Vegas Vacation (released on Feb. 14, 1997), finds Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) feeling generous after receiving a massive bonus for developing a long-lasting food preservative. Determined to reconnect with his family, Clark whisks his wife Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo) and their children, Rusty (Ethan Embry) and Audrey (Marisol Nichols), to the neon-soaked streets of Las Vegas.
However, the Griswold luck – or lack thereof – quickly takes over.
The plot follows the family as they instantly drift apart in the desert heat; Clark becomes obsessively addicted to gambling, losing the family’s savings at a blackjack table to a relentless dealer named Marty (Wallace Shawn), who takes great pleasure in Clark’s repeated failures.
While Clark spirals, the rest of the family has their own surreal adventures. Rusty finds his “cool” in the form of a fake ID and a winning streak that transforms him into a high-rolling alter ego named “Nick Pappagiorgio.”
Audrey falls under the influence of her wild cousin Vickie, leading her into the world of cage dancing.
Meanwhile, Ellen finds herself the object of affection for the legendary Wayne Newton, who invites her into his inner circle.
The family eventually reunites with the help of the always-unpredictable Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid), whose desert-dwelling lifestyle provides the necessary chaos to bring the Griswolds back to earth.
Vegas Vacation culminates in a desperate attempt to win back their fortune and dignity through a series of increasingly absurd bets and a journey to the Hoover Dam.
Christie Brinkley returns as the “Girl in the Red Ferrari” after her breakout role in National Lampoon’s Vacation in 1983.
Siegfried & Roy also appear as themselves.
Sid Caeser and Jerry Weintraub round out the cast.
Embry and Nichols became the fourth different set of actors to play the Griswold children, Audrey and Rusty.
Vegas Vacation was the fourth installment in National Lampoon’s Vacation film series and the first theatrical Vacation film to not carry the National Lampoon label.
This was also the first of the Vacation films that John Hughes was not involved in.
Christie Brinkley in Vegas Vacation (Photo/Warner Bros.)
Reception for Vegas Vacation
Vegas Vacation grossed $12.8 million on its opening weekend, finishing fourth at the box office.
The film would gross $36.4 million at the box office.
Legacy
The legacy of Vegas Vacation is its status as a bright, neon-tinted finale to the original theatrical run of the Griswold saga.
The film remains a staple of cable television and a nostalgic favorite for those who grew up in the 1990s, serving as a comedic time capsule of “themed” Las Vegas before the city’s more modern luxury renovation.
By leaning into the kitsch of the era and featuring Newton in a self-deprecating role, it solidified its place as a lighthearted, quintessential vacation comedy that proves no matter how much money you lose, the family unit is the ultimate jackpot.
