‘MIRACLE ON 34TH ST.’ AN INSTANT HOLIDAY CLASSIC

The movie “Miracle on 34th Street,” hit theaters in 1947 and instantly became a holiday classic. The Union’s critic Gene Peach was a fan. From the San Diego Union, Saturday, Dec. 20, 1947:

AS GOOD AS DICKENS ‘MIRACLE ON 34TH ST.’ ONE ALL SHOULD SEE, SAYS CRITIC

Dear Diary: Friday, and dang! Had a good time this afternoon. Nothing much to do, Christmas shopping, wrapping, mailing all out of the way, all the pictures and stuff turned in for the Sunday paper; tomorrow my day off and tonight a stag party at the Press Club. Rosy world, isn’t it!

And so to see “Miracle on 34th Street,” at the Mission. Dang, it’s good! Mostly I liked Edmund Gwenn as Santa Claus, and no jokin’, and little Natalie Wood, about 7 years old. Maureen O’hara and John Payne also ran.

Reason I went to see it is that I read the story the other night. It came as a book club bonus, and when I woke up about 2 a.m., to get a drink of water, I picked the thing up and read the teaser on the wrapper, lighted the fire and strolled into it.

“Miracle on 34th Street” wasn’t written until after the movie was produced, a good afterthought. Valentine Davies did it originally as a movie. Some deep thinkers suggested he put it between covers.

It’s one of the sweetest darn stories ever told, including Charles Dickens’ version of the Great Story. That’s why I wanted to get this belated look at it, and that’s why I mention it. Everyone should see it, I say.

It’s the story of Kris Kringle (That’s his real name). He barges into Macy’s Christmas parade, takes over for a stew-bum Santa Claus with a fake beard and really sells the store and its merchandise, and Gimbel’s merchandise too.

He also sells Mr. Macy, and Mr. Gimbel, and just about everyone else on the theory that spirited commercialism plays second fiddle to the Spirit of Christmas — even in the count of the shekels.

But the pretty part of the story is the telling of the Santa legend to little Natalie, a child who had been brought up by a practical mother to know better than to believe in such foolishness.

Edmund Gwenn, the actor, must have a pretty big insides, including the stuff above his ears.

It’s an intelligent cast throughout pretty high class people. they have to be, else they couldn’t have given such a delightful picture.

A very merry Christmas to George Seaton who did the screen play from Davies’ book and directed, and to William Perlberg who had the inspiration to produce it, and to Porter Hall who had to play the ornery dog of a part, and on down the cast through 28 names, and to Macy’s big new York store for turning the joint over to the movie people for the department store sequences.

They tell the story that when the shooting was done Producer Perlberg asked Jack Straus, Macy president, if there wasn’t something he could do to repay the many kindnesses shown the 20th Century-fox people.

Straus thought about it for a moment and then said, “Yes, I’d like that little whistle your assistant director, Artie Jacobson, blows when he wants silence.” “Why?” asked Pearlberg.

“Well,” said Straus, with a grin “that little whistle has gotten more respect from Macy employes than anyone around here.”