Miracle on 34th Street: 70th Anniversary Edition - Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Miracle on 34th Street: 70th Anniversary Edition

Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score: ​

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Movie
Fox has been on an anniversary binge this year, as we just reviewed the 30th anniversary of Planes, Tranes and Automobiles, L.A. Confidential and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. To top off the list for the year, we get one great holiday classic to do so. There are a few Christmas movies that EVERYONE, no matter who they are, just know by heart. The Animated Rudolph films, The Peanuts Christmas specials, It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol and finally, the 1947 version of Miracle on 34th Street. There are very few holiday films that can appeal to children and adults alike, but Miracle on 34th Street is one of those magical films that just seems to warm the hearts of anyone it touches. We all know the idea of Santa Clause is ludicrous on a logical, conscious level, but it’s the little fantasy of warmth and happiness that allows our imaginations to run wild that allows this little harmless to be so near and dear to the American public. The film was redone in 1994 with Richard Attenborough and the little girl from Matilda, but it can’t hold a candle to the simplistic kindness and heartfelt sense of joy that permeates the 70 year old black and white film.

The story is simplistic, but incredibly repeatable as it seems that the commercialization of the Christmas holiday has been a sore spot to many for years and years. I even catch myself forgetting about the original meaning sometimes as we’re inundated day in and day out with caroling, stores shoving Christmas sales down our throats, annoying music that is played on every tech support line for months, and the frustration of dealing with the hustle and bustle of relatives coming to town and the insanity that brings to the picture (my favorite film for that angle of Christmas will always be National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation). The idea of ’s birth, or if you’re not religious, the holiday spirit of giving and showing kindness seems to slip further and further away as an ever increasing segment of society starts to forget.

Even back in 1947 the frustrations of a commercialized element of the holiday was prevalent, as Miracle on 34th Street starts with the upcoming Christmas Parade in New York City. Doris Walker, a high level manager at Macy’s department store, is trying to organize the parade when her resident Santa Clause is kicked off the job for boozing it up. This opens up the opportunity for the next fat man in a beard she sees, which just so happens to be a man claiming to be Kris Kringle himself (Edmund Gwenn), to take over the job. Well, things start to get a little hairy when the straight laced and practical Doris finds out that Kris believes himself to be the ACTUAL Santa Clause. A problem that is made worse when the new Santa Clause accidentally turns Macy’s selfish marketing gimmick into a selfless one that makes them even MORE money than before. This means she can’t fire the man for being crazy, and instead allows him to continue on.

Unfortunately, not everyone shares in Macy’s greed, or the good nature of Santa. A nasty little “wannabee” psychologist by the name of Mr. Sawyer (Porter Hall) takes offense to the idea and wants to exert his “professional” dominance over the situation, and has the man committed. Thankfully Doris’s want to be boyfriend, lawyer Fred Gailey (John Payne) steps in and does the unthinkable. He defends Kris in court, with the legal defense that the old man is not only not insane, but the ACTUAL Santa Clause himself.

Miracle on 34th Street was a smash hit in 1947, but no one could possibly foresee the sheer legs that the movie would have. Much like Jimmy Stewart’s It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle is one of those films that played, and replayed, every holiday season for the last 50 or so years. It has become a staple of holiday cheer, and easily one of the most relate-able holiday films out there. The movie dances very deftly around the idea of Santa being real, or whether he’s just a crazy old man, but the result is still the same. It doesn’t matter if he is, or if he isn’t and all of the little miracles are just skillful coincidences, but whether you believe in the spirit of the season. I could wax eloquent of hour about Christianity and the views on the origination, but that’s not the point. What is the point is a sweet family film that rejects the commercialized idea of the holiday that it has become, and embraces the simple happiness as seen through the eyes of a child.




