Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

Day 7 is the remake of an old classic, a story of Christmas miracles and belief.

Six-year-old Susan Walker doesn’t believe in Santa Claus. Her mother, Dorey, works for Cole’s department store. During their Thanksgiving Day parade, their Santa gets drunk. Dorey manages to find a replacement in time. A man claiming to be the real Santa Claus.

To be honest, I haven’t seen the original movie from 1947. I have a copy of it on DVD and plan to watch it this year, so I may review it next year. This is the fourth remake and I’m pretty sure I have another version somewhere.

I watch this every year with my Mum, it’s a great film. The only thing/s I don’t like about this movie are to do with casting. I’m really not a fan of Elizabeth Perkins, and have pretty much disliked her in every other film I’ve seen her in, this one especially. Another cast member I take issue with is Jane Leeves, who plays Alberta Leonard, a woman who works for Shoppers Express. This is another personal criticism. She is well known for her role in television sitcom Fraser. I really don’t like her voice. Her accent is awful to listen to, not because she’s English, but I can’t actually describe why I take issue with it. Everything I’ve seen her in, I think the same thing. I hate her voice, and it can be very distracting.

As usual, Mara Wilson outshines everyone else. She talks like a thirty-year-old, much like Haley Joel Osment and the Peanuts kids. Santa was played by the late great Richard Attenborough. You genuinely believe that he is the real Santa Claus, not just some crazy old man. The whole courtroom scene is very sad and touching. You want so much for everyone else to believe him as much as you do. Do you believe in Santa Claus?