Miracle On 34th Street

Discover the Miracle.

MPAA Rating: PG

IMDB Rating: 6.1 / 10

Length: 114 min

Tags: family, drama, fantasy

Director: Les Mayfield
Writers:

Cast:

Kris Kringle
(Richard Attenborough)
Dorey Walker
(Elizabeth Perkins)
Bryan Bedford
(Dylan McDermott)
Ed Collins
(J.T. Walsh)
Jack Duff
(James Remar)
Alberta Leonard
(Jane Leeves)
Donald Shellhammer
(Simon Jones)
Susan Walker
(William Windom)
Judge Henry Harper
(Mara Wilson)
C.F. Cole
(William Windom)
Mother
(Kathrine Narducci)
Myrna Foy
(Mary McCormack)
The Doorman
(Alvin Greenman)
Woman in Christmas Shop
(Allison Janney)
Cmdr. Coulson
(Greg Noonan)

Editor Review

The film centres on a young girl who loses the belief in Santa Claus, taking her single mother's denials as truth. But when her mother's department store's Santa gets drunk and she must find a replacement, this new figure turns out to be more than just a chubby man in a red suit… But will the little girl get her only wish of a father and a brother for Christmas?

Tense scenes come later when Mr. Kringle is claimed to be insane and jailed for his accusations, and the makeshift family must do all in their power to convince the court, and the city, that Santa Claus exists and that Kris Kringle is the real St. Nick.

Miracle on 34th Street was originally a feature from 1947, and this is the fourth version of the film. It features Richard Attenborough as the replacement, or real, Santa Claus, and the cute as a button Mara Wilson playing the six year old girl. Wilson was the biggest girl actress of the time, coming straight from Mrs. Doubtfire, and moving straight on to Matilda in 1996. With the character name of Kris Kringle, and that perfect wispy white beard, Attenborough fills out the part perfectly.

Coles acts as a fictional version of Macy's Department store, which featured in the original film, since the Macy's people wanted nothing to do with this most recent remake.

The parts of the mother and her love interest are a little too perfectly drawn, with the only flaws in sight being slight cynicism and a determination to succeed, but all in all it's a pleasant picture, full of laughs and splendour at the wonder of Christmas.

Although this is another project of the prolific youth culture master John Hughes, working with regular collaborator Les Mayfield, who directs, this is quite different fare from his usual films. The focus is on a younger audience, and the laughs and plot are a little more timid. But this is focused on a younger audience after all, and it will sure to keep the little 'uns happy, especially as they relate to the young girl, Susan, who reconsiders the reality of the magic of Santa Claus.


Fun Fact:

In its original theatrical release, 20th Century Fox offered a full refund to any viewer who didn't enjoy the film. Approximately 1500 tickets were returned to the studio.

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