Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Growing up in the nineties, I only thought one version of this film existed. Of course I am referring to the remake starring Mara Wilson.

Well, it turns out I was wrong as I found out many years later. The original film actually premiered in the summer of 1947. Miracle on 34th Street is one of the greatest Christmas films to ever be made. It is sweet but not overly so. It is funny, charming and engaging. It is a work of art. It captures the Christmas spirit and makes you wish the world was truly like the one portrayed here.

I never saw the remake, but my favorite online critic Nostalgia Critic emphasized the importance of sticking to the original. Of course I am still curious about the remake mainly due to my childhood dream of seeing it, but I can not imagine it being this good. While this film focuses on Santa Claus, I did not bother me as much as other films that do so.

Santa Claus is real and that is all that needs to be said about him. If any of you doubt his existence, watch this film and see for yourself. Portrayed by Edmund Gwenn there has never been a finer Kris Kringle on film.

The real miracle occurs when Santa Claus proves to a little girl who has been taught to think logically all her life that he is the real deal.

The best thing about this film is that it proves how awful Christmas commercialism is and when we put our thoughts and efforts into battling this, we might be able to actually achieve it.

The film opens on Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The hired Santa is drunk and Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara) quickly replaces him with the man offering advice who goes by the name Kris Kringle.

Mr. Kringle turns Doris's life upside down and consequently that of her daughter Susie (Natalie Wood) and their neighbor Fred Gailey (John Payne). The movie is worth the watch so that is all I will reveal. Hopefully I have convinced you to give it a watch.

George Seaton directs the film based on a novel and not only is it directed well, the performances are phenomenal. 

Edmund Gwenn is adorable and John Payne and Maureen O'Hara balance each other out perfectly. Natalie Wood is great at portraying a child wise beyond her years, but is still able to capture the childlike innocence all children have regardless of what they are taught to believe.