Call me crazy, but I am not the biggest fan of the National Lampoon series of films.  Many of the so-called jokes rely on raunchiness for laughs, which is not my idea of comedy.  Hence, the only reason I chose National Lampoon’s Vacation(1983) is because it is arguably the most recognizable title of the franchise, at least among those I have yet to review.  I will do my best to find something of value in this mess, and I apologize for not sounding hopeful heading into my synopsis.

Clark W. Griswold (Chevy Chase), the supposedly stereotypical dad in National Lampoon’s Vacation, is hopeful of trading in his old station wagon for a sports station wagon, whatever that means.  Unfortunately, Ed (Eugene Levy), the car salesman, informs Clark that his new vehicle has not been ordered.  While the former Griswold land cruiser is being turned into scrap, Ed cons Clark into a different station wagon that nobody wants.  Clark drives it home to his wife, Ellen Griswold (Beverly D’Angelo).  She is as confused as Clark was with the car, but they seemingly have no choice since they are due to leave for their road trip to Walley World the next morning.  Getting on the road from Chicago, the problems begin when they get to St. Louis and Clark takes them off their route.  Lost in a bad part of town, they stop to ask for directions.  While they are distracted, area denizens gather to steal the hubcaps.  Clark barely notices because he is dreading their first real stop of the trip: the Johnsons home in Kansas where Ellen’s cousin, Catherine Johnson (Miriam Flynn), lives.  This may sound innocuous, but it is the rest of Catherine’s family that is crazy.  Catherine’s husband, Eddie Johnson (Randy Quaid), is a conman and a deadbeat, claiming that the Office of Veteran’s Affairs is reducing his benefits while also living off money from Catherine and Ellen’s Aunt Edna (Imogene Coca).  On top of all these schemes, Eddie manages to talk Clark out of a further $500.  Meanwhile, the Johnson’s oldest son, Dale Johnson (John P. Navin Jr.) gives Russell “Rusty” Griswold (Anthony Michael Hall), the Griswold male child, access to Dale’s collection of dirty magazines.  As for Audrey Griswold (Dana Barron), the Griswold daughter, is supplied with marijuana by Vicki Johnson (Jane Krakowski), the eldest Johnson girl.  Clark and Ellen are eager to get back on the road, but as they are loading the car, they are informed that the Griswolds need to transport their crotchety Aunt Edna and her rabid dog to Phoenix.  More interstate hijinks ensue as they make their way west until they get close to the Grand Canyon.  Despite everyone suggesting they are lost, Clark insists the gravel road they are on is correct . . . until they barrel through some caution markers and launch over a small rise.  He volunteers to go for help, but by the time his wanderings take him to a service station, the rest of the family is there waiting for him.  Before releasing the Griswold’s station wagon, the mechanics fleece Clark for the rest of the cash in his wallet.  Along with the fact that Ellen had lost her credit cards in a separate mishap, the Griswold economic situation is becoming dire.  So desperate is Clark that when they stop at a hotel, and his request to cash a check is denied, he steals from their register but leaves the check.  The next crisis occurs shortly thereafter when Aunt Edna passes away as they make their way towards Phoenix.  Catherine has another cousin in the area, but nobody wants to ride with the cadaver in the car.  Hence, they put her body on the roof.  Yet, when nobody is home, they leave the corpse on the porch and carry on.  By the time they get to their next stop, Ellen and the kids are ready to go home.  It turns into a heated argument between Clark and Ellen, with him storming out of their room.  Taking in the bar, he finally meets the woman in the red Ferrari (Christie Brinkley).  She is somebody we have seen a few times throughout the Griswold’s trek, driving a sports car and flirting with Clark whenever they see each other.  During each encounter, he fantasizes about this mysterious woman.  Now that they are in-person, he lies about his job and relationship status, following her out to the pool and skinny dipping with her.  His loud cry of shock as to the temperature of the water wakes up everyone at the hotel, including Ellen, who finds him in a compromising position.  Surprisingly, she accepts his apology and they continue with their slog towards Walley World.  They waste no time once they get to Los Angeles in going to the theme park, and are overjoyed as they pull into the parking lot.  Running to the gate, and ignoring the lack of other cars, they are more than deflated when they learn that it is closed for two weeks for refurbishments.  Something breaks in Clark’s mind, and they leave so that he can buy a gun.  Returning, they find Russ Lasky (John Candy), a security guard whom Clark forces to let the Griswold’s ride the rides.  Another security guard calls the authorities, and the police send a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to stop what they think is a dangerous situation.  Upon exiting a roller coaster, there is a line of armed police officers pointing automatic weapons at the Griswolds.  Luckily for the family, Walley World’s founder, Roy Walley (Eddie Bracken), is there to listen to Clark’s plea for clemency, citing his desire to give his family a great vacation.  Roy is touched and the Griswolds are allowed to leave without being thrown in jail.

Aside from narrowly avoiding prison, to recap, during National Lampoon’s Vacation the Griswolds nearly die several times in the car, the children engage in drugs and pornography, Clark is almost unfaithful, they inadvertently kill Aunt Edna’s dog, and they strap Aunt Edna’s dead body to the roof of the station wagon.  There might be some other moments I am forgetting, but I think that is enough for you to get the idea.  What it means for this Catholic reviewer is that there is not much for me to cover from a Faith perspective.  I want to compliment Clark’s determination to spend time with his family and show them a good time.  Earlier, he mentions how he works so much that he barely gets to see his children, during the week or on the weekends.  A Christian spouse’s duty is to help their family get to Heaven.  To do so takes sacrifice, which he is clearly doing.  What ruins this notion is that there is no sense of doing so to help the spiritual welfare of his family.  On top of this, as I have already discussed, they all engage in a number of activities that could be considered sacrilege.  After all, look at the way they treat Aunt Edna’s body.  I will give Ellen some credit for saying a prayer for her aunt before they dump her body, but she is just as complicit as Clark in this sin.  Between this aberrant behavior and the nudity in the film, I am not sure there is anything worthwhile in this movie.

There will be those who will be upset with my take on National Lampoon’s Vacation.  Further, it has been asked of me if there are any movies that I like.  It is just that there is too much inappropriate material in this film for me to give it a recommendation no matter how many people think of it as a classic.