Miracle on 34th Street

The 1947 Christmas comedy, Miracle on 34th Street, stands as one of the most beloved Christmas classics of all time. With a premise centred around a man who genuinely seems to believe he is Santa Clause warming the hearts of those around him and the fallout that comes from this staunch belief, the movie may not go big on spectacle or grandeur, but has an earnest warmth to its messaging and performances which helps to explain how it lasted the test of time, took home several Oscars including Best Story, Best Screenplay and even Supporting Actor (it was also nominated for Best Picture, but lost to Gentleman’s Agreement) and even managed to get a remake in 1994 starring Richard Attenborough and Mara Wilson (which is acknowledged, but not nearly as well liked). Even after several holiday films have come and gone and paved their own image into the wall of Christmas media stardom, this movie (much like the spirit of the season) will never quite go out of touch. After the man who was supposed to play Santa in the upcoming Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is dismissed due to drinking on the job, the event director, Doris Walker (played by Maureen O’Hara) asks the old man who brought the drunk to her attention, Kris Kringle (played by Edmund Gwenn) to take over the role, due to his exact correct appearance and attitude. He becomes a massive hit, and he is subsequently hired to be Santa at the Macy store in New York City, but his desire to put Christmas over commercialism cause him to lead customers to other stores when Macy’s doesn’t offer what they’re looking for. While this seems like an odd business practice, it ultimately works, and everybody seems to be in the Christmas mood thanks to Mr. Kringle. Working at Macy’s allows Kris the chance to get to know Doris and her young daughter, Susan (played by Natalie Wood), but Doris’ firm belief in dismissing anything unserious causes her to express doubt on Kris’ strange belief about being Santa Clause, enough so that the more unpleasant people that surround her, including the company’s grouchy psychiatrist, Granville Sawyer (played by Porter Hall) pushes for him to be institutionalized. Now on trial with Doris’ neighbor, Fred Gailey (played by John Payne) fighting for his defence, this singular moment will prove to the world whether or not this man is insane or truly St. Nicholas himself. Miracle on 34th Street doesn’t have any particularly shiny bells or whistles to make it stand out, but rather exudes such kind energy and pleasant vibes through its cheery direction, effectively written screenplay and very charming performances, resulting in a festive delight that is always worth revisiting regardless of the passage of time.

With a story created by Valentine Davies, it’s a little hard to fathom that this idea wasn’t originally based on a book or play of any variety (Davies would later novelize the story, but it was after the film’s release). The idea of Santa being put on trial to defend his existence is such a great timeless idea that could lead way to a ton of great comedic and even philosophical situations, and while this film doesn’t have the depth or dramatic nuance to operate in such a serious manner, the light-hearted tone mixed with its genuine and honest centre results in a playful experience that can also be subtly meaningful in parts. The script for this film constructed by George Seaton (who also directed the film) is very nicely written, with dialogue that is fast and quippy which allows for a ton of great character interactions and small but effective instances of relaying plot information in a succent manner, and scenarios that can feel heavily comedic and more in the world of a sitcom rather than in reality, but is balanced out through the natural reactions of those interacting within this bizarre set-up. It’s a world that feels energetic and a little corny, but similarly to how people react to Christmas, the emotions on display do feel genuine and its help make these moments that, through the wrong handling could be sappy and forced, feel very identifiable and effective. The discussions about Santa Clause and whether or not he exists could feel very repetitive and redundant, but not only does the film cleverly plays things in a more sporadic fashion so as to not repeat the same conflicts over and over again, but the ways in which it explores commercialism and the business aspect of Christmas through these retail departments is shockingly fascinating. The petty battle these stores compete in by trying to one-up the other in forceful merriment is pretty entertaining, and even the moments during the trial can on the surface be a little ridiculous, but harbor just enough of a believability factor that it adds an extra dimension which keeps things from being distracting. A lot of this balancing act is made as effective as it is due to the directing by Seaton, who combines both the exaggerated and authentic parts of the situation in a very seamless manner, allowing the audience to just embrace the story for what it is and allows its Christmas cheer to win you over.

