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Christmas Vacation and Pledge of Allegiance (1 Viewer)

Nick Senger

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jun 17, 2002
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192
I've not seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and I have a question about it. My wife saw it for the first time on network TV a couple of days ago and she noticed something curious: there is one scene where someone (a grandmother I think) is asked to say a prayer, and she says the Pledge of Allegiance. What was curious is that my wife noticed that she did not say the words "under God.":confused:

Does anyone know 1)If my wife heard correctly (she was wrapping presents at the time and may have been distracted); 2) If indeed the phrase was missing, was it edited out or originally filmed like that; and 3) If indeed the phrase was intentionally left out, why?

I don't mean for this thread to turn into any kind of religious or political discussion. I am merely after facts about a movie I have not seen. I don't want this thread to be closed before I get any answers.

Thanks for your help!
 

Mark Zimmer

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
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4,318
Since it's a grandmother saying it, it could be that she's reciting the pledge as she learned it. "Under god" was only inserted into the pledge in the 1950s during the McCarthy Red Scare. So if she learned the pledge as a kid in the 1920s or 1930s, say, she'd know it best without the insertion.

But I haven't gone back to the disc to check to see whether this is the case; just offering a possible explanation.
 

Bill Williams

Screenwriter
Joined
May 28, 2003
Messages
1,697
IIRC, wasn't the cast mumbling along during that scene? Of course, every time I remember seeing it, I can't help but burst out into laughter at her fuddy-duddiness and cousin Eddie's standing during grace. To me, the laughter from the moment drowns out anything else that's said in the scene. It's hard to watch it straight-faced, to be honest.
 

Paul_Medenwaldt

Supporting Actor
Joined
Feb 6, 2001
Messages
650
We watched it on DVD the other nite and I believe the words "under god" are used. At the point of them saying that phrase the camera is on Clark's face and he is still trying to understand what is going on.

Paul
 

BrettB

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2001
Messages
3,019
Not sure if aunt Bethany says "under God" but one or more of the characters do say it. It's kind of hard to tell who's saying what, as that's the point where everyone has finally joined in on the wackiness. "Under God" is also in the subtitles.
 

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