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Miracle on 34th Street 1994 poster
Miracle-on-34th-street-poster

Miracle on 34th Street is a 1994 theatrical remake of the 1947 classic of the same name. It was directed by Les Mayfield and filmed in and around Chicago due to the connections of producer/screenwriter John Hughes. Because they were going through real-life financial troubles at the time of production, Macy's refused to have their store name used for this remake after they learned the store's financial problems would be an important plot points; a fictitious store named Cole's was used in its place. Also, since Gimbels had gone out of business in 1987, another fictional store called Shopper's Express was used.

Synopsis

When Tony Falacchi, the Cole's Santa Claus, gets drunk before taking part in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Dorey Walker, the store's director of special events, fires him and must find a replacement immediately. She spots an old man berating Tony and begs him to take over. He claims his name is Kris Kringle. He does so well in the parade that he is immediately hired to be the store's main Santa for the holiday period. All the children begin to believe that he is the real Santa, with the exception of Dorey's 6-year-old daughter, Susan. Dorey's boyfriend and neighbor, Bryan Bedford, does his best to convince Susan to believe. While being babysat by Kris one night, she shares her Christmas wish with him. She would like a dad, a house (used every year for the Cole's catalog photoshoot) and a baby brother. He asks her if she got all those things, she would then begin to believe in him. She agrees that she would.

Kris is credited with bringing in many more sales to Cole's than previous years until one night, when he is arrested and sectioned for supposedly assaulting a man on the street. Later, the truth emerges that it was Tony who set him up to be arrested, with the help of staff from Shopper's Express.

With Bryan's help, Dorey pushes Kris' case to court, and drums up support from him from the public. It soon becomes clear that to get him acquitted and freed, Bryan must prove that not only does Santa exist, but that he is the real one. It is a seemingly impossible task until he comes up with a plan that requires some help from Susan. The next day in court the proceeding is interrupted by her giving Judge Henry Harper a Christmas card with a $1 bill inside. He notices a red circle on a specific part of it, which says "In God We Trust". He realizes that it was issued like all money by the government which represents the people, and if they can believe in God enough to have this message printed on legal tender on faith alone without any physical proof then by that same logic, he can say that Santa exists in the form of Kris.

Following the court case, Dorey and Bryan are manipulated by Kris into realizing their true feelings for each other, and married in a very small ceremony after the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass. On Christmas morning, Susan wakes to the news of the marriage and is elated to see that she has one part of her Christmas wish, a dad. Together, they drive out to the catalog house and upon arrival, they find that Kris has arranged for them to purchase it. Susan, now having gotten the second part of her Christmas wish, excitedly runs inside to look at her bedroom. Dorey and Bryan ask her what the third part of her Christmas wish was, and she triumphantly announces that it was a baby brother. They both look at each other, shocked, before glancing down at Dorey's stomach. The film ends with the belief that Susan has now gained part three of her Christmas wish.

Songs

Score

The film's full score, composed and conducted by Bruce Broughton, was released by Intrada Records in 2002 as the eighth volume of their "Special Collection" album series. The track listing was as follows:

# Composition Length
1 "Opening Credits" 2:46
2 "North Pole Moon" 1:16
3 "The Secret" 2:06
4 "Susan at the Window" 1:43
5 "The People We Love" 2:49
6 "Merry Mayfield" 1:59
7 "I Like It" 0:52
8 "Patty's Pleasure" 1:29
9 "As Real as Me" 0:58
10 "Charmin' Armin" 2:49
11 "The Mom and the Myth" 1:34
12 "Completely Out of His Mind" 1:11
13 "I'm a Symbol" 3:12
14 "Love Theme" (Dan Higgins, soprano sax) 1:42
15 "Susan's Christmas Wish" 3:05
16 "The Engagement Ring" 2:41
17 "A Big Fat Fake" 4:27
18 "The Bellevue Carol" 2:12
19 "Dorey Hires Counsel" 0:35
20 "I Disgraced Myself" 1:42
21 "Dorey's Plea" 1:21
22 "First Witness" 1:01
23 "Recess, Reconnoiter, Apologize" 2:33
24 "Leading the Witness" 1:15
25 "Summations" 4:00
26 "Susan's Christmas Card" 2:15
27 "Case Dismissed" 5:07
28 "Meet Me at St. Francis" 2:24
29 "Christmas Morning" 3:37
30 "Baby on the Way" 1:54

