by the writer of A Christmas Story, Jean Shepard. This time Ralphie is a teenager, played by a young Matt Dillon. The story is a tapestry of hillarious episodes woven as only Ralphie/Jean Shepard can tell them. James Broderick, Matthew's late father, plays the "old man" again. Ralphie has a wacky blind date with Flick and two unsuspecting girls. Watch out for Ludlow Kissel, the "extra board" switchman, and his passion for inventing new fireworks, and the classic Shepard running gag about the "Washrag Chain Letter". Last seen on PBS in the 1980s, if you can find a copy anywhere, it's a must see.
This is one of the all-time, greatest short films ever made!
esther36894 July 2004
From start to finish Jean Shepherd's voice carries us through a marvelously nostalgic and hilarious remembrance of one small-town, American Fourth of July that lives in his memory. Matt Dillon plays the young Shepherd brilliantly and the momentum of the story gathers and builds to a completely marvelous ending which resonates in your mind for hours. This is the best kind of humor, rooted in reality but viewed with the skewed perspective of a true humanist who is totally aware of and who thoroughly enjoys the folly and foibles of human nature...in this case, the nature of American citizens out to enjoy themselves. James Broderick (Matthew's father) is truly wonderful as the father and is an actor I sorely miss. I wish he had had a longer career or that I had started watching him sooner. (Watch for the "face cloths" and the "lamp"...you'll have a real good time.) This one is a winner! It may be hard to find as it doesn't play on TV much, if at all.
A Christmas Story in July
billonfoot23 December 2003
It has been a long time since I've seen this. Follows much of the same format as "A Christmas Story".
Most memorable is the lag lamp scene. It is just like in "A Christmas Story". There is even a reference to it in the 1983 Christmas movie. As the father is admiring his major award, he says "It's like the fourth of July". If that isn't a reference back to this show, I'll eat my shoe.
I'm told this is not available for purchase which is really too bad.
Most memorable is the lag lamp scene. It is just like in "A Christmas Story". There is even a reference to it in the 1983 Christmas movie. As the father is admiring his major award, he says "It's like the fourth of July". If that isn't a reference back to this show, I'll eat my shoe.
I'm told this is not available for purchase which is really too bad.
A hard to find jewel
demott14 February 2002
This is a must see film about the Fourth of July. I can only hope someone out there will be able to put it out every Independence Day because it represents what this holiday is all about in the Heartland of America. Jean Shepherd did himself good.
So many subplots surround this TV movie. The one which got my attention was seeing a young Matt Dillon try to play the sousaphone. While most actors have actual musicians play when they are on an instrument, I am convinced it was Dillon himself who played that large tuba by himself. For you girls out there, this is proof that it's only fat kids who play this huge instrument. You'll go wild after seeing Mr. Dillon, at 18 years old, in his T-Shirt and jeans.
This was also one of the last performances of James Broderick, better known as the dad in "Family" from the 70's and Broadway star Matthew's dad. He died not too long afterwards. A great talent who is sorely missed.
Even though this is 20 years old and hard to find, this is one film which you must do everything possible to get your hands on.
So many subplots surround this TV movie. The one which got my attention was seeing a young Matt Dillon try to play the sousaphone. While most actors have actual musicians play when they are on an instrument, I am convinced it was Dillon himself who played that large tuba by himself. For you girls out there, this is proof that it's only fat kids who play this huge instrument. You'll go wild after seeing Mr. Dillon, at 18 years old, in his T-Shirt and jeans.
This was also one of the last performances of James Broderick, better known as the dad in "Family" from the 70's and Broadway star Matthew's dad. He died not too long afterwards. A great talent who is sorely missed.
Even though this is 20 years old and hard to find, this is one film which you must do everything possible to get your hands on.
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