Well, Christmas is nearly upon us, and in that spirit, I have a few Christmas films lined up to watch. Second on the list (after watching Holiday Inn last weekend) was Miracle on 34th Street – the original 1947 version (although the 1996 remake is on my list too). Edmund Gwenn plays Kris Kringle, a department store Santa, who insists that he is in fact the real Santa Claus. He befriends a young woman and her small daughter (Maureen O’Hara and Natalie Wood respectively), who don’t believe in fairy tales of any kind, but who start to believe that Kris could be telling the truth. His influence spreads further when he encourages the large department store where he is employed (Macy’s in NYC, where the store scenes were actually shot) to be more altruistic and enter into the true spirit of Christmas. But then the authorities get involved, and Kris has to take his case to Court to try and prove that he is who he says he is…
It’s easy to see why this film has become a Christmas classic! It’s one of those films that appeals to people of all ages, and really makes you want to believe in Santa! Edmund Gwenn is terrific as Kris Kringle, who may be the real Santa, or may simply be a nice but delusional old man. Maureen O’Hara was beautiful and brilliant as Doris Walker, and nine year old Natalie Wood shows that the acting talent and beauty that she had as an adult was also there as a child. John Payne rounded out the main cast as Doris’s neighbour, lawyer Fred Gailey, who not only falls for Doris, but also agrees to represent Kris in court.
The ending is lovely (but I’m not giving anything away). This is definitely a movie to watch with a mince pie and maybe a glass of mulled wine in hand! Just lovely.
Year of release: 1947
Director: George Seaton
Writers: George Seaton, Valentine Davies
Main cast: Maureen O’Hara, Natalie Wood, Edmund Gwenn, John Payne
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Click here for my review of the 1994 movie.
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