Release

The film's premiere at Radio City Music Hall included a half-hour stage show with scenes from the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes and a performance from Kenny G.[1]

Home video releases

Cast

Actor/actress Character(s)
Richard Attenborough Kris Kringle
Elizabeth Perkins Dorey Walker
Dylan McDermott Bryan Bedford
J.T. Walsh Ed Collins
James Remar Jack Duff
Jane Leeves Alberta Leonard
Simon Jones Donald Shellhammer
William Windom C.F. Cole
Mara Wilson Susan Walker
Robert Prosky Judge Henry Harper
Kathrine Narducci Mother
Mary McCormack Myrna Foy
Allison Janney Woman in Christmas Shop
Alvin Greenman Doorman
Greg Noonan Cmdr. Coulson
Byrne Piven Dr. Hunter
Peter Gerety Cop
Jack McGee Tony Falacchi
Joss Ackland Victor Landberg
Joe Pentangelo Bailiff
Mark Damiano II Daniel
Casey Wurzbach Grandson
Jennifer Morrison Denice
Peter Siragusa Cabbie
Samantha Krieger Sami
Horatio Sanz Orderly
Lisa Sparrman Rebecca Collins
Kimberly Smith Court Clerk
Mike Bacarella Santa
Harve Kolzow Businessman
Bianca Rose Pucci
Alexandra Stewart
Little Girls
Jimmy Meglio Little Boy
Margo Buchanan Another Mother
Bill Buell Band Director
Ron Beattie Priest
Paige Walker Leavell Tricia
Rosanna Scotto
Michele Marsh
Joe Moskowitz
Newsanchors
Lester Holt
Susie Park
Janey Kauss
Newscasters
Uncredited
John D. Bair Parade turkey
Melinda Chilton
Peter D'Alessio
Reporters
Brian Ferrari Balloon handler
Matthew T. Gitkin Bridge worker
Eliza Harris Ice skater
Hank Johnson
Kyle Pittman
Little Boys
Robert Osladil Popcorn vendor
Antonio Polk
Richard Remppel
Court reporters
April Sandmeyer Parade bystander
John Thurner Newspaper reporter

Richard Attenborough was nominated for a 1995 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor.

