Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

Director:

Les Mayfield

Writers (WGA):

Valentine Davies (story)
George Seaton (1947 screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

18 November 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Experience the Miracle.

Plot:

A little girl discovers dreams do come true if you really believe. Six-year-old Susan has doubts about childhood's most enduring miracle - Santa Claus...

Plot Keywords:

Girl | Christmas | Santa Claus | Lifting Person In Air | Belief

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Richard Attenborough	...	Kris Kringle
Elizabeth Perkins	...	Dorey Walker
Dylan McDermott	...	Bryan Bedford
J.T. Walsh	...	Ed Collins
James Remar	...	Jack Duff
Jane Leeves	...	Alberta Leonard
Simon Jones	...	Donald Shellhammer
William Windom	...	C.F. Cole
Mara Wilson	...	Susan Walker
Robert Prosky	...	Judge Henry Harper
Kathrine Narducci	...	Mother
Mary McCormack	...	Myrna Foy
Alvin Greenman	...	The Doorman
Allison Janney	...	Woman in Christmas Shop
Greg Noonan	...	Cmdr. Coulson
Byrne Piven	...	Dr. Hunter
Peter Gerety	...	Cop
Jack McGee	...	Tony Falacchi
Joe Pentangelo	...	Bailiff
Mark Damiano II	...	Daniel
Casey Wurzbach	...	Grandson
Jennifer Morrison	...	Denice
Peter Siragusa	...	Cabbie
Samantha Krieger	...	Sami
Horatio Sanz	...	Orderly
Lisa Sparrman	...	Rebecca Collins
Kimberly Smith	...	Court Clerk
Mike Bacarella	...	Santa
Harve Kolzow	...	Businessman
Bianca Rose Pucci	...	Little Girl
Jimmy Joseph Meglio	...	Little Boy
Hank Johnston	...	Boy
Margo Buchanan	...	Another Mother
Bill Buell	...	Band Director
Ron Beattie	...	Priest
Alexandra Michelle Stewart	...	Child
Paige Walker Leavell	...	Tricia
Rosanna Scotto	...	News Anchor
Michele Marsh	...	News Anchor
Joe Moskowitz	...	News Anchor
Lester Holt	...	Newscaster
Susie Park	...	Newscaster
Janet Kauss	...	Newscaster
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joss Ackland	...	Victor Landbergh (uncredited)
John D. Bair	...	Parade turkey (uncredited)
Melinda Chilton	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Peter D'Alessio	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Brian Ferrari	...	Balloon Handler (uncredited)
Matthew T. Gitkin	...	Bridge Worker (uncredited)
Eliza Harris	...	Iceskater (uncredited)
Antonio Polk	...	Court Reporter (uncredited)
John Thurner	...	Newspaper Reporter (uncredited)

Directed by
Les Mayfield

Writing credits (WGA)
Valentine Davies		(story)
George Seaton		(1947 screenplay)
George Seaton		(screenplay) and
John Hughes		(screenplay)

Produced by
William S. Beasley	....	executive producer
John Hughes	....	producer
William Ryan	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Bruce Broughton

Cinematography by
Julio Macat

Film Editing by
Raja Gosnell

Production Design by
Doug Kraner

Art Direction by
Steve Arnold

Set Decoration by
Leslie E. Rollins

Costume Design by
Kathy O'Rear

Makeup Department
Milton Buras	....	hair stylist: New York
Craig Lyman	....	makeup artist
Dominic Mango	....	hair stylist
Bernadette Mazur	....	makeup artist: New York
Ben Nye Jr.	....	makeup artist
Laine Trzinski	....	hair stylist (as Elaine M. Cascio)
Jamie Sue Weiss	....	makeup artist

Production Management
William S. Beasley	....	unit production manager
Christine A. Johnston	....	production supervisor
Steve Rose	....	unit production manager: New York

