National Lampoon’s European Vacation

Chevy Chase and Beverley D’Angelo return as all- American Clark and Ellen Griswald. who with teenage offspring Rusty and Audrey, win a deluxe European Tour. Ecstatic Clark plans a getaway jammed with forced family togetherness, two weeks sure to become a treasure trove of golden Griswald memories… Will hapless Clark ever learn? For the Griswald’s it’s typical holiday road havoc.

For those who have noticed, I have managed to review a lot of older films recently but even so this one still had me laughing till I hurt. The Griswalds are like a family crammed with Mr. Beans. Each moment you think that what seems innocent is going to back fire horribly if not immediately then within a few agonising moments meaning the build up makes you cringe harder and longer than ever before.

This film has a host of truly timeless jokes, for example:

Hostess: would you like a drink?
Clark: I’ll have a coke.
Hostess: Would you like it in a glass or in the can.
Clark: (looking back towards the toilet) I think I will have it here.

But the story does become Lampoon’s lead stupid farce and a slightly unbelievable ending which makes sure that this film is on par with all the other hilarious Vacation outings. A sad fact about this film, it is the only vacation film which Cousin Eddie does not appear.

Here’s a classic scene from the movie: