Miracle on 34th Street (1994 film)

Miracle on 34th Street is a 1994 American Christmas fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Les Mayfield and produced and co-written by John Hughes. The film stars Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott, J. T. Walsh, James Remar, Mara Wilson, and Robert Prosky. It is the first theatrical remake of the original 1947 film. Like the original, this film was released by 20th Century Fox.

The New York City based Macy's department store declined any involvement with this remake, saying "we feel the original stands on its own and could not be improved upon"; the fictitious "Cole's" became its replacement. Gimbels had ceased operations in 1987; hence it was replaced by the fictional "Shopper's Express".

Plot
Prior to the Thanksgiving parade, Cole's Department Store's special events director Dorey Walker fires Tony Falacchi, an employee working as the store's Santa Claus when the latter becomes intoxicated. Immediately trying to find a replacement, she spots an elderly man who had been berating Falacchi and begs him to take over; the man introduces himself as Kris Kringle. Kris does so well during the parade that he is immediately hired by Cole's, despite his apparent belief that he is the real Santa Claus.

Kris is lauded by the children and parents who come to visit him, and his unusual proclivity to direct shoppers to other stores where toys can be bought more cheaply is turned into a successful marketing campaign for Cole's. The sudden turnaround of Cole's, which had only recently survived a hostile takeover bid by Victor Landberg, enrages executives at rival firm Shopper's Express, who are led by Jack Duff.

Dorey has persuaded her six-year-old daughter, Susan, that Santa Claus does not exist, and is concerned by Kris's influence on her. Dorey's neighbor, attorney Bryan Bedford, does his best to convince Susan to believe. While being babysat one night by Kris, Susan shares with him her Christmas wish: she would like a dad, a house pictured in the Cole's Christmas catalogue, and a baby brother. Kris asks if she would begin to believe in Santa if she got all those things, and Susan agrees that she would.

Landberg and Duff realize that Kris believes himself to be Santa Claus and leads a plot to destroy his credibility. Duff and his fellow executives pay Falacchi to antagonize Kris in the street and feign an injury when Kris raises his walking stick, leading to Kris's arrest. Bryan provides Kris with legal support and arranges for a court hearing where Kris can make his case. Dorey convinces the chairman of Cole's to show solidarity with Kris, drumming up support from the public. At the court hearing, prosecutor Ed Collins makes the case that Kris is mentally unfit for society, allowing him to state to the court that he is the real Santa Claus.

That evening, Judge Henry Harper privately confides to Bryan that despite Kris's genuine goodwill, he feels he has no choice but to declare him insane, unless a miracle happens. The next morning, just before he can announce his ruling, Susan approaches the judge with a Christmas card containing a $1 bill. On the back, the words In God We Trust are circled. The judge realizes that if the US Department of Treasury can put its official faith in God on US currency with no required standard of evidence, then the people of New York can place their faith in Santa Claus in the same way. Judge Harper dismisses the case, declaring that Santa is real, existing in the person of Kris Kringle.

Following the court case, Dorey and Bryan are maneuvered by Kris into realizing their true feelings for each other, and are married in a small ceremony after the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass.

On Christmas morning, Susan wakes to the news of the marriage and is elated to find that she has received one part of her Christmas wish. Together, Susan, Dorey, and Bryan drive out to the catalogue house and find that Kris - who has now departed 'overseas' - has arranged for them to purchase it, which they can now afford due to the size of Dorey's Christmas bonus.

With two of Susan's wishes fulfilled, Dorey asks her what the third one was, and she triumphantly announces that it was a baby brother. Dorey and Bryan both look at each other, shocked, before glancing down at Dorey's stomach and sharing a kiss.

Cast

 * Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle
 * Elizabeth Perkins as Dorey Walker
 * Dylan McDermott as Bryan Bedford
 * J. T. Walsh as Ed Collins
 * James Remar as Jack Duff
 * Mara Wilson as Susan Walker
 * Robert Prosky as Judge Henry Harper
 * Jane Leeves as Alberta Leonard
 * Simon Jones as Donald Shellhammer
 * William Windom as C. F. Cole
 * Katherine Narducci as the mother
 * Mary McCormack as Myrna Foy
 * Alvin Greenman as the doorman
 * Allison Janney as a brazen woman shopper in Cole's Christmas Shopping Center
 * Greg Noonan is credited as Cmdr. Coulson, though the character is addressed as Col. Colson
 * Byrne Piven as Dr. Hunter
 * Peter Gerety as a cop
 * Jack McGee as Tony Falacchi
 * Jennifer Morrison as Denise
 * Horatio Sanz as an orderly
 * Ron Beattie as a priest
 * Joss Ackland as Victor Landberg (uncredited), the owner of a competing store who is eager to see Cole's go out of business so he can buy out the facility and extend his market

Various newscasters portrayed by Rosanna Scotto, Joe Moskowitz, Lester Holt, Susie Park, and Janet Kauss

Release
The film had its premiere at Radio City Music Hall on November 15, 1994 with a 30-minute stage show with scenes from The Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring The Rockettes as well as a performance from Kenny G.

Reception
At the box office, the film opened at #8 with $2,753,208 and eventually finished with $17,320,136 in North America and $46,264,384 worldwide.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a score of based on reviews from  critics, with an average rating of 6.2/10. TV Guide called the film "curiously depressing", while Desson Howe of The Washington Post said, in contrast to the 1947 version, "[it] will not be found on television (or its computer equivalent) half a century from now." Its supporters included Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, who gave the film "two thumbs up" on their show. Michael Medved of Sneak Previews said "This is the new holiday classic America has been waiting for."

Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.

Track listing

 * Tracklisting verified from the album's liner notes.