Miracle on 34th Street (1994) 20th Century Fox/Drama-Fantasy RT: 114 minutes Rated PG (some mild language, alcohol use and drunkenness) Director: Les Mayfield Screenplay: George Seaton and John Hughes Music: Bruce Broughton Cinematography: Julio Macat Release date: November 18, 1994 (US) Cast: Richard Attenborough, Mara Wilson, Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott, J.T. Walsh, Simon Jones, Joss Ackland (uncredited), James Remar, Jane Leeves, Robert Prosky, William Windom, Jack McGee, Allison Janney. Box Office: $17.3M (US)/$46.2M (World)
Rating: ***
I watched this remake of Miracle on 34th Street for the first time since it came out and found myself thoroughly enjoying it. There’s no question the 1947 original is the better of the two, but this one has enough strong points to make it worth a look.
Now I’m going to get personal for a moment and tell you what I liked best about it. The little girl, played by Mara Wilson (Matilda), sounds exactly like my own 6YO grandniece Savannah. The phrase “out of the mouths of babes” appears to have been created with these girls in mind. I can hear my grandniece saying some of the exact same things that Susan Walker says throughout the movie.
Miracle on 34th Street also boasts a strong performance from filmmaker Richard Attenborough (Gandhi) as Kris Kringle, a role originally played by Edmund Gwenn. He carries off the role with all the charm and dignity it deserves. As I’m sure you all know, Miracle on 34th Street isn’t your typical Christmas fantasy film. It’s not even necessarily aimed at children. It’s really about faith and belief, concepts that don’t just apply to Santa Claus. The material calls for an actor who will play it straight rather than tongue-in-cheek like Tim Allen in The Santa Clause which came out around the same time. His comedic take on the role would not work in the context of Miracle on 34th Street. That’s why a serious actor like Mr. Attenborough is a perfect choice.
Who doesn’t know the plot of Miracle on 34th Street by now? The major difference here is that Macy’s department store has been replaced by “Cole’s” (completely fictitious, no connection to Kohl’s). The ending is slightly different as well. Aside from a few other minor details, the story is pretty much the same. An elderly gentleman claiming to be the real Santa Claus gets hired as a last-minute replacement after the regular guy (McGee, The Fighter) shows up for the annual Thanksgiving Day parade drunk.
Calling himself Kris Kringle, he’s determined to change little Susan Walker’s mind about Santa. She doesn’t believe in him, an idea passed down by her mother Dorey (Perkins, Big), still bitter over Susan’s father walking out on them. She doesn’t want her daughter believing in fantasies, believing it will do harm when she learns the truth. Dorey’s in a kind-of romantic relationship with her neighbor, a lawyer named Bryan (McDermott, FBI: Most Wanted).
Kris becomes an instant success at Cole’s with both the children (they believe he’s the real deal) and their mothers. By directing them to other stores where they can purchase the desired toys at a better price, he brings more customers to the store with a heart. This doesn’t please the folks at Shopper’s Express, the rival department store across the street. They’re looking to buy out Cole’s and this sudden surge of luck will drive up the price. The president of the rival store (Ackland, Lethal Weapon 2) orders his people to find a way to discredit Kris after he turns down their offer to work at their store. It ultimately results in a court hearing to determine whether or not Santa Claus exists.
What’s interesting about Miracle on 34th Street is that it’s often marketed as a family film and while that’s true to some extent, I’m not so sure it’s suitable for young children. There’s nothing too offensive in it, just some mild swearing and a scene where a man gets bopped over the head with a cane (he deserves it). There’s also a quick shot of drunken Santa’s butt crack peeking over his pants. Parents should be more concerned about putting the idea that there is no Santa Claus into their children’s minds. More than one character in the movie suggests this. Now all of this is predicated on whether or not the children even understand what’s going on with the climactic court case. I’m not so sure the average 6YO even understands concepts like “mental competency” and the legal system as it relates to such things. This could be why it did a belly flop at the box office.
Personally, I think this Miracle on 34th Street is a pretty good movie. Young Ms. Wilson is precocious and reasonably adorable as Susan. I would say no kid in the real world behaves like this, but I’ve seen Savannah in action so there goes that argument right out the window. Perkins and McDermott are okay even though they don’t really generate much in the way of chemistry. J.T. Walsh (Breakdown) is suitably mean as the prosecutor who tries to commit Kris to the state mental institution.
The cast is decent overall, but this show belongs to Mr. Attenborough. I like that the makers don’t feel obligated to make him fat as well as jolly. It’s the 90s and Miracle on 34th Street doesn’t call for fat jokes. Leave that for the Tim Allen movie. It’s a relatively serious movie, but it’s also nice. It’s sweet without being schmaltzy. It delivers its message about having faith without being preachy. It’ll never be the perennial classic the 1947 original is, but it makes for pleasant viewing for families with kids old enough to know the “truth” about St. Nick.
