This product contains both an original black and white and a colorized copy of the original Miracle on 34th Street. Personally I feel that colorization is a major travistry but.. The black and white original is the cleanest, clearest copy of this classic that I have seen in years. The original cast is so good that there have been several remakes all of which were a waste of time. This is the definitive copy of a timeless story.

Awkward, formulaic, even leaden at times: there's just something about the sentiment in this movie I can't resist.

This isn't a great movie, but it's a good one. The very premise -- standing up to common sense at a time of the year when we want so much to believe in the inherent goodness of people -- can get you right where you live if you're willing to give yourself over to it. Edmund Gwenn and (a very young) Natalie Wood help us to do just that.

The rest of the cast is a bit stilted, but it just doesn't matter. Besides, the 90-second screen debut of Thelma Ritter would make any movie a gem. (Naturally, she manages to do in those 90 seconds what most of the cast struggles to do in 90 minutes: make us believe that what we're watching could be real.) A great story, some great performances and a truly great sentiment.

Movies like this make Christmas very special. Another classic Christmas tale no house can do without.

EXCELLENT MOVIE, 3 DIFFERT VERSIONS. DEFINETLY WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED TO ADD TO YOUR COLLECTION. A MUST HAVE

I have loved this movie since I was a child and I still have to watch it every year. Still gives me shivers. Natalie Wood is such an adorable child in this. The whole cast is great. You'll believe!!

There have been other versions made of this movie, but I will always love this first version as it's the one I grew up with. This is a classic Christmas movie that I will watch year after year.

finally I found a copy of this movie in Black and White! So much better than the colorized version...

With its clever, moving script and wonderful performances this remains the classic version of the tale of the department store Santa who maybe really is Santa--depending on your point of view. Edmund Gwenn is terrific as the old guy and the young Natalie Wood (who apparently really believed he was Santa during the filming) is the perfect little skeptic-turned believer. As well as the original black and white film this set includes the colorized version(forget that)and interesting background features, including an interview with Irish actress Maureen O'Hara, who played Natalie Wood's mother.

This is a great Christmas movie for Santa Clause. Always remember though that Jesus Christ's birthday is the reason for Christmas

Macy's Department Store hires a Santa Claus (Edmund Gwenn) for the toy department and he becomes quite a sensation with customers. Unfortunately, they soon learn that the man, who goes by the name Kris Kringle, believes he is the actual Santa Claus. This ends up leading to a commitment hearing where his lawyer, Fred Gailey (John Payne) must prove that Kris is exactly what he claims to be.

Miracle on 34th Street is a lighthearted Christmas classic with a message that never goes out of style. The movie is meant to remind all of us that Christmas is a time of giving and that the real meaning is too easily swamped by commercialism. Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara) and her daughter Susan (Natalie Wood) provide another aspect in that they are hardheaded pragmatists who don't believe in anything tangible. Kris takes it as a personal challenge to bring a little magic and imagination into their lives.

This is an interesting and entertaining movie for many reasons. First, Santa Claus is often cited as an example of the commercialization of Christmas, but here he acts as its conscience. Kris represents the best of humanity with his generosity, warmth, and kindness. The movie may have gone a bit far in demonizing common sense but its heart is in the right place. The performances are uniformly excellent and in a small role William Frawley (better known as Fred Mertz to Lucy fans) steals the show in all of his scenes.

Miracle on 34th Street offers a bit of everything. It's a comedy that's laugh out loud funny when it tries to be. It's part schmaltzy Christmas movie and revels in that role, but just manages to avoid drowning in sappiness. And it remains a very relevant fable about the excesses of modern society including being overly obsessed with materialism at the expense of intangibles that make live really worth living. If you've never seen it, then give it a try and you just might find your new favorite holiday movie.

It's Christmas Day as I am writing this review, so what better thing to do than to review one of the classic Christmas movies! This is an emotional movie, pulling all the right strings to get the audience's predictable response. And it works well! This is, for what it's worth, in my judgment, the preferred Christmas movie.

It has many different components that make the overall production work. First, the cast. The lead players are well portrayed, with John Payne as the idealistic attorney, Maureen O'Hara as the flinty, pragmatic non-nonsense mother of the "too grown up for her age" Natalie Wood, acting early in her career. Other actors fill out the cast nicely, with William Frawley as a hard-boiled political operative to the judge, Gene Lockhart, who will preside over the court case that serves as the climax of the movie.

Second, the plot line is crisply laid out and moves along nicely. A drunk Santa Claus at Macy's is replaced by Edmund Gwenn, who calls himself Kris Kringle. His behavior is at first thought harmful to the store--but redounds to Macy's benefit. Then, he is accused of being mentally incompetent because of his belief that he is, in fact, Santa Claus. John Payne, who has become close to O'Hara's character, takes Kris Kringle's case to court. There, the befuddled judge has to make some politically charged decisions. Such as: Is there a real Santa Claus? If so, is Kris him? The US Post Office plays a key role in the outcome, and there is a happy ending--with a special nice touch, with the last lines being film classics.