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Scott H.C. Delsner	....	second second assistant director
Dean Garvin	....	second second assistant director: New York
James Giovannetti Jr.	....	first assistant director: second unit
Freddie Hice	....	second unit director
Aimee Kohn	....	first assistant director: second unit
Randy Suhr	....	assistant director
Glen Trotiner	....	second assistant director: New York
Michele Ziegler	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Carl Aldana	....	production illustrator
Paul Allen	....	swing gang
John Berger	....	set designer
Leslie Bloom	....	set decorator: New York
Troy Borisy	....	on-set dresser
Robert J. Carlyle	....	construction coordinator
David J. Chamerski	....	assistant property master
Daniel B. Clancy	....	lead man (as Dan Clancy)
William Dambra	....	property master
Frank Didio	....	head carpenter
Richard Fernandez	....	assistant art director
Rossana Fiore	....	stand-by painter: New York
John R. Ford	....	property master: New York
Robby Green	....	set dressing coordinator
Dick Hansen	....	props
Amelia Hochberg	....	buyer
Patricia Klawonn	....	set designer (as Patricia A. Klawonn)
Thomas W. Lay Jr.	....	production illustrator (as Tom Lay)
Blake E. Matthys	....	set dresser
Quentin Matthys	....	swing gang
John McDonnell	....	assistant property master: New York
Nancy Mickelberry	....	set designer
Mike Monckton	....	painter
Robert Bruce Myers	....	construction labor foreman
James Nedza	....	assistant art director
Troy Osman	....	construction foreman
Tyler Osman	....	construction coordinator: Chicago
Ron Petagna	....	construction coordinator: New York
Eric Rosenberg	....	graphic artist
Carl J. Stensel	....	set designer (as Carl Stensel)
Glenn Stevens	....	carpenter
Mike Swift	....	illustrator
Tom Warren	....	art director: New York
Dave Weinman	....	lead man: New York (as David Weinman)
Anthony Joseph Fatigato	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Sandina Bailo-Lape	....	foley editor
Tom Barwick	....	foley artist
Gloria S. Borders	....	supervising sound editor
Kent Brown	....	sound design assistant
Tony Eckert	....	foley recordist
Sean England	....	machine room operator
Andre Fenley	....	apprentice sound editor
Sue Fox	....	adr editor
Clare C. Freeman	....	foley editor (as Clare Freeman)
J.R. Grubbs	....	assistant sound editor
Scott Guitteau	....	assistant sound editor
Karen Harding	....	assistant sound editor
Tim Holland	....	sound effects editor
Peter Ilardi	....	cable person: New York
Robert Jackson	....	boom operator
Robert Jackson	....	cable person
Ronald Jackson	....	boom operator
Ron Judkins	....	sound mixer (as Ronald Judkins)
Barbara McBane	....	dialogue editor
Daniel Rosenblum	....	boom operator: New York
Claire Sanfilippo	....	dialogue editor
Susan Sanford	....	assistant sound editor
Gary Summers	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ewa Sztompke	....	dialogue editor (as Ewa Sztomke-Oatfield)
Randy Thom	....	sound designer
Randy Thom	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dennie Thorpe	....	foley artist
Ethan Van der Ryn	....	sound effects editor
Hugh Waddell	....	adr editor
Ronald G. Roumas	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Steven Kirshoff	....	special effects foreman: New York
John D. Milinac	....	special effects coordinator: Chicago

Visual Effects by
Karen deJong	....	matte painter
Rhonda C. Gunner	....	visual effects
Don Hansard	....	projection scenes
Bryan Hirota	....	cg artist: VIFX
Gregory L. McMurry	....	visual effects supervisor
Gus Duron	....	visual effects editor: VIFX (uncredited)

