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Winter city light enters tall courtroom windows beside a walnut desk buried in ivory letters from a green sack, with a gavel resting in front.

Essential Christmas · 1947

Miracle on 34th Street

90/100Festive FactorWhy it scores 90 ↓
UK certificate Universal96 min
Family · Drama

The case for believing, argued in a courtroom, and it still holds.

On Disney+ · UK subscription →
Plan this film night ↓Can the kids watch? ↓
Explore this film 13 sections

The CineClaus Christmas score

Festive Factor

Christmas, right to its heart.

Two paper elves examine a miniature courtroom filled with ivory letters, one pointing towards the model while the other holds a magnifying glass.

A little magic in the making.

Five ingredients make the Festive Factor.
Open an ingredient to find out more.

Christmas in the storyIt can't exist without Christmas.30/30

What we ask: Take Christmas out. Does the plot survive? Worth up to 30 of the 100 points.

A world dressed for ChristmasVisibly Christmas for effectively all of it.20/20

What we ask: How much of the running time is visibly Christmas? Worth up to 20 of the 100 points.

The little seasonal details6 of the 10 kinds of Christmas icon we count turn up on screen.9/15

What we ask: How many kinds of Christmas icon turn up on screen: trees, lights, snow, carols and the rest? Worth up to 15 of the 100 points.

A Christmas heartHow far the ending rests on goodwill, family and belief: entirely.20/20

What we ask: Does the ending depend on what Christmas means: goodwill, family, redemption, belief? Worth up to 20 of the 100 points.

A returning traditionEveryone looks it up in December (250,000+ searches).11/15

What we ask: Is it actually watched at Christmas in the UK? Worth up to 15 of the 100 points.

89/100

Cosiness Rating Rating

How we score →
What do these scores mean?

Festive Factor measures how Christmassy a film is. Five ingredients add up to 100: story (30), setting (20), seasonal details (15), emotional heart (20) and returning tradition (15).

Cosiness is a separate score for warmth of tone, sense of safety, visual comfort, a reassuring ending and how easily you can settle into it.

How the Festive Factor works →
Your next film night

Where to watch

United KingdomChecked

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Miracle on 34th Street · Rental and purchase cost extra, separately from membership.

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Streaming changes constantly and we cannot promise it is still right - check the service before you settle in. Streaming availability information provided by Streaming Availability API by Movie of the Night (opens in a new tab). Sky and Rakuten TV data by JustWatch.

The story

About Miracle on 34th Street

A department store hires a white-bearded old man to play Father Christmas at its Thanksgiving parade, only for him to insist quietly that he is the real thing. His employer's sceptical, practically minded mother has raised her young daughter to distrust make-believe entirely. When his claim lands him in a New York courtroom, a young lawyer takes on the job of proving Santa Claus exists.

The CineClaus verdict

The case for believing, argued in a courtroom, and it still holds.

What makes it work is that the sceptic is taken seriously - the mother who has raised her daughter on facts is never treated as a fool, and the film has to earn its way past her.

Gwenn is unimprovable, and a Londoner, which pleases us more than it should. Warm without being soft, which is a far harder trick than it looks.

The family desk

Can the kids watch?

U

Our take: fine for all ages. Gentle throughout with no jeopardy to speak of, and a courtroom stretch younger children will simply talk over.

BBFC advice: Contains no material likely to offend or harm.

Content advice & accessibility
Where the advice comes from
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), checked .
Our age guidance
Editorial, separate from the official U certificate, and never looser than it.

Read the BBFC record ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Other versions of this story

Other versions of Miracle on 34th Street

One story · 2 screen versions

  • 1947

    You’re here

    Miracle on 34th Street

    1947

    You’re on this film’s page
  • 1994

    Another version

    Miracle on 34th Street

    1994

    The 1994 film retells the same story.

    Not in our catalogue yet
The people behind the film

Cast and crew

The faces in front of the camera, and the people who brought the story to life.

Main cast

In billing order
Magazine portrait of Maureen O'Hara from 1947, with wavy red hair.Maureen O'Haraas Doris Walker
Black and white publicity portrait of John Payne from 1943, a dark-haired man in a jacket and tie.John Payneas Fred Gailey
Black-and-white publicity photograph of Edmund Gwenn from 1953, an older man in a jacket and tie.Edmund Gwennas Kris Kringle
Head and shoulders photograph of the actor Gene Lockhart.Gene Lockhartas Judge Henry X. Harper
Black-and-white magazine portrait of Natalie Wood from 1958, smiling.Natalie Woodas Susan Walker
Studio portrait of the actor Porter Hall, taken around 1930.Porter Hallas Granville Sawyer
Studio portrait of the actor William Frawley, taken in 1951.William Frawleyas Charlie Halloran
Studio portrait of the actor Jerome Cowan, taken around 1940.Jerome Cowanas District Attorney

Behind the camera

Directed by
George Seaton
Original score
Cyril J. Mockridge
Writing & production credits
Writers
George Seaton
Valentine Davies
Producer
William Perlberg
Photo credits

Portraits via Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence, approved for this page by a person. Sources and full photographer credits:

Maureen O'Hara · Dell Publishing · Source image (opens in a new tab) · Public domain.

John Payne · Modern Screen · Source image (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab).

Edmund Gwenn · Barkin, Herman & Associates-public relations for Schlitz, the show's sponsor. · Source image (opens in a new tab) · Public domain.

Gene Lockhart · RKO Radio Pictures · Source image (opens in a new tab) · Public domain.

