Miracle On 34th Street (1994)

This film follows the basic storyline of the original film reviewed below. There were, however, changes for people and locations.

The film begins as Dorey Walker(Elizabeth Perkins), director of Special Events at Cole's Department Store, sees the a drunk Santa during the Cole's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Kris Kringle has berated this Santa and started to walk away. Dorey runs after him and asks him to be Cole's Santa Claus.

In this version, her neighbor is Bryan Bedford (Dylan McDermott) and he is hosting her daughter Susan (Mara Wilson) during the viewing of the parade. Susan does not believe in Santa Claus but realizes that the great looking Santa in the parade could bring in a lot of money for Coles.

Kris brings in many sales for Cole's by using the same philosophy as the original film. Susan visits Santa with Mr. Bedford, but this time Santa uses sign language to sing Christmas carols with a deaf child. This time when Kris babysits Susan, not only does she want a house, she wants a Dad and a baby brother! You just can't satisfy kids these days!

Kris is arrested this time when Coles bitter former Santa provokes him into smacking him with his cane on behalf of the evil management of Cole's rival store, the Shoppers Express. Brian decides to defend Kris and this time his is freed by a dollar bill. On the dollar bill it states "In God We Trust". The judge is let off the hook because if this piece of paper that the government recognizes as legal tender states trust in a figure that some believe not to exist, then the same must be true for Santa Claus. The prosecutor, Ed Collins (J.T. Walsh) is again dismayed by a family subpoena. This time it is his wife, who admits that Kris is the real Santa. Kris is free to go!

On Christmas Eve, Dorey and Bryan are married in a secret ceremony orchestrated by Kris. Susan is excited that she now has a Dad. They drive to a house where they shoot the Christmas catalog's for the store under the premise, orchestrated again by Kris, that they have to start shooting the catalog for next year already. When they pull up to the house, it is the house that Susan wished for. Her parents ask what her other wish was, she tells them a baby brother. The look on their faces, priceless.

Macy's didn't want anything to do with this film, so they changed the name to Cole's. It was produced by John Hughes and was filmed primarily in the Chicago area where he seems to do most of his filming. Allison Janney has a very small part in the film as a customer in Cole's.

This film is not as good as the original although the photography was nice, very lush. It also seemed to be a bit darker than the first version while Kris is on trial.

114 Minutes. Rated PG. I give this movie TWO AND THREE QUARTER STARS.