Stunts
John Casino	....	utility stunts
Ray Abbott	....	precision driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Phil Abraham	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera, New York
Greg Addison	....	gaffer: New York
Roger G. Anderson	....	gaffer: second unit
Frank Byers	....	director of photography: second unit
Frank Byrne	....	additional second assistant camera
Phillip V. Caruso	....	still photographer: New York
Joseph R. Collins	....	second assistant "b" camera: New York
Gerrit Dangremond	....	camera operator: second unit
Andy Day	....	best boy electric: New York
Edwin Effrein	....	second assistant "c" camera: New York
Mark Gulbrandsen	....	camera technician: VistaVision
Tony C. Jannelli	....	camera operator: New York
Thomas Jirgal	....	best boy grip: New York
Chaim Kantor	....	first assistant "b" camera: New York
Jeremy Knaster	....	best boy electric: New York
George Kohut	....	camera operator
Gábor Kövér	....	camera operator: "c" camera, New York
Peter Kuttner	....	first assistant camera
John Robert Miller	....	key grip: second unit
Peter Morello	....	first assistant "c" camera: New York
Mike Moyer	....	gaffer
Hernan Michael Otaño	....	camera loader: New York
Steve Parrington	....	video playback operator
Leon Sanginiti	....	second assistant camera: New York
Gerard Sava	....	second assistant camera: New York
Abe Schrager	....	camera operator: second unit
Steven Silverstein	....	camera loader: "b" camera
Steven Silverstein	....	second assistant camera
John Waldo	....	second assistant camera (as John A. Waldo)
Frank Yario Jr.	....	video playback operator (as Frankie Yario Jr.)
David Moenkhaus	....	additional second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Claudia Ciardelli	....	casting assistant: Chicago
Susanna Griffith	....	casting associate
Janet Hirshenson	....	casting
Jane Jenkins	....	casting
Moira Michiels	....	extras casting assistant
Regina Prokop	....	extras casting assistant
Suzy Sachs	....	additional casting: Seattle
Maria Spaeth	....	casting assistant: Chicago
Johnny White	....	key extras casting assistant
John D. Bair	....	extras casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Adkins	....	assistant wardrobe supervisor: New York
Jacqueline S. Beatka	....	costumer: second unit
Patricia Eiben	....	wardrobe supervisor: New York
Beulah Jones-Black	....	assistant wardrobe supervisor: New York (as Beulah Jones)
Lisa Padovani	....	assistant costume supervisor: New York
Heather Pollock	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Penny Lee Hallin	....	assistant editor
Dennis McNeill	....	color timer
Kevin D. Ross	....	assistant editor: lightworks
Fred C. Vitale	....	first assistant editor
John M. Vitale	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Terry Brown	....	scoring crew
Bill Olson	....	scoring crew
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Del Spiva	....	scoring crew
Armin Steiner	....	scoring mixer
Jim Walker	....	scoring crew
Katherine Quittner	....	music editor: temp score (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Edward Iacobelli	....	transportation captain: New York

Other crew
Thomas Bianco	....	assistant accountant
Brett Botula	....	location manager: live shoot, Macy's Parade
Robert F. Byrnes	....	first aid
Ken Cabrera	....	craft service
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
William Danaher	....	dailies projectionist
Bill Danaker	....	projectionist
Kristin Dehnert	....	assistant location manager
B. Ted Deiker	....	production assistant
Melissa Givey	....	production assistant
Mark Gulbrandsen	....	dailies projection technician
Bob Hudgins	....	location manager
Kimberly Jase	....	first assistant accountant
Ross L. Kulma	....	first aid
Rosemary Lombard	....	production coordinator: New York
James R. McAllister	....	location assistant
Stan Mendoza	....	location manager: New York
Rich Moskal	....	assistant location manager
Elizabeth J. Nevin	....	production coordinator: New York
Gerald F. Nichols	....	production assistant
Lauri Pitkus	....	assistant location manager
Eric A. Pot	....	production assistant
Trudy Ramirez	....	script supervisor (as Trudy G. Ramirez)
Allen E. Taylor	....	production accountant
Laura Tiz	....	assistant accountant
Burton L. Warner	....	production assistant
Richard Wicklund	....	welfare worker
Patty Willett	....	production coordinator
Lori Yario	....	script supervisor: second unit
Derek Decelles	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Steve Head	....	production assistant (uncredited)
David Lanphier Jr.	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Sian Rees-Cleland	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Matthew Sirianni	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Tom Swift	....	set production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hughes Entertainment
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (presents) (as Twentieth Century Fox)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Fox Network (1997) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Manuel Salvador (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (????) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Gativideo (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (1995) (Germany) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Sturm's Special Effects International (snow making)
• Video Image

Other Companies

• Fox Records  soundtrack published by
• Nina Saxon Film Design  titles
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Port Chester High School Marching Band  special thanks
• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services

MPAA:

Rated PG for some mild language.

