While there are endless Christmas movies to enjoy during this festive season, Miracle of 34th Street remains a classic that fans love to return to again and again. It is the story of Santa Claus as more than a figure of Christmas but something that represents having faith in something wonderful.
Despite being nearly 75 years old at this point, Miracle on 34th Street is still something the whole family can enjoy together thanks to its feel-good tone and heartwarming message. And some of the memorable quotes from the movie showcase the magic of Miracle on 34th Street.
10 Kris Insists He’s Santa
Kris: “Well, I Hate To Disagree With You, But Not Only Is There Such A Person, But Here I Am To Prove It.”
Actor Edmund Gwenn creates one of the most beloved movie portrayals of Santa Claus, or rather Kris Kringle, a jolly old man who claims to be the real Santa. Gwenn is a big part of the movie’s charm as he perfectly captures what fans might expect from Santa.
Though he understandably runs into plenty of skeptics, Kris remains positive and friendly while maintaining his magical identity. When Doris asks him to explain to her daughter Suzie that he isn’t really Santa, Kris politely disagrees.
9 Kris Tries To Understand Modern Christmas
Kris: “You See, Mrs. Walker, This Is Quite An Opportunity For Me. For The Past 50 Years Or So I’ve Been Getting More And More Worried About Christmas.”
A fun point of view the movie takes is asking the question of what Santa might think about what society has turned Christmas in to. Having Kris interact with the busy holiday season gives him a chance to give his own expertise about the rights and wrongs he sees.
When he is hired by a department store to be the new Santa Claus, he is more than happy to accept. He expresses his own doubts about the Christmas spirit in the world and how he might begin to understand the change in people when it comes to the holiday season.
8 Fred Makes His Case
Fred: “We Intend To Prove That Mr. Kringle *Is* Santa Claus.”
Though it doesn’t turn into a full-blown courtroom drama, Miracle on 34th Street goes in a fun direction in the final act as there is a trial about Kris and his claims of being Santa Claus. Kris is being represented by the passionate lawyer Fred Gailey who takes an interesting approach in his arguments.
Instead of attempting to prove Kris’s claims are just harmless delusions, Fred declares he will prove Kris really is Santa Claus. Fred’s willingness to stand up for Kris and the reaction Kris gives to this confidence is very charming.
7 Fighting For A Worthy Cause
Fred: “Faith Is Believing Things When Common Sense Tells You Not To. Don’t You See? It’s Not Just Kris That’s On Trial, It’s Everything He Stands For.”
As entertaining as it is to see a courtroom trial centered around whether Santa Claus exists or not, there is, of course, more to it than just a bit of fun. Fred may be out on a limb with the case, but he believes he is fighting for something special.
He explains that whether he believes Kris is not the point but rather that believing in the things Kris represents is what is worth fighting so hard for.
6 Fred Encourages Doris To Embrace The Unknown
Fred: “Look Doris, Someday You’re Going To Find That Your Way Of Facing This Realistic World Just Doesn’t Work. And When You Do, Don’t Overlook Those Lovely Intangibles. You’ll Discover They’re The Only Things That Are Worthwhile.”
As with most Christmas movies with Santa Claus, there are inevitably those characters who stand by the fact that Santa isn’t real. In this case, it is Doris, the protagonist of the story who is alarmed by Kris’s claims at first as she likes to approach the world from a practical point of view.
Of course, it is not only up to Kris to change Doris’s mind, but also her less cynical love interest, Fred. He explains to her that when she eventually realizes she doesn’t have to see the world in black and white, she should enjoy those wonderful things that are not so easily explained.
5 Kris Explains The Importance Of Christmas
Kris: “Oh, Christmas Isn’t Just A Day, It’s A Frame Of Mind… And That’s What’s Been Changing. That’s Why I’m Glad I’m Here, Maybe I Can Do Something About It.”
While Miracle on 34th is the kind of movie fans rewatch every Christmas, it attempts to deliver a message that goes beyond just the holidays. This is seen with Kris and how he approaches the world and people in the friendliest manner possible.
The more people he meets, the more joy he spreads. And while he is happy to do that during the Christmas season, he also points out that these are things people need all year round.
4 Doris Comes Around
Doris: “I Was Wrong When I Told You That, Susie. You Must Believe In Mr. Kringle And Keep Right On Doing It. You Must Have Faith In Him.”
It is very touching that the characters in the movie eventually get behind the idea of not so much believing there is really a Santa Claus but rather just believing in their kind friend Kris Kringle. This includes Doris who has a change of heart in the end.
While she has spent so much time teaching her daughter Suzie not to waste time with the nonsense in the world, she admits to the little girl that she was wrong about this and that Kris is someone who is worth believing in.
3 Suzie Believes
Susie: “I Believe… I Believe… It’s Silly, But I Believe.”
Suzie is a wonderful character in this story as she is a young girl wise beyond her years who doesn’t approach things like a normal child. Indeed, when she first meets Kris, she is entirely skeptical about his whole Santa claim.
It is a joy watching the relationship between Kris and Suzie grow over the course of the movie. And at the end, though he seemingly failed to get her the present she wanted, she maintains her belief, albeit in a reluctant way.
2 The Real Santa Claus
Fred: “Maybe I Didn’t Do Such A Wonderful Thing After All.”
Not only did Kris become a great friend to the characters in the movie, but he also brought them together as Fred, Doris, and Suzie become a family. At the end of the movie, they even come across a house for sale just like the one Suzie wished for.
As they explore the house, they find Kris’s cane. In shock, Fred suggests maybe he isn’t a brilliant lawyer who convinced the world an old man was Santa Claus, but rather that Kris is Santa. It is the cheesy Christmas movie trope that Santa is real but it makes for a terrific way to end the movie.
1 Kris Speaks Dutch
Dutch Girl: [In Dutch] “Oh, You Are Sinterklaas!”
The best part of the movie is seeing the joy Kris gets from being Santa Claus to all the people and the pleasure they all get from interacting with him. The best example of this is when a young Dutch girl comes to visit Santa at the store.
The girl’s new adoptive mother explains the girl doesn’t speak English but wanted to meet him. Without hesitation, Kris begins speaking to the girl in Dutch and her face lights up as she knows he is the real Santa.
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