The Miracle on 34th Street (1955)
Watching The Miracle on 34th Street was a fun experience. The 1955 television remake used a nearly identical script (but with severe cuts to make it fit into a tv slot), but it felt like a completely different story. Thomas Mitchell’s interpretation of Santa Claus was so different from Edmund Gwenn’s. Teddy was jolly, well-intentioned, and pure-hearted. To Tommy, Kris Kringle was, without a doubt, insane. His eyes may have danced all over the screen, but not with mirth. He was almost punchy with his edginess, and he was not someone you would ever trust with your children. Had the story been about an obviously insane man posing as Santa Claus, it would have been a very good interpretation.
In the supporting cast, MacDonald Carey plays Fred Gailey, without the soul John Payne put into the character. Sandy Descher is a cute Susan Walker, but she’s given very little screen time with not much to do. Hans Conried had all Mr. Schellhammer’s funny lines extracted, and Ray Collins just wasn’t the same as Gene Lockhart. I did enjoy Teresa Wright’s performance, as she had warmth, motherly devotion, and strength needed to be a convincing career woman and single parent. Had she been old enough at the time, she would have been a wonderful Mrs. Walker in the original version. It’s also always nice to see Whit Bissell, even only with a couple of lines as Dr. Pierce. And in a hilarious cameo, Herbert Heyes repeated his brief role as Mr. Gimbel! All in all, though, I wouldn’t recommend this one. The only reason to watch it would be to appreciate the original actors’ interpretations even more.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Steve6966" for posting!
More Teresa Wright movies here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1947's Miracle on 34th Street here!
In the supporting cast, MacDonald Carey plays Fred Gailey, without the soul John Payne put into the character. Sandy Descher is a cute Susan Walker, but she’s given very little screen time with not much to do. Hans Conried had all Mr. Schellhammer’s funny lines extracted, and Ray Collins just wasn’t the same as Gene Lockhart. I did enjoy Teresa Wright’s performance, as she had warmth, motherly devotion, and strength needed to be a convincing career woman and single parent. Had she been old enough at the time, she would have been a wonderful Mrs. Walker in the original version. It’s also always nice to see Whit Bissell, even only with a couple of lines as Dr. Pierce. And in a hilarious cameo, Herbert Heyes repeated his brief role as Mr. Gimbel! All in all, though, I wouldn’t recommend this one. The only reason to watch it would be to appreciate the original actors’ interpretations even more.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Steve6966" for posting!
More Teresa Wright movies here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1947's Miracle on 34th Street here!