Seventy-nine years ago today, one of the most beloved holiday films in American cinema history made its debut. On June 11, 1947, 20th Century Fox unveiled Miracle on 34th Street in theaters, from producer William Perlberg and director George Seaton. The film would go on to become a cornerstone of Christmas culture, enchanting generations of families for nearly eight decades — and showing no signs of fading from the public’s heart.
You can find the Miracle on 34th Street on Amazon HERE.
An Unlikely Summer Release
What makes the anniversary particularly remarkable is the sheer improbability of when the film was released. Despite the film being a Christmas classic, it was actually released in June 1947. This was due to studio head Darryl F. Zanuck arguing that more people go to the cinema in warmer weather. The gamble paid off handsomely. The low-budgeted film grossed $2,650,000 in the United States alone.
Adding to the unusual marketing strategy, the promotional materials for the film tried to hide the fact that it was about Santa Claus, putting John Payne and Maureen O’Hara at the front and ignoring Kris Kringle entirely. Despite — or perhaps because of — the element of surprise, the film became a word-of-mouth sensation that ran through the holiday season.
How the Story Was Born
The inspiration for the story came when writer Valentine Davies was standing in line at a big department store during the Christmas season. Davies took his story idea to writer and director George Seaton, who turned it into a screenplay he originally titled The Big Heart. 20th Century Fox Studios loved the script and production started in October 1946, with the film working under the title It’s Only Human. In March 1947, filming was finished and the film went into post-production. Shortly before the release in June 1947, the film was given its now-iconic final title, Miracle on 34th Street.
One behind-the-scenes touch that gave the film an extraordinary sense of authenticity: unlike many movies, this one did not use a set for the department store scenes — it was actually shot in the real Macy’s flagship store in New York. The work was done at night so as not to disturb regular business during the day. The scenes with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade were from the real parade as well, including those with Edmund Gwenn riding in Santa’s sleigh.
The Story That Captured America
Natalie Wood portrayed Susan Walker, a precocious little girl whose well-meaning mother, played by Maureen O’Hara, has raised her not to believe in Santa Claus. When their lives intersect with that of Kris Kringle — an elderly man hired to play Santa at Macy’s department store in New York — Susan begins to suspect he may be the real St. Nick. After a jealous fellow employee frames him for an assault, Kringle is placed in a mental hospital. At the ensuing sanity hearing, Kringle and his attorney attempt to prove that he is indeed Santa Claus.
John Payne plays Fred Gailey, the idealistic lawyer who takes on the case, providing both a romantic interest for O’Hara’s character and the film’s moral center. The result is a story that operates simultaneously as courtroom drama, romantic comedy, and heartfelt fantasy.
Award Season Triumph
The film won three Academy Awards — Best Supporting Actor for Edmund Gwenn, Best Writing Original Story for Valentine Davies, and Best Writing Screenplay for George Seaton’s adaptation. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, losing to Gentleman’s Agreement.
Gwenn’s portrayal of Kris Kringle remains the gold standard for cinematic Santas. With a twinkle in his eye and an endearingly happy-go-lucky spirit, Gwenn brought merriment and conviction to the part in a way that moved beyond acting into that sacred place where an actor truly inhabits a role. Back in 1946, Edmund Gwenn, who played Kris Kringle in the movie, actually joined the real Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade dressed as Santa, delighting New Yorkers as he was driven around the city. Assistant director Arthur Jacobson set up nine cameras along the route to capture this important moment on film.
A Legacy That Never Fades
The film was included in the National Film Registry in 2005. The following year it ranked number nine on the American Film Institute’s Most Inspiring Movies of All Time, and in 2008 ranked fifth on their ten Greatest Films in the Fantasy genre.
Its legacy is such that it is regularly aired on television right after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, and the store has frequently decorated its windows during the Christmas season with displays based on the film. The story has also inspired multiple remakes and adaptations across television and stage over the decades, though none have surpassed the warmth and charm of the 1947 original.
Seventy-nine years on, Miracle on 34th Street endures not simply as a nostalgic relic, but as a living film — one that continues to pose its timeless question each holiday season: what would the world look like if we chose, against all practical sense, to believe?
You can find the Miracle on 34th Street on Amazon HERE.
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