Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Sorry, I'm gonna be the Grinch on this one. I put off watching this one for years mostly because I grew up watching the original every year with my family. It was always my mom's favorite so, naturally, that pulls a lot of weight for my review of this movie. We were looking for a Christmassy movie to watch with the grand kids the other night so I thought of this one. I was a little hesitant to go with the new one but I thought the kids would like it more. I chose to buy it from Amazon rather than rent it. I will say, first, that my 9 year old granddaughter enjoyed it. I am going to play the original this week and get her opinion on it, also. The movie in my opinion was one of those that had too much dead air time or just some awkward silence. It progressed very slowly and, to me, the acting was forced and a little over the top at times. It loosely followed the original story of a department store Santa that is a little too realistic for some people and was a threat to the competing store and a few hateful people in particular. He befriends the daughter of the head of the "Cole's department store parade", who is a little girl that is supposed to be way above her years. Kris Kringle claims to be the real Santa Claus and the evil department store CEO is determined to prove otherwise. So, naturally, the easiest thing to do is have Kris arrested and thrown in the psych ward at Belleview. He is defended at the commitment hearing by the little girl's mother's boyfriend. I'll let you watch and see how it ends. Sometimes when a movie is being remade, the director has a very difficult time capturing the the feel and the emotion of the original. That is the feel for me on this one. I really think they missed the mark on this wonderful classic. Was it horrible and unwatchable? Not really. But I did find myself getting reminded by my wife that we were all supposed to be watching the movie together, not playing on my phone. If you haven't seen the original, please do. There is a colorized version if you don't like black and white movies but I prefer the B/W for nostalgia sake. But if you do take the time to watch the original, please come back and review it and leave a rebuttal on my review. Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Holidays

The 1994 remake of Miracle on 34th Street was updated by writer and producer John Hughes already flying high with his Home Alone films and he manages to snag Richard Attenborough who was coaxed out of acting retirement a year earlier by Steven Spielberg for Jurassic Park.The original is regarded as a classic in America but not as well known in the UK and here I could see this film in its own merits.Hughes has followed the story of the original film with a department store executive Dorey Walker (Elizabeth Perkins) and her young daughter Susan (Mara Wilson) who do not care much for the spirit of Christmas. Dorey hires a venerable old man Kriss Kringle (Richard Attenborough) at the last minute when the usual Santa is found drunk. Kriss quickly becomes popular even if it means by always telling the truth that he directs people to rivals stores for toys because it would be cheaper there.The store is subject to a hostile takeover from a rival and part of the shenanigans means that Kriss believes that he really is Santa Claus and finds himself in court to be declared insane.The film is a decent family drama and although updated for a more cynical age which includes more disbelievers and non-nuclear families it does have plenty of festive spirit that families would enjoy but is never spectacular.The film turns on the revelation contained on a dollar bill but personally if I had written the film I would had just told the Judge to look behind him. Most American courtrooms have the Judge sitting in front of the words 'In God we trust!'

Miracle on 34th Street is a movie fit for anyone who has become jaded and cynical over the years. It encompasses everything that makes the Christmas season beautiful and fun including the parade after Thanksgiving many look forward to, characters with an overflowing amount Christmas spirit, as well as the incredulous characters that are always present in Christmas movies. The film shares the plot of the 1947 classic, Miracle on 34th Street, however the director, Les Mayfield, incorporates a few differences to fit more modern times. The movie's beginning scenes take place at the Cole's Thanksgiving Day Parade. In the film, Cole's has replaced Macy's on New York's 34th Street. It opens with white-bearded Kriss Kringle scolding an intoxicated man who was hired to portray Santa Claus in the parade. When the drunk makes a complete fool of himself, the Cole's parade director, Dorey Walker, approaches Kriss Kringle and asks that he take on the role of Santa Claus, not only for the parade, but also for Cole's department store. Miracle on 34th Street conveys an important message to every viewer, that there is a hope for skeptics that have lost all hope in magic and miracles. Kriss Kringle is not just a man in a red suit sitting in the middle of a department store, he is a symbol of all that is good about Christmas.The film argues that if people no longer have any faith in Santa Claus and all he represents, then the world has become a sad, hopeless place. Dorey Walker, and her daughter Susan, are non- believers. The mother and daughter are both very practical, and to them, Santa Claus is nothing more than a myth. Susan even says talking to Santa in Cole's is, "a pointless exercise" due to her disbelief. Because of their lack of faith, the Christmas season is extremely bleak for the two of them. Bryan Bedford, a lawyer and the Walkers' neighbor, teams up with Kriss Kringle to teach the Walkers about the spirit of Christmas.One of the most memorable events throughout the whole film occurs when Kriss Kringle is declared insane after allegedly beating another man with his cane. These events tug at your heartstrings, and will have you rooting for Kriss to beat the evil guys. Kringle experiences a trial that would ultimately determine his future. Bryan Bedford fights with Kringle to prove his innocence and his true identity. During this portion of the movie, Bedford calls upon many witnesses, one of them being a child around the age of six. Bedford questions the child of Kringle's authenticity. The young witness, Daniel, then states that he believes Kriss is the one and only Santa Claus. When asked how he can be sure Daniel says, "Cause he looks like Santa Claus. Oh, and he's very nice."Although the plots between the 1947 and the 1994 versions are extremely similar, the director, Les Mayfield, made a significant change in the script in how Bedford chooses to verify Kriss' identity. In the 1947 version, Kriss Kringle is identified through the post office forwarding all of Santa's mail to Kringle's home. However, in the remake, Bedford uses brilliant logic on Kriss' behalf. He utilizes a $1 bill and the phrase "In God We Trust" to validate Kringle's identity. Bedford uses the expression "In God We Trust" to signify that it is socially acceptable to put your faith in something that you can neither see nor physically touch.Casting for 1994's Miracle on 34th Street varies from brilliant to unsatisfying. Richard Attenborough's excellent portrayal of Kriss Kringle recollects Edmund Gwenn's Oscar-winning performance without copying it. Young Mara Wilson performs as a captivating character who grabs hold of your heart and doesn't let go. However, Elizabeth Perkins and Dylan McDermott, who portray Dorey Walker and Bryan Bedford, pale in comparison to the 1947 edition's Maureen O'Hara and John Payne ("Internet Movie Database"). Les Mayfield, the director of the 1994 classic, took on an almost impossible challenge when he decided to remake the beloved 1947 film. The original had set standards for every Christmas movie created afterward. This modern update is a charming, compassionate, sweet movie that stays true to the spirit of the original. It captures the true meaning of the Christmas season, and remains an outstanding family feature even today. The movie itself is nostalgic, sweet, and manipulative, which makes it so easy to love.

This remake wasn't as magical and full of Christmas spirit as I hoped it would be. Unfortunately, the movie was kinda boring and dull instead of being sweet and fun to watch and enjoy. Elizabeth Perkins was good in it though, and was well casted in her lead role. So that's one plus to it. The little girl that stars in the flick was pretty good, not the best though. But I didn't have a real big issue with the casting overall. It was the lack of substance and weak script I took issue with here. The script and dialogue is kind of dull and lack luster in this movie. It's not a god awful film, but it's certainly not the magical Christmas ride you might expect. It is family friendly though, with the exception of a couple of bad words. So if you want a Christmas movie that's OK for the kiddos, then this might be for you. But in my opinion, this movie just wasn't that good, it had some potential, but I feel like it squandered that good potential. 4/10 for Miracle on 34th Street.