Initially overlooked as a sleeper film, "A Christmas Story" was released a week before Thanksgiving 1983 to moderate success, earning about $2 million in its first weekend. Roger Ebert, who gave the film four stars out of four and added the film to his "Great Movies" list, suggested the film had only modest success because holiday-themed films were not popular at the time. Vincent Canby's mostly negative "The New York Times" review complained that "the movie's big comic pieces tend only to be exceedingly busy. Though Mr. Billingsley, Mr. Gavin , Miss Dillon and the actress who plays Ralphie's school teacher (Tedde Moore) are all very able, they are less funny than actors in a television situation comedy."