Christmas Countdown: Film #3 - Miracle On 34th Street

For our third Christmas film in the advent calendar this year we've watched the original Miracle On 34th Street (from 1947).

I always used to avoid this one, having been a huge fan of the 90s version and not being a huge fan of black and white films. But as with many others, I've found that with age, I've come to appreciate it more.

It's definitely one of those Christmas films that has endured, probably because it's such a lovely story. I always feel like it's a little bit clumsy in places, and the ending is kind of abrupt (while there are aspects of this version which I prefer to the newer one, I always feel like the 1994 version handles the resolving of the court case better).

One aspect of this version that I do prefer is the character of Alfred, he's a sweet little parallel to Kris's character. Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle is just perfect, he looks and sounds just the way you'd expect the man himself to look. And I have to add that the bit with the little Dutch girl meeting Santa makes me tear up just a little bit.

Unfortunately in some areas it's a little bit dated. All of the children's toys are so much simpler than the ones that kids today ask for. And Kris goes to stay with Fred,  a grown man who sleeps in one of a pair of twin beds in his apartment!

Overall though, it's a lovely little film and it was interesting to see the trailer for it on the DVD as well. It seemed more like a little production of its own, rather than what I've come to expect from film trailers today.