Miracle on 34th Street - Definition and Overview

Miracle on 34th Street (also called The Big Heart) is a 1947 film which tells the story of a gentle old man, working as a Santa Claus at Macy's department store in New York City, who contends that he really is Santa. It stars Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn, Gene Lockhart, William Frawley, Jack Albertson and Natalie Wood.

The movie was written by Valentine Davies and George Seaton, and directed by Seaton.

It won Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Edmund Gwenn), Best Writing, Original Story (Valentine Davies) and Best Writing, Screenplay. It was also nominated for Best Picture.

Miracle on 34th Street was remade twice:

• 1973 - A television version starring Jane Alexander, David Hartman, Roddy McDowall, Sebastian Cabot, Suzanne Davidson, Jim Backus, David Doyle and Tom Bosley. It was adapted by Jeb Rosebrook from the George Seaton screenplay, and directed by Fielder Cook. This version is notable for its flat, clichéd dialogue.

• 1994, starring Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott, J.T. Walsh, James Remar, Jane Leeves, Simon Jones, William Windom and Mara Wilson. It was adapted by John Hughes from the Seaton script, and directed by Les Mayfield. This version has a more serious tone than the original and features a religious message of believing on faith alone.