References

  1. Laski, Beth (October 27, 1994). "Gala bow for Fox's 'Miracle' ". Variety. p. 16

External links

20th Century
Movies
Miracle on 34th Street (1955 remake) (1973 remake) (1994 remake) • Die HardDie Hard 2Home AloneHome Alone 2: Lost in New YorkGeorge Balanchine's The NutcrackerTrapped in ParadiseJingle All the WayHome Alone 4The Family StoneDeck the Halls12 Men of ChristmasHome Alone: The Holiday HeistJingle All the Way 2Home Sweet Home Alone
Television episodes and specials
20th Television
M*A*S*H "Dear Dad" • "Dear Sis" • "Death Takes a Holiday" • "All About Christmas Eve"
Tracey Ullman "Santa Baby" • "Kay's Gift" • "Merry Catnip"
The X Files "Christmas Carol" • "Emily" • "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"
Malcolm in the Middle "Christmas" • "Christmas Trees" • "Pearl Harbor" • "Hal's Christmas Gift
Bones "The Man in the Fallout Shelter" • "The Santa in the Slush" • "The Goop on the Girl"
How I Met Your Mother "How Lily Stole Christmas" • "Little Minnesota" • "False Positive" • "Symphony of Illumination" • "The Over-Correction" • "The Final Page, Part 1" • "The Final Page, Part 2"
Glee "A Very Glee Christmas" • "Extraordinary Merry Christmas" • "Glee, Actually" • "Previously Unaired Christmas"
New Girl "The 23rd" • "Santa" • "LAXmas" • "Christmas Eve Eve"
The Mindy Project "Josh and Mindy's Christmas Party" • "Christmas Party Sex Trap" • "Christmas" • "When Mindy Met Danny"
Last Man Standing "Last Christmas Standing" • "Putting a Hit on Christmas" • "Elfie" • "Wedding Planning" • "Gift of the Wise Man"
Other shows "Christmas Story" • "The Worst Noel" • "Haus Arrest" • "Amends" • "Blue Christmas" • "A Christmas Story" • "Cookies for Santa" • "In God We Trust" • "Road to Tradition" • "Afternoon Delight" • "Christmas" • "The Glitch That Stole Christmas" • "Secret Santa"
20th Television Animation
The Simpsons "Simpson Christmas" • "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" • "Marge Be Not Proud" • "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace" • "Grift of the Magi" • "Skinner's Sense of Snow" • "She of Little Faith" • "'Tis the Fifteenth Season" • "Simpson Christmas Stories" • "Kill Gil, Volumes I & II" • "The Fight Before Christmas" • "Holidays of Future Passed" • "White Christmas Blues" • "I Won't Be Home for Christmas • "The Nightmare After Krustmas" • "'Tis the 30th Season" • "Bobby, It's Cold Outside" • "The Way of The Dog" • "A Springfield Summer Christmas for Christmas" • "Manger Things" • Feliz Navidad
King of the Hill "The Unbearable Blindness of Laying" • "Pretty, Pretty Dresses" • "Hillennium" • "'Twas the Nut Before Christmas" • "The Father, the Son, and J.C." • "Livin' on Reds, Vitamin C and Propane" • "Ms. Wakefield"
Family Guy, American Dad!, and The Cleveland Show "A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas" • "The Best Christmas Story Never" • "The Most Adequate Christmas Ever" • "Rapture's Delight" • "A Cleveland Brown Christmas" • "Road to the North Pole" • "For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls" • "Murray Christmas" • "Season's Beatings" • "Die Semi-Hard" • "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" • "'Tis the Cleveland To Be Sorry" • "Minstrel Krampus" • "Christmas Guy" • "Dreaming of a White Porsche Christmas" • "The 2000-Year-Old Virgin" • "How the Griffin Stole Christmas" • "Ninety North, Zero West" • "Gifted Me Liberty" • "Don't Be a Dickens At Christmas" • "Santa, Schmanta" • "Christmas is Coming" • "Yule. Tide. Repeat." • "The First No L" • "Christmas Crime" • "The Return of the King (of Queens)"
Futurama "Xmas Story" • "A Tale of Two Santas" • "The Futurama Holiday Spectacular" • "I Know What You Did Next Xmas"
Bob's Burgers "God Rest Ye Merry Gentle-Mannequins" • "Christmas in the Car" • "Father of the Bob" • "Nice-Capades" • "The Last Gingerbread House on the Left" • "The Bleakening" • "Better Off Sled" • "Have Yourself a Maily Linda Christmas" • "Yachty or Nice" • "Gene's Christmas Break" • "The Plight Before Christmas" • "The Nightmare 2 Days Before Christmas"
Other cartoons "Hook's Christmas" • "A Christmas Surprise for Mrs. Stillman" • Olive, the Other ReindeerIce Age: A Mammoth Christmas • "The War on Grafelnik" • "Miracle on Culpepper Slims Boulevard" • "A Very Solar Holiday Opposites Special" • "Dip the Halls Adventure" • "Xmas with The Skanks Adventure"
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