MovieChat Forums > National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) Discussion > The rubber sheets and the gerbils

The rubber sheets and the gerbils

posted 7 years ago by Calypso23
4 replies | jump to latest

I recently read through the original, unedited script and there was a scene in which the camera pans around to all the family sleeping. It shows Rocky and Ruby Sue sleeping, and suddenly there is the sound of shooting water as one of the kids is wetting the bed, right onto the rubber sheets that they are sleeping on. The camera then moves to the bedside table where the kids' have their pet gerbils in a cage.

I wish this scene would have been left in. It makes it even funnier when Cousin Eddie tells his wife, "Don't forget the rubber sheets and the gerbils", because the audience' minds automatically go to some perverse thoughts, only to discover that the statement was completely innocent and we, as the audience, are the ones with the dirty minds!

[–] spleenforsoul 7 years ago

Wow, that makes so much more sense now. Thank you for posting this. I had no idea and thought it was something dirty lol.

[–] SweetSar99 7 years ago

That scene doesn't need to be in the film to make the joke funny but is definitely a great reference to the earlier scene. A lot of times they have to cut scenes to keep the momentum and pace of the film going so I can see why they cut it. Great deleted scene though!

[–] Miracle1985 7 years ago

That's funny, thanks for sharing that!

[–] dyahrmarkt 7 years ago

But check out the way Randy Quaid delivers that line, with that drooling, lust-crazed, what-have-you...with or without the scene filmed in the original script it's clear what we're supposed to be thinking...Richard Gere.

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