Miracle on 34th street is a classic Christmas story revealing that sometimes you don't have to see something or someone for that matter to necessarily believe in it or them. This touching story will make you laugh and cry along with the characters in the story. Edmund Gwenn playing Kris Kringle, Fred Gailey acted by John Payne, and Maureen O'Hara plays Doris Walker who is Suzie Walker's mother who is played by Natalie Wood all do wonderful jobs in the film.
The story starts when Kris Kringle (who is really Santa Claus) meets an actor playing Santa for the Macy's Day Parade past out and drunk on his sleigh right before the parade. Kris is insulted and notifies the person in charge, which is Doris Walker, she decides in a last minute thought and makes Kris the new Macy's mall Santa. The people and even Mr. Macy himself fall in love with the new Santa. Although after everyone is told by Santa himself to go elsewhere to shop, Kris is fired but brought back again because consequently his news was bringing in more business. Only under supervision is Kris brought back into the store and Fred Gailey, Doris' neighbor, decides to take him in. Kris is sent to the company psychiatrist to have his head examined for his abnormal thoughts that he himself is Santa Claus. The real drama in the film starts here as it turns out the company psychiatrist is a little looney himself. Kris struggles to make believers out of Doris, Fred, and Suzie, but when he is put on trial even the judge must question his own beliefs.
Overall it was a good Christmas time movie, it was entertaining, funny, frustrating, and you're left with a good feeling. The locations were good; setting the movie in New York during Christmas was excellent. Also, using an actually department store made the movie seem more realistic. There is also a good lesson to be learned from the film, and that is seeing is not believing which I thought to be very true. The casting was great, although there were some points where the characters got a little phony.
I give this film a 7 out of 10 for good casting, good story and plot, good location and for leaving it in its original black and white. I recommend this film more than the newer version.
The story starts when Kris Kringle (who is really Santa Claus) meets an actor playing Santa for the Macy's Day Parade past out and drunk on his sleigh right before the parade. Kris is insulted and notifies the person in charge, which is Doris Walker, she decides in a last minute thought and makes Kris the new Macy's mall Santa. The people and even Mr. Macy himself fall in love with the new Santa. Although after everyone is told by Santa himself to go elsewhere to shop, Kris is fired but brought back again because consequently his news was bringing in more business. Only under supervision is Kris brought back into the store and Fred Gailey, Doris' neighbor, decides to take him in. Kris is sent to the company psychiatrist to have his head examined for his abnormal thoughts that he himself is Santa Claus. The real drama in the film starts here as it turns out the company psychiatrist is a little looney himself. Kris struggles to make believers out of Doris, Fred, and Suzie, but when he is put on trial even the judge must question his own beliefs.
Overall it was a good Christmas time movie, it was entertaining, funny, frustrating, and you're left with a good feeling. The locations were good; setting the movie in New York during Christmas was excellent. Also, using an actually department store made the movie seem more realistic. There is also a good lesson to be learned from the film, and that is seeing is not believing which I thought to be very true. The casting was great, although there were some points where the characters got a little phony.
I give this film a 7 out of 10 for good casting, good story and plot, good location and for leaving it in its original black and white. I recommend this film more than the newer version.