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Miracle on 34th Street

  • 19471947
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
47K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Home Video Trailer from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:02
3 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Family

After a divorced New York mother hires a nice old man to play Santa Claus at Macy's, she is startled by his claim to be the genuine article. When his sanity is questioned, a lawyer defends h... Read allAfter a divorced New York mother hires a nice old man to play Santa Claus at Macy's, she is startled by his claim to be the genuine article. When his sanity is questioned, a lawyer defends him in court by arguing that he's not mistaken.After a divorced New York mother hires a nice old man to play Santa Claus at Macy's, she is startled by his claim to be the genuine article. When his sanity is questioned, a lawyer defends him in court by arguing that he's not mistaken.

IMDb RATING
7.9/10
47K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • George Seaton
  • Writers
    • George Seaton(written for the screen by)
    • Valentine Davies(story)
  • Stars
    • Edmund Gwenn
    • Maureen O'Hara
    • John Payne
Top credits
  • Director
    • George Seaton
  • Writers
    • George Seaton(written for the screen by)
    • Valentine Davies(story)
  • Stars
    • Edmund Gwenn
    • Maureen O'Hara
    • John Payne
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 208User reviews
    • 97Critic reviews
    • 88Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 3 Oscars
      • 8 wins & 1 nomination total

    Videos3

    Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
    Trailer 2:02
    Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
    What Are These Stars Watching This Holiday Season?
    Full Episode 3:11
    What Are These Stars Watching This Holiday Season?
    Which 8 Christmas Movies Almost Had Completely Different Stars?
    Video 2:34
    Which 8 Christmas Movies Almost Had Completely Different Stars?

    Photos144

    Edmund Gwenn in Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
    Edmund Gwenn and Marlene Lyden in Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
    Thelma Ritter, Anthony Sydes, and Philip Tonge in Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
    Philip Tonge in Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
    "Miracle On 34th Street," John Payne, Natalie Wood, & Edmund Gwenn.  1947/Fox.
    "Miracle On 34th Street," Natalie Wood & Maureen O'Hara. 1947/Fox.
    "Miracle On 34th Street," Natalie Wood.  1947/Fox.
    "Miracle On 34th Street," Natalie Wood.  1947/Fox.
    Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
    Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
    Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
    Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Edmund Gwenn
    Edmund Gwenn
    • Kris Kringleas Kris Kringle
    Maureen O'Hara
    Maureen O'Hara
    • Doris Walkeras Doris Walker
    John Payne
    John Payne
    • Fred Gaileyas Fred Gailey
    Gene Lockhart
    Gene Lockhart
    • Judge Henry X. Harperas Judge Henry X. Harper
    Natalie Wood
    Natalie Wood
    • Susan Walkeras Susan Walker
    Porter Hall
    Porter Hall
    • Granville Sawyeras Granville Sawyer
    William Frawley
    William Frawley
    • Charlie Halloranas Charlie Halloran
    Jerome Cowan
    Jerome Cowan
    • Dist. Atty. Thomas Maraas Dist. Atty. Thomas Mara
    Philip Tonge
    Philip Tonge
    • Julian Shellhammeras Julian Shellhammer
    Jack Albertson
    Jack Albertson
    • Post Office Mail Sorter Next to Louas Post Office Mail Sorter Next to Lou
    • (uncredited)
    Harry Antrim
    Harry Antrim
    • Mr. R.H. Macyas Mr. R.H. Macy
    • (uncredited)
    Sam Bagley
    • Courtroom Spectatoras Courtroom Spectator
    • (uncredited)
    Arline Bletcher
    • Courtroom Spectatoras Courtroom Spectator
    • (uncredited)
    Lela Bliss
    Lela Bliss
    • Mrs. Shellhammeras Mrs. Shellhammer
    • (uncredited)
    Walden Boyle
    • Judge's Clerkas Judge's Clerk
    • (uncredited)
    Kevin Burke
    • Child on Santa's Lapas Child on Santa's Lap
    • (uncredited)
    Dorothy Christy
    Dorothy Christy
    • Secretaryas Secretary
    • (uncredited)
    Dick Cogan
    Dick Cogan
    • Department Store Headas Department Store Head
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • George Seaton
    • Writers
      • George Seaton(written for the screen by)
      • Valentine Davies(story)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    At the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the actor playing Santa is discovered to be drunk by a whiskered old man. Doris Walker, the no nonsense special events director, persuades him to take his place. He proves to be a sensation and is quickly recruited to be the store Santa at the main store. While he is successful, Doris learns that he calls himself Kris Kringle and he claims to be the actual Santa Claus. Despite reassurances by his doctor that he is harmless, Doris still has misgivings, especially when she has cynically trained herself, and especially her daughter, Susan, to reject all notions of belief and fantasy. And yet, people, especially Susan, begin to notice there is something special about Kris and his determination to advance the true spirit of Christmas among the rampant commercialism around him and succeeding in improbable ways. When a raucous conflict with the store's cruelly incompetent therapist, Granville Sawyer, erupts, he finds himself held at Bellevue where, in despair, he deliberately fails a mental examination to ensure his commitment. All seems lost until Doris' friend, Fred Gailey, reassures him of his worth and agrees to represent him in the fight to secure his release. To achieve that, Fred arranges a formal hearing in which he argues that Kris is sane because he is in fact Santa Claus. What ensues is a bizarre hearing in which people's beliefs are reexamined and put to the test, but even so, it's going to take a miracle for Kris to win. —Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)
    • christmas movie
    • santa claus
    • christmas
    • delusion
    • girl
    • 64 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • You've got them mixed up! You're making a mistake. You're making a mistake with the reindeer. Tsk tsk tsk
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Family
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the untranslated dialogue with the Dutch girl, Kris asks her what she wants for Christmas. She says she wants nothing, telling him she got her gift by being adopted by her new mother.
    • Goofs
      Kris claims that John Quincy Adams' Vice President was Daniel D. Tompkins. In fact, that was John C. Calhoun, while Tompkins had been Vice President under Adams' predecessor, James Monroe. The confusion arose because Adams was the 6th President whereas Tompkins was the 6th Vice President, some Presidents having had a different Vice President in each term, and one of the latter having served under 2 of the former.
    • Quotes

