Sunday 15 December 2013

12 days of blogging: Day 3- Miracle on 34th Street (1947)


So today's post is about one of my favourite Christmas films EVER, Miracle On 34th Street wooohooo. I just think this film has such a good premise, I adore it. I watched this film again while putting up all of our lovely decorations and it just made everything feel complete. The film stars Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn and one of my absolute favourites, Natalie Wood.
Synopsis
The films is about Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara) and her daughter Susan (Natalie Wood) who has been taught not to believe in things such as Santa. A kind old man (Edmund Gwenn) claims he is Santa Claus and for this he is institutionalized as insane. Doris' neighbour Fred Gailey decides to defend the kind, old man claiming that he is in fact Santa Claus. This lead everyone to then debate whether they do in fact believe in Santa or not. The kind man has seemed to touch everyone he meets, including Doris and Susan, changing their minds and making them believe.


Some little film facts

  • Maureen O'Hara was ultimately forced into this role but changed her mind when she read the script. 
  • Natalie Wood believed that Edmund Gwenn was really Santa and only found out he wasn't when she saw him out of costume at the wrap party.
  • The scenes of the Macy's thanksgiving parade were of the real parade held in 1946.
  • This film was Thelma Ritters debut.
  • Despite the film being set in Christmas it was released in May because the studio head said more people went to the cinema in the summer, so the fact that it was a Christmas film was kept a secret when promoted.


It's just literally the perfect Christmas film, family-friendly and all. Who doesn't adore this movie and especially an 8-year-old Natalie Wood, just adorable. So being Christmas and all you better watch it, it will really make you think about what you believe in.


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