Very disappointing...

Purely Joyful Movie!

Good concept, poorly executed.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

This movie is best all time Christmas movie! Whether its the 1994 version with Richard Attenborough, Mara Wilson, Elizabeth Perkins and Dylan McDermott or the 1947 version with Maureen O'Hara, Natalie Wood and William Frawley, I can watch either one every year with the same emotional pull every time! "I believe!" Each version changes the miracle (the 1947 uses the US Post Office's innumerable letters to Santa Claus and the 1994 uses the US One Dollar bill's "In God We Trust"), but they both have the same effect. It's too bad Macy's didn't lend it's name to this excellent makeover, especially being the the parade is known as the "Macy's Day Parade," but instead giving way to the fictitious S.F Cole store in the make over.

This latest installment of the beloved holiday film tried to succeed, but alas, all of it's efforts failed, particularly in comparison with the two previous versions. In my opinion, once you're seen the 1947 version with Maureen O'Hara and John Payne, this failure becomes obviously and painfully apparent. There is more heat in a winter snow storm than in the odd pairing of Dylan McDermott and Elizabeth Perkins. It just seems to be "trying to hard" to be the equal of the original, updating the events to make it more au current, all the while the characters and performances seeming forced and stereotypical, without the true spirit of the B&W classic (with the sole exception of an always superb Richard Attenborough in the leading role). It appears that in a desperate attempt to come up with a truly good Christmas movie, all they've managed to do is reheat last night's Christmas dinner.

The 1994 remake of Miracle on 34th Street was updated by writer and producer John Hughes already flying high with his Home Alone films and he manages to snag Richard Attenborough who was coaxed out of acting retirement a year earlier by Steven Spielberg for Jurassic Park.The original is regarded as a classic in America but not as well known in the UK and here I could see this film in its own merits.Hughes has followed the story of the original film with a department store executive Dorey Walker (Elizabeth Perkins) and her young daughter Susan (Mara Wilson) who do not care much for the spirit of Christmas. Dorey hires a venerable old man Kriss Kringle (Richard Attenborough) at the last minute when the usual Santa is found drunk. Kriss quickly becomes popular even if it means by always telling the truth that he directs people to rivals stores for toys because it would be cheaper there.The store is subject to a hostile takeover from a rival and part of the shenanigans means that Kriss believes that he really is Santa Claus and finds himself in court to be declared insane.The film is a decent family drama and although updated for a more cynical age which includes more disbelievers and non-nuclear families it does have plenty of festive spirit that families would enjoy but is never spectacular.The film turns on the revelation contained on a dollar bill but personally if I had written the film I would had just told the Judge to look behind him. Most American courtrooms have the Judge sitting in front of the words 'In God we trust!'

it is not exactly a remake. it is not , in real sense, a version of 1947's movie. because it looking be different. using new scenes, imposing new images and new sides of known characters. Mara Wilson is far to be another Nathalie Wood. she has the usual charm and courage to create a role in her style. Miracle on 34th Streed is a good demonstration. Richard Attenborough is a profound different Santa. and that is the essence of film - to say a story, its story, to a public who is not the public from 1947. the result - a Christmas movie who is more than decent. it is nice, moral, a lesson about the essence of mankind, a smart and touching definition of the spirit of a special holiday. a film who must be discovered not as adversary of the original but as package for a noble message. because that is its fundamental purpose.