The lasting legacy of “Miracle on 34th Street”
“Miracle on 34th Street” has remained a holiday classic since its release in 1947. Its reminder to believe in kindness and joy has resonated with 77 years’ worth of audiences. The film follows Doris Walker, an employee at a Macy’s department store, who discourages her daughter Susan from believing in Santa Claus. After the hired Santa arrives at Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day Parade drunk, Doris agrees to let an elderly man named Kris Kringle step in. As Kris fights a legal battle to prove he is the real Saint Nick, he simultaneously tries to bring the Christmas spirit back to children.
Winning three Academy Awards, “Miracle on 34th Street” was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress, for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant”. From the 1947 original to a Broadway musical adaptation, the film has been adapted several times over the years.
1947
The original adaptation of the film stars Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle and Maureen O’Hara as Doris Walker, the supervisor of the Macy’s where Kris works. The movie was released in May after studio head Darryl Zanuck argued that more people went to theaters during the summer. During promotions of the film, there was no mention of it being a holiday movie; instead, it was advertised as a lighthearted rom-com.
In order to achieve the ‘holiday feel’, many scenes were shot in the same locations as their movie counterparts, such as the Macy’s Department Store in New York City. Director George Seaton even filmed the 1946 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade live, with Gwenn portraying Santa on a parade float.
The film received widespread positive reception, with the New York Times calling it “the freshest picture in a long time, and maybe even the best comedy of the year”. Gwenn won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his charming portrayal of Kris Kringle. Co-star O’Hara remarked that by the time filming had finished, everyone on production believed he really was Santa.
1994
The 1994 remake of “Miracle on 34th Street” was its first theatrical reproduction, written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Les Mayfield. The remake was also in color, compared to the black and white 1947 original. It features Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle and Elizabeth Perkins as Doris Walker. However, Macy’s did not allow the film to use their department store name, so it was replaced by the fictitious “Cole’s”. Macy’s spokeswoman Laura Mellilo stated that they felt “the original stands on its own and could not be improved upon”.
The 1994 movie adopted a more serious and cynical tone, including religious commentary and centering the conflict around corporate greed. The movie also added a subplot about a rival store called Shopper’s Express trying to put Macy’s out of business.
The film received mixed reviews, with some arguing that the 1994 version stands up to the original, especially with Attenborough’s convincing acting of an innocent, sweet old man. Others missed the same heartwarming tone of its predecessor.
Broadway Musical
“Miracle on 34th Street” was also adapted into a Broadway musical in 1963. It was named “Here’s Love”, adapted by Meredith Willson, and directed by Stuart Ostrow. It ran for 338 performances, around three months. It followed the same plot as the original “Miracle on 34th Street”, with Kim Carson playing Doris Walker and Kevin McGuire as Kris Kringle.