      Mr. Shellhammer: But... but maybe he's only a little crazy like painters or composers or... or some of those men in Washington.

    • Alternate versions
      Also available in two computer colorized versions. The film was first colorized in 1985 by Color Systems Technology, Inc. and again in 2006 by Legend Films using much-improved technology. Prints came with a disclaimer: "It has been altered without the participation of the principal director, screenwriter and other creators of the original film."
    • Connections
      Featured in The Screen Writer (1950)
    • Soundtracks
      Jingle Bells
      (1857) (uncredited)

      Written by James Pierpont

      Played at the announcement of the parade

      Played occasionally in the score

      Sung a cappella a bit by Percy Helton and later by Jack Albertson

    User reviews208

    Review
    Top review
    Holiday Combination That Works Well
    Still among the most worthwhile of the familiar holiday movies, this classic version of "Miracle on 34th Street" has a combination of cast, story, and production that works well. Maureen O'Hara, young Natalie Wood, and Edmund Gwenn would probably have carried it pretty well by themselves, and they are joined by a very good supporting cast. The screenplay is nicely done, bringing out the fantasy elements of the story without letting it become trite.

    Gwenn, who played many solid character roles, gets the chance here to play a role for which he was ideally suited, and it works very well. O'Hara and Wood make a good pair to balance him out. The supporting cast gets some very good moments of their own, especially Gene Lockhart and William Frawley, whose scenes are entertaining while also offering some occasionally pointed commentary.

    The style of the production is well-suited to the material, offering an innocently upbeat story without overdoing it on sentimentality. For all that this style of the production and acting are out of fashion, they are able to capture a theme like this in a worthwhile way that is simply not possible with the kind of false "sophistication" that permeates so many present-day movies.

    That's not to say that this is some kind of masterpiece, which it is not and did not try to be. Instead, it's a light, enjoyable, positive movie that does make a worthwhile point or two. That kind of feature will always find an appreciative audience somewhere.
    helpful•23
    5
    • Snow Leopard
    • Dec 8, 2004

    FAQ8

    • Why is the clown at the Macy's parade not listed anywhere in the cast list? He has the memorable line: "These pants are going to fall off in the middle of Columbus Circle."
    • What is 'Miracle on 34th Street' about?
    • Is 'Miracle on 34th Street' based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 4, 1947 (Canada)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Site
    • Languages
      • English
      • Dutch
    • Also known as
      • The Big Heart
    • Filming locations
      • 24 Derby Road, Port Washington, Long Island, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $527
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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