We recently learned Kevin McCallister was, in fact, loaded in ‘Home Alone’ — and now, the Internet has its sights set on Clark Griswold … and that mysterious bonus check.
Key Takeaway
The Internet sleuths have uncovered the mystery behind Clark Griswold’s Christmas bonus, revealing the possible amount he received and shedding light on his occupation.
Internet Sleuths Dive into the Mystery
A Reddit thread has sparked a deep dive into the question of what kind of bonus Chevy Chase’s character in ‘Christmas Vacation’ was expecting, what he ended up getting, and what his occupation actually was, which is all left unanswered in the film.
It’s not nearly as sophisticated or scientific as the NYT piece that broke down the ‘Home Alone’ finances, but it’s interesting … ’cause a lot of folks seem to have good guesses.
The Clues Uncovered
Based on clues dropped in the movie, one user suggests Clark was some sort of chemical engineer at a cereal company, and that his salary at the time likely landed in the ballpark of about $75k-$80k in 1989.
If that’s true, these online accountants figure Sparky might’ve been anticipating a fairly high bonus of about 20%-25% … do the math, and that’s likely a bonus of about $20k or so.
He also mentioned putting down a $7,500 deposit for it already, and hoping the check would cover the rest — and based on some historical data … people say the number checks out for pool construction in the late ’80s. Clark was hoping for (but didn’t get) a five-figure bonus.
The Revelation
Of course, that’s not exactly how things worked out — at first, anyway — in the holiday classic. Clark gets stiffed by his boss, and his cousin Eddie kidnaps the guy to force him to pony up. In the end, the CEO of the company does give out the bonus — plus an extra 20%.
In the end, the Internet suspects Clark walked away with about $24k in the end … more than enough to install the pool and pay for it in full. Not bad for the bungling Griswolds!