Rating:

Not Rated by the MPAA




Video:

Since this is the same transfer and disc as the 2009 Blu-ray that means that the colorized version of the film will NOT be on the disc. Something I have zero problem with as colorizing old Black and White films is something of a pet peeve of mine (although I don’t mind the old colorized versions being included for those who don’t share my opinions), and it has the same benefits and flaws as that decade old master provided. The Film is lightly grainy, but with excellent detail for the most part. You can see every line and curve of Fred’s over coat, and the light shades of differing gray that make up Kris’s well groomed beard. The only real issue I have with the transfer is that the white levels of the film are more of a dirty gray. There’s not much of a contrast between the blacks and the whites as there is some mild crush and the gray whites make the film seem a bit more dull and flat than it really should. It’s still a very nice transfer, but that dullness keeps it from being as stunning as it COULD be.






Audio:

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA track is most definitely an upmix from the monorail track that was originally shown with the film (and is included in Dolby Digital lossy form as well), but it is a competent upmix that doesn’t try to be anything more than a front heavy dialog driven track. The vocals are always clean and clear, and while they don’t always come with that extra weight and precision that is indicative of modern mixing and recording techniques, there are no real recording FLAWS either. The vocals are precise and intelligible at all times, and I couldn’t detect any hisses or crackles in the recording. Easily the best it has ever sounded (and may well ever sound).





Extras:

• Audio commentary by Maureen O'Hara
• AMC Back Story: Miracle On 34th Street
• Movietone News: Hollywood Spotlight
• Promotional Spot
• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: Floating in History
• Poster Gallery

Final Score: ​

Maureen O’Hara and Edmund Gwenn are absolutely magical in this little holiday fantasy, and it is always a treat to revisit during the upcoming season. I have seen the film at least a dozen times and still get a little choked up at the end, and I know that I’m not the only one of us that does that either. Fox has unfortunately not done a whole lot to update the film since it’s 2009 Blu-ray release, as it is essentially the same disc with new cover art and a fancy slip box for the 70th anniversary. The same transfer, same audio specs, and same extras are on the disc, so if you already have the disc then the only thing new would be the digital copy that comes included. For those who DON’T have the 2009 Blu-ray, then this is the perfect chance to jump on this holiday classic and grab it in an attractively priced package.




Technical Specifications:

Starring: Maureen O'Hara, John Pane, Edmund Gwenn
Directed by: George Seaton
Written by: George Seaton, Valentine Davies
Aspect Ratio: 1.37.1 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1, English, French, Spanish DD Mono
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Rated: NR
Runtime: 96 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: October 10th, 2017

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• Michael Scott
• May 11, 2017

Recommendation: Great Watch

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. Agree, this is a great classic. Great watch.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Nice review Mike. This one is a Christmas classic! Nice to see it readily available on BD again. Hello stocking stuffer!

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I am not remembering seeing this one. I know I've seen it advertised yearly, but don't think I've ever taken time to watch it.

Always loved the Jimmy Stewart classic, It's a Wonderful Life.

 

[Todd Anderson]

I am not remembering seeing this one. I know I've seen it advertised yearly, but don't think I've ever taken time to watch it.

Always loved the Jimmy Stewart classic, It's a Wonderful Life.

Sonnie Parker. You have some watching to do. This is a Christmas film classic!

 

[tripplej]

I agree. This holiday season, you need to watch it.

Just a sad state that it hasn't been seen in all these years!

 

[Jack]

We watch this regularly in part because it is so well made, there doesn't seem anything in it that would offend. The message here is a valid one and in the end we always feel good about this season again after so many advertisement commercials that tend to make one feel that if they do not have a "Thing" then they may not be good people, parents, friends etc.

A Must watch Mr. Sonnie !!!

 

[Michael Scott]

I'm amazed that Sonnie has never seen it. That's almost like saying you haven't seen White Christmas or It's a Wonderful Life !!!

 

[Jack]

A It's a Wonderful what ???





Just kidding, call off Mr. Potter

 

[Asere]

My wife loves Miracle and It's a Wonderful Life. I really liked It's a Wonderful Life but don't remember much of Miracle.