Miracle on 34th Street

Story

Kris Kringle sets out to bring back Christmas to New York and prompts a series of Christmas miracles…

Why we chose it

Both the original and the 1994 remake have become firm Christmas favourites.

Where it came from

Miracle on 34th Street took some inspiration from the lives of the Macy family and their New York business. The film was originally named The Big Heart, before being released along with a short novelisation of the script by Valentine Davies as Miracle on 34th Street. Despite being a Christmas film, the film was not released until May and all advertisement refrained from reference to its Christmas setting.

Where it went next

The film received largely positive, critical feedback, winning three Academy Awards – one for acting and two for writing. In 1994 it was successfully remade for the big screen by John Hughes and Les Mayfield. The script was adapted from the original and thought changes were made it remained true to the 1947 film.

In 2005, the film was chosen to be preserved by the Library of Congress in the National Film Registry for being ‘culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.’ Since 1947, an annual lightshow, named ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ takes place in Baltimore.

Associated stories

There have been radio, television and theatre remakes of the film. A US series named The Twentieth Century Fox Hour entitled their Christmas episode Miracle on 34th Street. The episode produced in 1955 is often included alongside releases of the 1947 film as a bonus feature.