Christmas confection from Twentieth Century Fox, released in the summer of 1947 (!), might have been a treacly mess were it not for director George Seaton's nimble handling and his wise, caring screenplay-adaptation from Valentine Davies' story. Edmund Gwenn is perfectly cast as the department store Santa who really is; Natalie Wood is adorable as a non-believing tyke who learns about faith and miracles. A most deserving recipient of the Supporting Actor Oscar, Gwenn seems like an incredibly nice man--maybe because he never has to force kindliness; more than that, he has an innate happiness and twinkle that comes from within (he truly glows in this part). Dated? Perhaps. But the message of belief, ultimately, is timeless and the silvery black-and-white cinematography from Lloyd Ahern and Charles Clarke is wonderful. The adults--Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Gene Lockhart, William Frawley and Thelma Ritter (in a wonderful bit) all shine in this classic fairy tale. It is a film without artifice. Four Oscar nominations with three wins including Seaton for his screenplay and Davies for Best Original Story. Remade for television three times; a theatrical remake followed in 1994. ***1/2 from ****
Review of Miracle on 34th Street
