Miracle on 34th Street (1947) is an American classic treasure. Everyone should watch this film to remember what kind of people we are supposed to be. How did a Christmas movie released in the summer become a classic? Read here and see! Spoilers may follow.
🎅STORY: A man who says he is Santa Claus is institutionalized as insane. A young lawyer intends to prove he is the real thing.
First and foremost, Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle is one of the best performances put to film. He won the Oscar for supporting actor and touched the lives of many children. His onscreen interactions with Susan Walker, played by Natalie Wood, is near perfect. For a time, Wood was actually convinced Gwenn was the real Santa. It wasn't until the wrap party. Susan doesn't believe in Santa, and her childhood is dull without imagination. Kris helps her be a kid and believe in something more. Something as simple as using your imagination and pretending you're a monkey was major for her. He helped her realize there is more.
Susan's mother Doris (Maureen O'Hara), great performance by the way, doesn't want an "awkward situation" of telling Susan about Santa later. However, Kris helps change Doris's mind to give Susan a better childhood.
Another fine performance comes from John Payne as Fred Gailey. He is the lawyer attempting to help Kris. They have become close over the last few weeks, and he is doing everything he can. Also, there is Alfred (Alvin Greenman). He is a nice and sincere person. A character I and probably everyone else dislikes is Mr. Sawyer (Porter Hall). Hall perfectly portrays a guy who is only out for himself and doesn't really care about the employees he examines.
A big aspect of this film involves Macy's. A particular quote that the eldest Drake brother exclaims often is "Yes, but what will Mr. Macy think?" Why? I'm not entirely sure, but it brings some joy. There are many other lines I appreciate too. A hilarious one includes "A man's gotta do something to keep warm!" The drunken Macy's parade Santa exclaims this as he passes out.
If you're going to prove a man is Santa Claus, this film proves it the only way possible. That random worker at the post office distribution center saved the day. It's also interesting to see a time where the USPS was an efficient and highly respected branch of the government.
🎄THE MESSAGE: There is such a thing as healthy commercialism, but it can be unhealthy. In the late '40s, it was already an issue. People were forgetting the spirit of Christmas and what it is really about. Fast forward to the 21st century. I'd say that many people have forgotten this message. Go on YouTube and watch dozens of insane Black Friday videos. The 2020 pandemic is terrible, but there can be light in a dark situation. Many businesses were actually closed this Thanksgiving and extended their deals to have less foot traffic at one time.
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