Book Vs Movie Miracle on 34th Street

Book Vs. Movie: Miracle on 34th Street

Valentine Davies’s Story Vs. the 1947 Classic Film

“Can you say classic?” In the almost ten years that we have been putting on this show, we somehow missed “Miracle on 34th Street” as one of the most famous adaptations of holiday films. With a story by beloved writer Valentine Davies and direction by his friend George Seaton, the film (released in May of 1947 for some baffling reason!) became a massive hit with filmgoers. Starring Maureen O’Hara as a frazzled Macy’s executive, Natalie Wood as her skeptical daughter Susan, and Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle, the film has everything you could want in a Christmas movie. You have the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, a love story, and a court scene that settles whether the State of New York Recognizes Santa Claus once and for all. What else do you need?

This episode is sponsored by Bethany House’s You Made It Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year–for everyone except Starr Lewis.

As if going home for the holidays jobless and single wasn’t bad enough, she’s dragged into a holiday season full of activities leading up to her sister’s uber-romantic Christmas Eve wedding–to Starr’s ex-boyfriend. But when her brother’s best friend, Waylon Emmerson, attends their family Thanksgiving, she wonders if coming home for Christmas isn’t so bad after all.

As Starr finds the perfect distraction in helping Waylon make over his late mother’s Christmas shop, the most wonderful time of the year works its magic, and the spark between them grows. But with the holidays fast approaching, Starr must decide what she wants out of life after the gifts are unwrapped and the ornaments are put away–to return to New York City or to open her heart to a love that will last beyond Christmas Day?

Follow author Toni Shiloh!!

In this ep, the Margos discuss:

The work of Valentine Davies
The various productions of Miracle on 34th Street.
The cast of the 1947 film: Maureen O’Hara (Doris Walker,) John Payne (Fred Gailey,) Edmund Gwenn (Kris Kringle,) Gene Lockhart (Henry Harper,) Natalie Wood (Susan Walker,) Porter Hall (Granville Sawyer,) William Frawley (DA Thomas Mara,) and Philip Tonge as Julian Shellhammer.

Clips used: