This is arguably the best Christmas movie (I like it better than a "Christmas Story"). Cynical and practical Doris Walker Maureen O'hara) is a divorced mother of Susan (a young Natalie Wood), who tells her daughter not to believe in Santa or other myths. Doris is an executive at Macy's, in charge of putting on the annual Thanksgiving Day parade. When the "Santa" she hires is drunk, she finds a replacement in Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn). Kringle is a great Santa in the parade, and Doris hires him to be the Santa in the department store. Kris is a great Santa, and even diverts customers to other stores with better deals. At first this gets him in trouble, but then Macy's embraces this as a good marketing plan.
Kris rooms with a neighbor of Doris Walker, Fred Gailey (John Payne). Fred has a liking for Miss Walker. The precocious Susan Walker takes a liking for Mr. Gailey and his roomate Kris. Kris has a secret--he believes he is Santa Claus. When this becomes known, and Kris knocks the store psychologist on the head with his cane, Kris must face a sanity hearing. The hearing proceeds poorly for Kris (defended by Fred Gailey, who is a lawyer) until the U.S. Post Office delivers all its Santa mail to Kris.
The question of whether Kris is REALLY Santa is left ambiguous, until the end. Fred Gailey, Doris and Susan take a drive for a house in the suburbs (Fred and Doris are now engaged). Sasan shouts "stop" at a house of her dreams. It is the one she asked Kris (who she now believes is Santa) to find. Was Kris Santa? They all see Kris's cane near the fireplace. Kris is Santa!
Great performances by Gwenn, O'hara, Payne and especially little Natalie Wood.
Other good Christmas films: "The Santa Clause"; "A Cristmas Story"; "It's A Wonderful Life".
Kris rooms with a neighbor of Doris Walker, Fred Gailey (John Payne). Fred has a liking for Miss Walker. The precocious Susan Walker takes a liking for Mr. Gailey and his roomate Kris. Kris has a secret--he believes he is Santa Claus. When this becomes known, and Kris knocks the store psychologist on the head with his cane, Kris must face a sanity hearing. The hearing proceeds poorly for Kris (defended by Fred Gailey, who is a lawyer) until the U.S. Post Office delivers all its Santa mail to Kris.
The question of whether Kris is REALLY Santa is left ambiguous, until the end. Fred Gailey, Doris and Susan take a drive for a house in the suburbs (Fred and Doris are now engaged). Sasan shouts "stop" at a house of her dreams. It is the one she asked Kris (who she now believes is Santa) to find. Was Kris Santa? They all see Kris's cane near the fireplace. Kris is Santa!
Great performances by Gwenn, O'hara, Payne and especially little Natalie Wood.
Other good Christmas films: "The Santa Clause"; "A Cristmas Story"; "It's A Wonderful Life".
Top Box Office
- 1.$70.2M
- 2.$35.8M
- 3.$23.9M
- 4.$3.2M
- 5.$3.0M
- 6.$2.8M
- 7.$2.3M
- 8.$2.2M
- 9.$2.2M
- 10.$1.2M