Natalie Wood · Dell Publishing , 1958. Photographer: Globe by Don Orrit [1] · Source image (opens in a new tab) · Public domain.

Porter Hall · Photographer:DeForrest Studios, San Francisco. · Source image (opens in a new tab) · Public domain.

William Frawley · KTTV, Los Angeles. This was a publicity photo for a local KTTV program. In the 1950s and 1960s, television stations, networks, studios and program sponsors often used advertising or publicity agencies to distribute promotional material. In this case, KTTV used advertising agency Young & Rubicam to s · Source image (opens in a new tab) · Public domain.

Jerome Cowan · Harry Sherman Productions · Source image (opens in a new tab) · Public domain.

George Seaton · Unknown author Unknown author , distributed by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer · Source image (opens in a new tab) · Public domain.

Keep the Christmas feeling

Music & soundtrack

That tune you recognised. That score you loved. Take a little of the film into the rest of your Christmas.

The original score album, track by track.

Behind the music. Cyril J. Mockridge composed the score.

About this music list

These are the songs and soundtrack we hold for the film, not a complete cue sheet, and they give no scene timings. Album track lists and durations come from MusicBrainz. Spotify and Apple Music links open the matched recordings; links marked Search open a search on that service. Album covers are each release's own, from the Cover Art Archive, credited under the cover.

Wikidata ↗ (opens in a new tab) MusicBrainz ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Step into the story

Filming locations

The real places behind Miracle on 34th Street. Choose one to explore.

Find it on the mapMacy's Herald Square, New York

© OpenStreetMap contributors (opens in a new tab)

Open larger map ↗ (OpenStreetMap, opens in a new tab)

Map shows the selected place. Drag to explore; use + and − to zoom.

Choose your next scene

Photographs of the real places

There’s more behind the film.
Explore the next place.

Photo credits & location sources

These are photographs of the places, not film stills. Dates vary; photographs do not show current conditions or guarantee access.

Macy's Herald Square, New York · PlusMinus · Source image (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab) · TCM (opens in a new tab)

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York City · cisc1970 · Source image (opens in a new tab) · CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab) · TCM (opens in a new tab)

Map pins mark the place, not a camera position or a route. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), including any pin positions read from OpenStreetMap.

A little more Miracle on 34th Street

Film facts &
behind the scenes

For the fans who stay after the credits.

Movie magic

The parade opening was shot inside the real parade

The crew filmed during the actual Thanksgiving Day parade in New York on 28 November 1946. The parade would not stop for the production, so each scene was shot once. The Oscar-winning supporting actor rode the real float, and onlookers did not realise who he was until a newspaper said so the next day.

Read the story

Source: TCM ↗ (opens in a new tab)

On set

The department store scenes were filmed at night

With the store's permission, scenes were shot inside the real Macy's Herald Square in December 1946. The daytime crowds made filming impossible, so the crew worked overnight. The cast and crew went back to California in January 1947 to finish on the studio lot, and filming wrapped in March.

Read the story

Source: TCM ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Movie magic

A Christmas film released in June

The studio head chose a June 1947 release for the film, believing summer drew bigger audiences. The marketing played down the holiday and leaned on the romance, with posters pushing the two leads. The rival stores whose names appear in the story were both shown the film and approved it.

Read the story

Source: TCM ↗ (opens in a new tab)

On set

It started out under a different title

Production began in November 1946 under the working title It's Only Human. The film was renamed Miracle on 34th Street before release, and Natalie Wood's on-set nickname for her screen mother was Mamma Maureen.

Read the story

Source: TCM ↗ (opens in a new tab)

And at a glance

The Christmas in it
Opens at the Thanksgiving Day parade and runs through the weeks of department-store Christmas shopping in New York.
Releases and certificates
: In cinemas. Classified by the BBFC for UK cinema on this date.
: Premiere (US). Opened in New York in early June 1947, a Christmas story deliberately released in summer.
Awards
Won: Academy Awards 1948, Actor in a Supporting Role (Edmund Gwenn).
Won: Academy Awards 1948, Writing (Motion Picture Story) (Valentine Davies).
Won: Academy Awards 1948, Writing (Screenplay) (George Seaton).
Nominated: Academy Awards 1948, Best Motion Picture.
Sources & a note on these facts

Each production story is linked to its source, in our own words. Ending details stay behind a spoiler reveal.

From page to screen

The book behind the film

The book

Miracle on 34th Street: Great for Holiday and Christmas Reading or Gifting

At Amazon.co.uk
Check the current price and availability

As an Amazon Associate, Cine Claus earns from qualifying purchases. Buying through a link helps pay for the site - it never changes a score.

Gifts for film lovers · Miracle on 34th Street

Something for the Miracle on 34th Street fan

Little gifts for someone whose Christmas always includes Miracle on 34th Street.

As an Amazon Associate, Cine Claus earns from qualifying purchases. Buying through a link helps pay for the site - it never changes a score.

For the fan who watches it every Christmas.Sold by the linked retailer
Good to know

Questions about Miracle on 34th Street

Is Miracle on 34th Street a Christmas film?

Yes. We class it as essential Christmas viewing.

What age rating is the 1947 Miracle on 34th Street?

U, suitable for all ages.

Who directed the 1947 Miracle on 34th Street?

George Seaton directed it and wrote the screenplay, from an original story by Valentine Davies.

Where was Miracle on 34th Street filmed?

In New York: the opening inside the real 1946 Thanksgiving parade, and the store interiors overnight at Macy's Herald Square.

Who wrote the music for Miracle on 34th Street?

Cyril J. Mockridge composed the score.

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