Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Arguably the greatest Christmas movie ever made, I’d definitely say this is one of the best, as well as one of my favorites. It has such an incredible message to it, and it does a great job of keeping the Christmas spirit alive. It’s pointed out by one of the characters that all Christmas is about for many people is to “make a buck, make a buck”. But, like I said, the spirit of Christmas is kept alive. It makes you think about the greediness of stores and corporations during the holidays. However, the kindness of a certain Santa Claus brings the happiness out of the higher-ups, and they too, realize the importance of Christmas. It makes you feel really good when the movie is over, which is why this movie should be watched every Christmas season. The acting is absolutely incredible by everyone, and not a single character goes to waste. Every person in this movie does a great job of adding to the story, and each one is like a piece that completes that puzzle. I absolutely love Maureen O’Hara, so of course she did a great job as always. Both Natalie Wood and John Payne also do a fantastic job, and they fit their characters extremely well. But the best job is done by Edmund Gwenn, who plays Kris Kringle. He is, to me, not only my favorite portrayal of Santa Claus, but the best we’ve ever gotten on a movie screen. He displays so much love, caring, and kindness, which is why he’s the best. He’s also not too Santa-y. He’s just an old man with a white beard, and not fat and always going ho, ho, ho. He literally does a perfect job, and he always brings a smile to my face. The best part of this movie is the story, though. The common question of “Does Santa exist?” is asked, and this movie deals with that question in the perfect way. Instead of being all mumbo-jumbo about it, they decided to use the legal system to determine the answer. It’s pretty funny to see Santa go to court, and watch everything that takes place. It’s a genius idea, and I love it. It also does a great job of showing how anybody can change, no matter how old. No matter how crazy something may seem, faith can always make it real. The music is also really good, and it beautifully fits the tone and mood of this movie. It uses some traditional Christmas songs, as well as some of its own unique and beautiful score. The time and setting is also great, and I love seeing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in a Christmas movie. So, I would highly recommend this movie, and it’s one of the best Christmas movies ever made. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go see it now!