A Christmas Story (1983) The Christmas Classic A Christmas Story was released in 1983. The basis of the screenplay is a series of monologues written and performed by Jean Shepherd on radio. Shepherd wrote the adaptation with Bob Clark and Leigh Brown. Several subplots are incorporated into the body of the film, based on other separate short stories by Shepherd. Shepherd provides the film's narration from the perspective of an adult Ralphie, a narrative style later used in the dramedy television