Workaholic mattress salesman Howard Langston (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is so busy at work that he constantly neglects his family and disappoints his son, Jamie (the future Anakin Skywalker, Jake Lloyd).
He vows to make it up to the boy by getting him a Turbo Man action figure – the #1 item on Jamie’s Christmas list.
Unfortunately, Howard has left it until Christmas Eve, and every store is sold out.
Now he must travel all over town and compete with everybody else, including a mailman named Myron Larabee (Sinbad), to find one.
Howard and Myron run into each other all over town in an increasingly violent race to obtain the action figure.
The two rival fathers spend the day actively sabotaging each other, clashing with angry mobs, fleeing a suspicious police officer (Robert Conrad), and infiltrating a shady ring of counterfeit toy-manufacturing Santas headed up by Jim Belushi.
The movie climaxes during the Holiday Wintertainment Parade, where Howard accidentally becomes the star of the show while trying to steal a Turbo Man toy for his son.
Rita Wilson plays Howard’s increasingly exasperated wife, Liz. Their divorced neighbour, Ted (who lusts after Liz), is played by Phil Hartman.
Though the Christmas family comedy film originally received mixed critical reception, it grossed $129.8 million worldwide and has since become a beloved, heavily quoted holiday-season cult classic.
Howard Langston
Arnold Schwarzenegger Myron Larabee
Sinbad Ted Maltin
Phil Hartman Liz Langston
Rita Wilson Officer Hummell
Robert Conrad DJ
Martin Mull Jamie Langston
Jake Lloyd Mall Santa
Jim Belushi Johnny
E.J. De La Pena President
Harvey Korman First Lady
Laraine Newman Billy
Justin Chapman Dementor
Richard Moll Turbo Man
Daniel Riordan Margaret
Nada Despotovich Single Mother Judy
Ruth Afton Hjelmgren Single Mother Mary
Caroline Kaiser Sensei
Samuel B. Morris Sensei Assistant
Shawn Hamilton Booster
Curtis Armstrong Sparky
Peter Breitmayer Tow Truck Driver
Marianne Muellerleile Gale Force
Phil Morris Liza Tisch
Amy Pietz Snoopy
Judy Sladky
Director
Brian Levant
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Unfortunately, Howard has left it until Christmas Eve, and every store is sold out.
Howard Langston
First Lady
Dementor
