DVD Review
Miracle on 34th Street Edmund Gwen, Mauren O'Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood
And Gene Lockhart Music composed by Cyril Mockridge. Directed by George
Seaton
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment 01072DVD black and white
[93 mins]
Well is he really Santa Claus or isn't he? This is the intriguing
question at the heart of this favourite 1947 classic about the kind old
gentleman who turns up in New York claiming he is the genuine Santa Claus. He
is played much more simply and sincerely by that great character actor Edmund
Gwen than by Richard Attenborough in the inferior colour remake of 1994. The
original monochrome film won Academy Awards for Edmund Gwen as supporting
actor; and for best story and best screenplay.
The film tells the heart-warming story of Chris Cringle, otherwise known
as Santa Claus (or more familiarly, Father Christmas to us here in the UK)
who gets caught up in a department store's Christmas Parade and stands in for
their Santa when he is hopelessly drunk. He is so successful that he goes on
to become the store's official Santa Claus. This is the start of a
heart-warming story in which Chris Cringle sends the store's customers to
other stores when they offer better value. In doing so Chris creates a PR
coup for the store for it is then seen as friendly and sincere; and of course
business booms. But there is a fly in the ointment in the shape of a
treacherous 'store psychologist' (Porter Hall) who tries to have Chris
committed as insane. Good guy, John Gailey (John Payne) persuades Chris that
his case should be heard in court. Luckily there is a politically conscious
judge presiding (another great character actor, Gene Lockhart) who is only
too well aware of sentimental public opinion and is therefore inclined to be
sympathetic. But a sour public prosecutor (Jerome Cowan) insists that Chris
Cringle must be proved to be who he says he is by some official source. How a
government department actually does this is the climax of the film - and the
Miracle on 34th Street. On the way Chris's warmth and charm melts the chill
cynicism of the heroine, hard-bitten store PR woman Doris Walker (Maureen
O'Hara) and her little daughter Susan (played by a very young Natalie Wood).
The larger music credit goes to Alfred Newman as Music Director. He
probably conducted the studio orchestra, might have done some orchestration
and gone out to get a few bits of obvious source music while leaving Cyril
Mockridge to do the original composition and to get a smaller credit! Not
that there is very much original music. Most of the film is left unscored but
what there is, is pleasant Christmasy light hearted and sentimental.
But that aside, if you have never seen this film then you have missed a
real treat - it is an ideal Christmas experience and an ideal present for
your Santa to deliver!
Reviewer
Ian Lace