For a movie that feels like a very standard Christmas film by today’s standards, it’s impressive to see how prominent the film was at the year’s Oscars. While certainly a film worthy of admiration, you wouldn’t normally see a film of this type praised and featured so heavily in the list of bests at the Academy Awards in modern day, but due to Hollywood experiencing a euphoric peak during this era, and with these kind of positive fluff pictures still being very beloved, it’s not too surprising, even with supporting actor, Edmund Gwenn, winning Best Supporting Actor for playing Kris Kringle. There have been many actors who have played Santa throughout history, so one being labelled as the definitive is almost an impossible feat, and while it’s hard to claim that Gwenn is the definitive, he is easily one of the best as his delivery of this character is worthy of that Oscar. Playing this role with such confidence and genuine likeability that you just want to eat him up at every second, Gwenn is truly able to convince you that he is Santa Clause through his delightful attitude, energetic desire to help all those around him, and the extreme confidence in which he states who he is and what he stands for. It could very easily be overplayed, but not only is Gwenn able to get across all of this detail without ever needing to go too far as a few subtle expressions and deliveries are enough, but the film doesn’t repeat scenes or continuously spout the same issues over and over again regarding people not believing in him, it allows for some variety so the scenes with him are often unpredictable and more entertaining because of it. Another genius element of the film is that it never definitively confirms that he’s Santa Clause as you don’t see any reindeer, the sleigh, the north pole, him making toys, none of the components film watchers are familiar with when Santa is showcased. Even if this might seem strange, it makes the messaging all the more meaningful as it is up to the viewer to determine the truth or not; is he really Father Christmas or is he just a kind old man who by keeping the spirit of the season in his heart, was able to theoretically play the part just as well? It’s a very well executed delivery of the role handled by a very strong performer. The rest of the actors are also good, managing to play off the scenarios and writing in a way that feels heartfelt while still being genuine. Maureen O’Hara as the lead isn’t featured as much as you’d expect and maybe could’ve used a few more scenes to make her resolution feel a bit more meaningful, but she does perform the part well and she shares a few nice scenes with Natalie Wood, who is also very strong as her daughter. Most actors would play this role too serious or in a precocious manner since she’s supposed to feel older than she is, but Wood finds a nice balance of feeling more mature, but without losing that youthful innocence, it feels very real. John Payne has some nice moments during the trial, background roles like Gene Lockhart, Phillip Tonge, William Frawley, Lela Bliss, Harry Antrim, and Alvin Greenman are pretty memorable, and while Porter Hall is a little too in-your-face evil, Jerome Cowan does a better job playing a foil that is still stuck-up, but not overly cartoonish.

The look of the film feels very clean and crisp, with the film quality looking very high definition and allowing for some very nice shots of New York, especially during the Macy’s Parade (which was apparently the actual event during the year that the crew haphazardly rushed to get footage of while it was occurring, so that’s just ingenuity). The film doesn’t have a large budget and due to mostly taking place in department stores, a few apartment complexes and a courtroom, it isn’t going to have a wide option of places to shoot in, but with that in mind, they are shown off quite well and capture the personality of New York along with its citizens quite well, mainly their rabid nature which is heightened to an extreme during the holidays. This comes through not only in the size of the crowds that are showcased, whether presented on the streets (which is shown through a pretty great shot after the parade which focuses on a gigantic crowd of people), or through the scuffle of people in the stores themselves, with how many are clamouring to get toys. A lot of those scenes are done quite well, and most of the interactions with Santa and the children asking for toys are very charming moments. Everything from the flow of the scenes and shot composition handled by Charles Clarke and Llyod Ahem, to the editing by Robert Simpsons, and the musical score by Cyril Mockridge, highlights the lighter, more energetic nature of this film without ever feeling too in-your-face obnoxious about it. It has a nice Christmas touch to it through the various bobbles shown in the streets and in the stores, and even though it doesn’t have any grand cinematic display, the goodwill as well as the messaging about believing in people regardless of your own internal vices, is presented well and truly.

Miracle on 34th Street is still able to captivate all these years later due to its engaging performances, believable atmosphere paired alongside its hyperactive personality, and an entertaining premise nicely brought to life through strong writing and directing. There are maybe a few elements that could’ve been ironed out a little bit, but otherwise, this remains as a nicely packaged gift that still has worth almost a full century later. Other Christmas films will also come around and try to capture the true meaning of the season through big scenes, dramatic words and grand visuals, but sometimes just seeing a gentle man fight for his name in a court room can be just as (if not more) impactful than all of that.