“Miracle on 34th Street” is a Christmas comedy-drama movie about a department store Santa who claims to be the real Santa Clause. This leads to a court case to determine his mental health and his authenticity as the actual Kris Kringle, embroiling all of New York City. Director-screenwriter George Seaton (“Chicken Every Sunday” 1949) put together a top-rate film with outstanding production values, good writing, and marvelous performances. It is a Christmas classic viewed by untold thousands (or maybe millions) every year in December.
The cast is headed by movie veteran Edmund Gwenn, an English actor who fits perfectly in the lead role. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal as the Big Man from the North Pole. Maureen O’Hara plays a store executive, Natalie Wood is her 8-year-old daughter, John Payne is an attorney, and Gene Lockhart (father of June Lockhart) is Judge Henry X. Harper. Others include William Frawley, Porter Hall, Jerome Cowan, Philip Tonge, Jack Albertson, Thelma Ritter, and Percy Helton as the drunken Santa Clause.
The very watchable black-and-white “Miracle on 34th Street” was a big hit at the box office for 20th Century Fox. It won a total of three Oscars: Best Supporting Actor (Gwenn), Best Writing/Original Story (Valentine Davies), and Best Writing/Screenplay (Seaton).
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
cinema
My Review
“Miracle on 34th Street” is a Christmas comedy-drama movie about a department store Santa who claims to be the real Santa Clause. This leads to a court case to determine his mental health and his authenticity as the actual Kris Kringle, embroiling all of New York City. Director-screenwriter George Seaton (“Chicken Every Sunday” 1949) put together a top-rate film with outstanding production values, good writing, and marvelous performances. It is a Christmas classic viewed by untold thousands (or maybe millions) every year in December.
The cast is headed by movie veteran Edmund Gwenn, an English actor who fits perfectly in the lead role. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal as the Big Man from the North Pole. Maureen O’Hara plays a store executive, Natalie Wood is her 8-year-old daughter, John Payne is an attorney, and Gene Lockhart (father of June Lockhart) is Judge Henry X. Harper. Others include William Frawley, Porter Hall, Jerome Cowan, Philip Tonge, Jack Albertson, Thelma Ritter, and Percy Helton as the drunken Santa Clause.
The very watchable black-and-white “Miracle on 34th Street” was a big hit at the box office for 20th Century Fox. It won a total of three Oscars: Best Supporting Actor (Gwenn), Best Writing/Original Story (Valentine Davies), and Best Writing/Screenplay (Seaton).