Six-year-old Susan Walker discovers dreams do come true if you really believe. She has doubts about childhood's most enduring miracle, Santa Claus. Her mother, Dorey, told her the "secret" about him a long time ago, so she doesn't expect to receive the most important gifts on her Christmas list. But after meeting a special department store Santa who's convinced he's the real thing, she is given the most precious gift of all, something to believe in.Written by
Robert Lynch <docrlynch@yahoo.com>
There is a scene in Cole's where Dorey Walker (Elizabeth Perkins) is standing on the second floor looking down at a group of children below. Her hair is pulled back in a low ponytail and she is talking to Mr. Shellhammer. This is a shout out to a scene in Big (1988), in which she also starred. In that, she is also standing on the second floor with the same hair style looking down at a group of children below talking to Paul (John Heard). See more »
Goofs
Near the beginning of the film, when Tony falls off the parade float, you can see a sack full of presents on the back of it. In the next shot, when people are lifting the sleigh off of him, the sack has disappeared. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Grandson:
Ask him. Ask him. Look at him, Grandpa. Ask him.
Judge Henry Harper:
Uh, I'm sorry. He, uh he thinks you're Santa Claus.
[Kris Kringle and Judge Harper laugh]
Kris Kringle:
[quietly to Harper's grandson]
I am.
[to Harper]
Kris Kringle:
Merry Christmas.
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I can't see why a retelling of a really good story gets panned. It stayed true to the original concept, that believing in something good, even if it only comes once a year, can make us better. If I may reference another Christmas classic of which there have been several worthy interpretations, "Scrooge" (1951), the young Scrooge says to the young Marley upon their meeting, "I believe the world is becoming a very hard and cruel place...". If it was that way in the 1800's, it's ten times worse today, and therefore all the more reason to be reminded of our better nature. I especially enjoyed the scene where the streets of New York City were filled with throngs of people, traffic on the bridges was stopped, all waiting for the verdict. I know NYC well, and how its people rise to such occasions. These scenes were not in the 1947 version, and I think they added a uniqueness to this version. Better, worse than the 1947 version? Neither - just different, and just as valid.
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I can't see why a retelling of a really good story gets panned. It stayed true to the original concept, that believing in something good, even if it only comes once a year, can make us better. If I may reference another Christmas classic of which there have been several worthy interpretations, "Scrooge" (1951), the young Scrooge says to the young Marley upon their meeting, "I believe the world is becoming a very hard and cruel place...". If it was that way in the 1800's, it's ten times worse today, and therefore all the more reason to be reminded of our better nature. I especially enjoyed the scene where the streets of New York City were filled with throngs of people, traffic on the bridges was stopped, all waiting for the verdict. I know NYC well, and how its people rise to such occasions. These scenes were not in the 1947 version, and I think they added a uniqueness to this version. Better, worse than the 1947 version? Neither - just different, and just as valid.