Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

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Miracle on 34^th Street (1947) – G. Seaton

When was the last time I watched this? Not for a while and certainly not with kids by my side.  We are at that time when the boys may be doubting Santa’s existence, so this movie which confronts that issue directly was particularly relevant.  They were both glued to the screen but indicated afterward that the movie was “not the best” (but it is hard to take that judgment seriously – although it could be a general disdain for B&W films as a whole).  Edmund Gwenn plays Kris Kringle who is recruited by Maureen O’Hara to “act” as Santa for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and then in the store meeting with children. However, he claims to be the real Santa and eventually falls foul of the store’s psychologist, despite passing all of the mental exams they could provide.  Fortunately, when he is assigned to a commitment hearing, he has lawyer John Payne in his corner. Payne is also romantically interested in O’Hara, who by the way has been raising her daughter Natalie Wood not to believe in Claus.  Gwenn sees it as a personal challenge to convince them – but he and Payne also have to convince the New York Supreme Court that Santa is real and Kringle is him.  Of course, they do!  I teared up a few times, I must admit.