Miracle on 34th Street

Dir: George Seaton

1947

*****

It's a Wonderful Life is often regarded as the greatest Christmas film of all time but it isn't. Not in my humble opinion anyway, because for me the original 1947 Miracle on 34th Street just beats it to the finish line. The great Edmund Gwenn (who won an Oscar for his performance) is the perfect Santa and the young Natalie Wood was perfectly cast. Maureen O'Hara and John Payne are both very good too in what are essentially supporting main roles. O'Hara had recently moved back to Ireland and declared she wouldn't be returning to America but immediately changed her mind on reading Seaton's brilliant script. It's not stupid or schmaltzy either, unlike many Christmas films and including It's a Wonderful Life (the way is rather casually deals with suicide has always bothered me). It takes a great swipe at the commercialization of Christmas and delivers a message that everyone can understand and learn from, unlike the 1994 remake that completely misses the point. Forget the remake ever happened and enjoy. George Seaton's festive classic is not just my favourite Christmas film of all time but is one of my overall favourite films of all time too.