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | American Sign Language

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Germany:o.Al. (f) | South Korea:All | Peru:PT | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Hughes Entertainment

Trivia:

Susan's middle name is Elizabeth. Mara Wilson's middle name is also Elizabeth.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jack and Alberta have dropped Kris off at the old folks' home and Jack is returning to the limousine, you can see Alberta's crossed legs through the open door. When Jack enters the car, however, Alberta's legs are completely covered by her overcoat.

Quotes:

[Bryan and Dorey are at the altar]
Priest: Are you ready?
Dorey Walker: For what?
Priest: To get married.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Great Christmas Movies (1998) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Santa Claus Is Back in Town

Do you believe? If so, why?

Richard Attenborough returned to acting after 14 years behind the camera in "Jurassic Park", and followed it swiftly by daring to challenge comparison with Oscar-winner Edmund Gwenn in this remake.

As a heartwarmer for those inadequates who won't sit through a 60-year-old monochrome movie-- albeit one which rivals "It's a Wonderful Life" as Hollywood's answer to "A Christmas Carol"-- this John Hughes revamp will probably serve. Anyhow, there are plenty of copies on sale at the checkout of my local supermarket. But it is a bit too laid-back and, latterly, too bogged down in argument for younger kids or older boys. It may warm more cockles among the grandparents.

The main thematic interest is how Hughes chooses to tweak the original screen story as adapted (unusually for the time) by the director, George Seaton. Whether he sought to or not, the remake has thrown up some intriguing twists for a more skeptical and secular time.

The oldie caught the mood of an America yearning to get back to normalcy amid the perils of the post-war, Cold War world. Location shooting in New York City, with much co-operation from Macys, gave a touch of realism to the fantasy, whereas in 1994 it's an imaginary store and (for Americans, at least) an incongruously "veddy British" claimant to the chair of Santa Claus- although his nationality is not the issue when the legal meanies of the State of New York try to get him confined to the bughouse.

What is striking is the judge's rationale for allowing Kris's plea for freedom. Because US bills have "In God We Trust" on them, he reasons, it means New York is allowed to have blind faith in the existence of a supernatural being who lays presents on 1.7 billion children in one night, operating from invisible workshops with reindeer which cannot be made to fly in a courtroom demonstration of his powers because it isn't Christmas Eve. Besides, the sneery prosecutor's kids were raised to believe in him, so there- case closed.

In real life the ACLU would be appealing such a judgement all the way to the Supreme Court for allowing too much religion into the law and the public square. "In God We Trust" was only put on the money during the Cold War, to cock a snook at "Godless bolshevism"; but this film is refreshingly disrespectful to the newer orthodoxy of playing down most Americans' beliefs in their films.

Kris asks if he should swear in the Bible, the Pope's ruling on Nicholas's sanctity is debated, and the ethos is quietly but unmistakably Christian. No "spiritual" Santa or "Happy Holidays" here. In a very light fashion, the film does revolve issues of how far it is legitimate to maintain a metaphor as a source of inspiration when rationalism of the Dawkins and Hitchens strain is sniping at it. The screenplay also looks quite beadily at the way commercial operators use holy myth to make money, even if the message comes muted from Hollywood.

That is the good news. There's plenty to carp at as well.

Attenborough's quiet, gentle but firm performance (most atypical of one who spent his previous acting time mainly playing unreliables or martinets) suffuses the film. He gets little competition, save from the contrasted crustiness of Windom. Most of the support is so-so, on the level of a Yuletide TV special, and not excluding little Wilson as the girl who has faith in Mr Kringle's claim to be St Nicholas. She is no Margaret O'Brien, if no worse in her way than the kewpie-doll Natalie Wood. In fact, she's a John Hughes moppet who did little later and nothing since 2000.

The narrative's departures from the well shaped original are no help. Once off the legal hook, Kris, wearing a brown suit, just disappears-- we don't see any triumphal sleigh ride to bid him adieu-- while attention shifts to a ridiculous post-midnight-mass impromptu wedding in a Catholic church. Then follows a trip out to a dream house in the snowy country, ushered by a silly salesman. The film does not seem to know when to call a halt, and there's not so much as Clarence's tinkling bell to bring back Kris at the close. It's as if the whole object of the exercise was to unite two bland characters in matrimony.