Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
- kbroer
- Dec 6, 2024
- 4 min read
Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn, Natalie Wood
Directed by George Seaton
Available to stream on Prime Video
It's December and that, of course, means Christmas movies! Our first film of the month is a holiday favorite -- Miracle on 34th Street. In this classic, a disillusioned single working mother and her practical, unimaginative child meet jolly, well-meaning Kris Kringle at Macy's in New York at Christmastime, and the rest is magic.
Why we love it: Who doesn't love this one? Wonderful Edmund Gwenn as a most convincing Kris Kingle, along with lively young Natalie Wood, and beautiful but serious Maureen O'Hara. So many fun scenes: the Thanksgiving Day parade in New York, the courtroom when the post office delivers all the Santa letters, Thelma Ritter as the mother at Macy's looking for a toy fire engine. It's all wonderful, with an ensemble of character actors that have made it a classic since 1947.
Fun Facts:
Although this is definitely a Christmas movie, it was originally released in May because the head of 20th Century Fox, Darryl F. Zanuck, thought that more people went to see movies during the summer. The publicity department had a hard time advertising the film without revealing that it was, in fact, about Santa Claus.
The film's opening scenes of the Thanksgiving Day Parade were actually shot during the 1946 parade. Macy's had given their permission to film during the parade with the understanding that the parade would not be stopped to accomodate the filming. Maureen O'Hara recalled in her autobiography 'Tis Herself, "It was a mad scramble to get all the shots we needed, and we got to do each scene only once. It was bitterly cold that day, and Edmund and I envied Natalie and John Payne, who were watching the parade from a window." Edmund Gwenn actually appeared as Santa for the whole 1946 parade.
Edmund Gwenn as Santa Claus According to Maureen O'Hara in her autobiography 'Tis Herself, Edmund Gwenn really was a happy, caring man whom all the cast and crew adored. She remarked "...by the time we were halfway through the shoot, we all believed Edmund really was Santa Claus. I've never seen an actor more naturally suited for a role." Gwenn was nominated and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Kris Kringle.
The film was nominated for Best Picture and won Academy Awards for Best Writing (Screenplay) and Best Writing (Original Story).
This was noted character actor Thelma Ritter's first movie, although her part was so small she was uncredited.
This was also one of eight-year-old Natalie Wood's first movies. She filmed this and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) at the same time.
This film helped make the Thanksgiving Day Parade a national tradition. The parade itself began in 1926, but it was a local New York tradition and was only broadcast on local TV stations. In 1948, the year after this movie premiered, the Parade was broadcast nationwide as it continues to be to this day.
The scenes that take place inside Macy's were actually filmed there on location, but they had to be done at night when the store was closed.
Macy's and Gimbel's both had to give their permission for their stores be in the film, but neither would agree until they could see the finished film. Fortunately, after seeing the film both stores agreed.
The film was remade in 1994, but Macy's wouldn't participate in the remake. According to the TCM website, a Macy's spokesperson said, "We feel the original stands on its own and could not be improved upon."
Alvin Greenman who plays the young janitor Alfred in the original film is the only actor from this film who also appeared in the remake. In the remake he plays a doorman named Alfred. In both films he has the same memorable lines, "There is a lot of bad ism's floating around this world and one of the worst is commercialism. Make a buck, make a buck. Even in Brooklyn it's the same -- don't care what Christmas stands for, just make a buck, make a buck."
For reviews from the time, go to the Fan Magazine Reviews page.
Featured Cocktail:
Amaretto Sour
The Amaretto Sour was introduced in 1974 and was quite popular in the 1980’s. It originally consisted of only lemon juice and Amaretto until Portland, Oregon-based bartender Jerry Morgenthaler modified the recipe in 2012 to make an updated, and more delicious, cocktail which he says is “the best Amaretto Sour in the world.”
1 ½ oz (45 ml) Amaretto
5 tsp (25 ml) bourbon or rye; cask strength bourbon works well
1 oz (30 ml) lemon juice
½ oz (15 ml) egg white
Shake all ingredients except the egg white with ice. Strain to remove ice, add the egg white, and shake again without ice. Serve over fresh ice in an old fashioned glass. Garnish with a lemon twist and maraschino cherry.
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