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Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

Director: Les Mayfield

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Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Padding the deluxe avenues of Manhattan, kindly gentleman Kriss Kringle (Attenborough) is first seen confirming to a child that he is in fact the real Father Christmas. Mr Reassuring he may be, but he's also possessed of a medieval guildsman's pride: seeing the Santa from Cole's department store swigging whisky on a street parade, he wrests the reins away from him and takes over his sleigh, so impressing a Cole's executive (Perkins) that she hires him for the duration. The queues grow legion, until finally he's charged with being an impostor. That's not his only trial: he also has to convince Perkins' precocious daughter, which means delivering her Christmas list of a father, a house and a brother. This is a philosophical movie. How do you prove Santa's existence? It's a shaky business - like this movie - based on trust. All the kids I took loved it. The appeal must lie in the Santa-as-fantasy-grandfather-figure - with bottomless pockets.

Author: WH 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide

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User reviews of this film

  • Bruce013 said...
    Posted on Apr 23 2009 23:55 A very moving film bringing in Christmas cheer with a good cast and some special moments. Mara Wilson is so adorable in this film, as a little girl who wants to believe in Santa Claus but whose mother has taught her differently. Brings tears to the eyes.
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Cast & crew

Director: Les Mayfield

Producer: John Hughes

Cast: Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott, JT Walsh, Joss Ackland, James Remar full cast

Genre(s): Children's

Duration: 114 mins


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