Anssi Vartiainen In this holiday classic from the past we follow a single mother named Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara), who has over the years adopted a very no-nonsense approach to life. She's all about logic, order and the cold hard facts. No whimsy, no tales, no nothing. And she has brought up her daughter Susan (Natalie Wood) along those same principles. But then she ends up hiring a Santa Claus for the holiday parade she's organizing. A jolly old man (Edmund Gwenn) who insists that his name is Kris Kringle and that he is the one and only true Santa Claus.Most everyone has heard about this film, if not seen it already. Likewise in my case I knew the general gist of it, but the film still managed to surprise me. Most of the comments about this film focus on the courtroom scene and the twist ending thereof. But in reality that's only a small part of the film. Most of the runtime is focused on Kringle getting along with the Walkers and their neighbour Fred Gailey (John Payne).And that really is the true heart of this film. Gwenn's portrayal of Santa Claus is easily one of the best I've ever seen. He isn't so much about the jolliness or the general ho-ho-ho'ness that's often such a key part of Santa. In fact he can be downright solemn at times. But he just has this dignity to him. Everything he says comes of as measured and filled with wisdom. Even when he's spouting utter nonsense about being Santa Claus and flying around with reindeer. Gwenn's simply so charismatic. And I simply love all the scenes he shares with Susan. He never talks down to her, instead treating her like an equal.This is a great film and a true holiday treat. Chances are you've already seen it, but if you've somehow managed to miss it, do yourself a favour and check it out the next time the holidays are around the corner.

jimbo-53-186511 Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara) employs a kindly old man to be her Santa Claus both on parade and in Macy's department store after discovering that her intended Santa Claus is intoxicated. Doris is initially happy with her new Santa Claus as he actually looks like Santa Claus (real whiskers and all). However, when Santa Claus (played by Edward Gwenn) starts claiming that he is the real Santa Claus Doris is horrified especially after she's explained to her young daughter Susan (Natalie Wood) that Santa Claus isn't real. Santa Claus AKA Kris Kringle ends up institutionalised as a result of his claims (and also due to the behaviour of unscrupulous psychiatrist Granville Sawyer). Having established enough evidence to believe that Kringle is the real Santa Claus lawyer Fred Gailey (John Payne) takes Kringle's case to court to prove once and for all that he is the real Santa Claus.I think one of the key successes with a film like Miracle on 34th Street is that it is a film that has great appeal to very young children but it also has some themes running throughout the film that adult audiences can also pick up upon. Clearly children are the key target audience here (given the nature of the premise it's probably a film that will work better with very young children). However, if you delve deeper then it's clear that there is also plenty of content and commentary on offer to an adult audience as well.The selling point for an adult audience is that the film also remembers what Christmas is actually about and actually manages to turn negatives into positives - the film focuses on such things as Christmas being far too commercialised, it also focuses on corporate greed and consumerism (department stores trying to manipulate kids into buying items they're overstocked with rather than toys that they actually want). It then turns these negatives into positives by Kringle's notion of being honest with the kids by referring them to another store if Macy's doesn't have the toy that they want. Initially, the head of Macy's department store is angry about the idea of losing business, but Kringle's actions have so much positivity about them that it ends up bringing good PR to Macy's. This leads to a funny moment where the heads of the two biggest department stores are actually encouraging shoppers to buy things from their rivals store which is both ironic and very clever.I think some of the best moments in the film are the scenes between Kris Kringle and Susan Walker (Natalie Wood). As mentioned, Gwenn is excellent here and is probably everything that kids imagine Santa Claus to be - kind, wise, caring, selfless. Considering Natalie Wood was only around 9 years old when this was made I thought her performance here was terrific and at times she almost steals the show from Gwenn. She's neither overly-cute, annoying or bratty and basically just portrays a young girl who slowly starts to believe in something that she's always been told isn't real. The chemistry and warmth displayed between the two characters was a joy to behold. Of course the film had other strengths as well, but Gwenn and Wood were the real stars of the show here.Miracle on 34th Street is a film with plenty for children and adults alike to enjoy. Young children will bear witness to a wonderful interpretation of the mythical man with the white beard who delivers all their presents on Christmas morning. For adults there's a bit of escapism and subtle nods about commercialisation, corporate greed and consumerism and again I liked the idea that these negative aspects were given a positive spin. It's certainly a film I wouldn't mind watching every now and again at Christmas.

Robert J. Maxwell Macy's, a prominent department store in New York City, hires Edmund Gwenn to play Santa Claus during the Christmas shopping period. Maureen O'Hara is the store's representative. She's a divorcée with a small daughter, Natalie Wood. John Payne is a lawyer who lives next door to O'Hara.It develops that Gwenn believes he actually IS Santa Claus. However, his avuncular presence and his shopping advice make the store very popular. Should he be fired because he lives in Cloud Cuckooland? Or should he be retained as a mere eccentric. Conflict develops and is resolved.It's a feel-good movie for the family, especially valuable now that "It's a Wonderful Life" is no longer in public domain.Gwenn is okay but a bit actor-ish. It's as if he KNOWS he's an actor playing Santa Claus. John Payne is a tall, cheerful, handsome American male out of Esquire. He gets the job done in an unthreatening way. Maureen O'Hara is made anxious by the prospect of losing her job, and she gets it across. She's oddly beautiful, a radiant red head in the colorized version. She's enticingly sassy and the underlying Irish tint lends precision to her speech. You can hear every "t" at the end of a sentence. It's impossible to imagine her saying something like "Lemmie" instead of "Let me." Natalie Wood, at nine or so years old, is astonishing really. It may be the best performance she was ever to give.The movie is unpretentious, well made, and charming. The kids should like it, although I'm not sure anybody over the age of two believes in Santa Claus any longer. By the time kids are three, they're all tattooed and sexually experienced and they sit around in phat pants smoking weed. They're jaded at four.Gwenn, as Santa Claus, prattles on about "imagination" but the movie is really about the necessity of myth. Myths like those about Santa Claus -- or about Christmas -- are vital to our lives. Materially, the shopping spree means that a good deal of money changes hands, but its more important element is social. Christmas -- or rather "the holidays" -- gives us a chance to display our allegiance to each other.It makes us feel good to take part in a vast and intricate ritual. It may have begun as a pagan celebration of the winter solstice and its meaning may have changed dramatically but it still serves the same function. As Santa Claus points out, it's more than a day, it's a state of mind. Alas, ephemeral.

Amy Edwards I have felt ashamed to have never seen the original version of Miracle on 34th Street. I have watched the 1994 version and my Christmas movies are more like Home Alone or the Grinch.This said, I have to tell that this movie and story line is touching and very clever. This is about Christmas spirit and how it should be felt. This is about happiness family and magic instead of 'make a buck make a buck this is only about make a buck' like Alfred liked to say. This theme is quite actual.Maureen O'Hara's character, a heartbroken divorced woman who doesn't believe in any magic and faith anymore is representing this situation all on herself. She lost the spirit and is drowning in her work. She educated her daughter in a way that she don't believe in anything either. So the fact that both of them starts to believe again alongside Santa Claus is really symbolic. Even more importantly she believes in love again which is the real essence of Christmas.I wish we would keep this authentic spirit. Being less selfish and more sharing. Believe in something even when we think everything is dark and lost. This is all Christmas is all about. And I am thankful that there are movies like Miracle on 34th Street to remind this to us.