Common Sense Media Review
By Sierra Filucci
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Not better than the original, but still smiley holiday fare.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
What's the Story?
Like the original 1947 version, this film tells the story of a young girl (Mara Wilson) and her mother (Elizabeth Perkins) who do not believe in Santa Claus. When the mother, who works for Cole's department store, hires Kris Kringle (Richard Attenborough) to play Santa Claus in her store, their worlds change dramatically. Kringle insists he is the real Santa Claus and becomes the delight of shoppers when he begins to point them toward other stores that have sales on the gifts they want. This turns into a brilliant marketing scheme, angering the rival chain of stores. The rivals set out to first steal Kringle away from Cole's, and when they fail, they bait him into a fight. He ends up in a mental facility and then before a judge where his psychological stability is to be determined. The hearing ends up being about whether or not Santa Claus exists, which debates the concepts of faith, imagination, magic, generosity and childhood innocence.
Is It Any Good?
This remake stays pretty true to the original and so contains all the sentimental elements that can be very enjoyable for children and adults. The Kringle character is appealing and the precocious child is funny and sweet. The other adults in the film are less appealing and the remake does little to improve upon the original. This version has a bit of a darker streak, too, delving deeper into the idea of corporate greed than the original.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Santa Claus and other magical figures. What do we believe about these figures and why? Do you think believing in things you can't see or prove is important? What other things do we believe in even though we can't see them?
What other tales about Santa Claus do you enjoy? How are they similar?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 18, 1994
- On DVD or streaming : October 31, 2000
- Cast : Dylan McDermott , Elizabeth Perkins , Richard Attenborough
- Director : Les Mayfield
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Holidays
- Run time : 114 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some mild language.
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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