Miracle on 34th Street

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Miracle on 34th Street

1947

1h 36m

Holiday

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

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52 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

In this Christmas classic, an old man going by the name of Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) fills in for an intoxicated Santa in Macy's annual Thanksgiving Day parade. Kringle proves to be such a hit that he is soon appearing regularly at the chain's main store in midtown Manhattan. When Kringle surprises customers and employees alike by claiming that he really is Santa Claus, it leads to a court case to determine his mental health and, more importantly, his authenticity.

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Critics Consensus

Irrefutable proof that gentle sentimentalism can be the chief ingredient in a wonderful film, Miracle on 34th Street delivers a warm holiday message without resorting to treacle.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Dec 21, 2022

4/4

Miracle on 34th Street is the gift that keeps on giving.

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Kate Cameron

New York Daily News

May 11, 2015

4/4

It is light, it is charming, it is delightfully funny and completely captivating. It is all that, and something more.

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Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

Dec 4, 2013

3.5/4

A Christmas season evergreen.

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Tim Dirks

Filmsite

Oct 12, 2022

A+

Director George Seaton's popular and perennial Thanksgiving and Christmas classic holiday film was a dramatic comedy-fantasy about the commercialization of Santa Claus (Kris Kringle) and Christmas itself. The sentimental and appealing

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Sep 22, 2022

8/10

A sentimental, heartwarming piece, designed to be a fluffy bit of yuletide entertainment.

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Carson Timar

ButteredPopcorn

Aug 28, 2022

A

For those looking for a strong and wholesome holiday special, it is hard to find much better than Miracle on 34th Street.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 8, 2026

Ted Turner could no eave this fantastic movie alone so he colorized it but it is indeed a classic worthy of 4.5 stars!

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bruce F

@bruce999 Aug 15, 2026

a classic , for the wintertime. fun.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Dec 29, 2025

Funny in 1 hour and 36 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stay sober, my friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Andrew B

@RT60106310 Dec 25, 2025

Christmas magic of the highest order. Often duplicated, but never surpassed. Do yourself a favor and make it a regular part of your Christmas rotation.

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A B.

@Annie413 Dec 22, 2025

My FAVORITE XMAS MOVIE ❤️‼️

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Michael C

@Michael71 Dec 10, 2025

The original (and best) version of "Miracle on 34th Street" has definitely stood the test of time. A classic in every sense of the word and one of the greatest Christmas movies ever made. Everything works in this movie. The cast, the storyline and everything in between. Though it is pretty obvious where the story is going, the journey to that end is just terrific with excellent dialogue and some clever scenes along the way. It is also a treat to see a number of amusing cameos such as the late Jack Albertson as a postal worker and a pre "I Love Lucy" William Frawley as a political advisor to the Judge overseeing the court case that will determine if Kris Kringle is in fact Santa Claus. This review would not be complete without mentioning the late Edmund Gwenn in an excellent performance as Santa Claus that rightfully won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Absolute perfect casting. If you have not seen this movie I highly recommend you do. Merry Christmas!

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George Seaton

Director

Maureen O'Hara

Doris Walker

John Payne

Fred Gailey

Edmund Gwenn

Kris Kringle

Gene Lockhart

Judge Henry X. Harper

Natalie Wood

Susan Walker

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Synopsis

In this Christmas classic, an old man going by the name of Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) fills in for an intoxicated Santa in Macy's annual Thanksgiving Day parade. Kringle proves to be such a hit that he is soon appearing regularly at the chain's main store in midtown Manhattan. When Kringle surprises customers and employees alike by claiming that he really is Santa Claus, it leads to a court case to determine his mental health and, more importantly, his authenticity.

Director: George Seaton
Producer: William Perlberg
Screenwriter: George Seaton
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Genre: Holiday, Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 2, 1947, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Runtime: 1h 36m

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