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 | |
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| Directed by | Richard Bartlett |
| Written by | Jean Shepherd |
| Produced by | Olvia Tappan |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Peter Hoving |
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| Distributed by | Public Broadcasting System (PBS) |
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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]
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]
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.
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, albeit a prequel chronologically, A Christmas Story, was released in 1983.[2] It would be the second and final time that James Broderick played the Old Man, and his last significant role in his lifetime, as he died of cancer in November 1982.[9]