So, yes, there is a contrived element to this movie; yes, it pulls strings on the audience; yes, the ending is a bit schmaltzy. But, yes, this is a wonderful movie and deserves to be telecast each holiday season. A genuine classic!

It is a miracle that this is in COLOR again! What a heart warming story. A must see every Christmas time.

just got this brand new at f.y.e. for 5 bucks. It was an impulse buy at the registor for christmas time.

I saw this movie on On Demand and it was awesome. Maureen O'Hara didn't like the script, which accounts for her suffering perfomance, which otherwise was a perfect movie.

I love the last line of this great movie. If you've never seen it, I won't give it away...but somehow it reminds me of the last line of Some Like It Hot (I won't give away that line either.)

It's hard to believe that the beautiful little girl is Natalie Wood. And Ed Gynn make the perfect Santa Claus.

I like the original better than the re-make.

This is a charming movie that is great for the whole fmaily.

Also recommended:

Christmas in Connecticut--a great Christmas movie in the screwball comedy tradition.

Christmas Gifts, Christmas Voices--a touching look at the miracle of giving.

I've loved this movie for years and years as most people do. I purchased this copy for a friend whose video has finally given out. They will love all the versions on this set.

For the Woody Allen Fans. As Woody prefer everything in B/W. It great in colorized color. Give it a freshness and this is a special pack with other feature. It work the money.

I'm not an artsy crafty type person, and I own several old black and white movies that have been colorized. But please, if you (the studio) are not going to bother doing a decent job of colorizing, then DON'T!
Luckily of course, this special edition has the original B&W version, which is what we all remember and love.

Natalie Wood steals the show as precocious Susan Walker who doesn't believe in Santa Claus. So, who shows up but old Kris Kringle himself, delightfully portrayed by Edmund Gwenn. The sweet and endearing Kringle touches everyone he encounters and proclaims that he is, indeed, Santa Claus. Those who don't believe seek to have him committed and a hearing ensues. Is Kringle successful in proving his identity? Does Susan have a change of heart? Sit back for 90 minutes and see how it all unfolds. You won't be disappointed.

This movie is hands down an American classic. It must be the black and white version, and it must be this movie not any knock off that arrived later. All performances are excellent and what a holiday message the film bears!

God bless Natalie Wood, Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, and especially Edmund Gwenn for leaving us this holiday treasure!

"Miracle on 34th Street" opens with a wonderful holiday feel to it, as the camera follows an elderly gentleman down the sidewalk of a busy Christmas holiday New York street. The scene develops into the Macy's Department Store Thanksgiving Day parade, with the elderly man discovering that the man that Macy's has hired to portray Santa is disgracefully drunk! Doris Walker, (Maureen O'Hara) who is Macy's special events director, persuades the elderly man to take his place, telling him how much that he looks like the "real' Santa! The elderly man proves to be a sensation and is quickly recruited to be the store Santa at the Macy's department store! While he is successful, Ms. Walker learns that he calls himself Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) and he claims to be the actual Santa Claus! Despite reassurances by Kringle's doctor that he is harmless, Doris still has misgivings, especially when she has cynically trained herself, and also her young daughter, Susan, (Natalie Wood) to reject all notions of belief and fantasy. And yet, people, especially Susan, begin to notice there is something special about Kris and his determination to advance the true spirit of Christmas amidst the rampant commercialism around him and succeeding in improbable ways. Kris even brings together department store rivals Macy and Gimbal! When a raucous conflict with the store's cruelly incompetent psychologist erupts; Kris finds himself held at Bellevue where, in despair, he deliberately fails a mental examination to ensure his commitment. All seems lost until Doris' lawyer friend, Fred Gaily, (John Payne) reassure Kris of his worth and agrees to represent him in the fight to secure his release. To achieve that, Fred arranges a formal hearing in which he argues that Kris is sane because he is in fact the real and genuine Santa Claus! What ensues is an incredibly entertaining hearing in which people's beliefs are reexamined and put to the test, but even so, it's going to take a miracle for Kris to win!

"Miracle on 34th Street" (1947) has got to be one of the best and original Christmas stories ever made! You'll delight at the scene of Susan watching skeptically as Santa is talking to the children in the department store, and he talks to both the French children and a special little Dutch girl, who he also sings a song to! Susan is amazed that this man knows so much about children and even speaks different languages! The movie's finale is what makes this movie such a wonderful Christmas experience! To see an ordinary lawyer like Fred Gaily represent a seemingly ordinary man like Kris Kringle and in a brilliant moment Fred uses a government service to prove that, not only is this pleasant little man Kris Kringle, but the one and only Santa Claus! And it's all played out on Christmas Eve! You would think that after this scene that the movie would end- not so! Another wonderful scene awaits, and will have you saying, along with Susan, Doris, and Fred- "He REALLY is Santa Claus!!"

Perfection was struck when they made this movie. Why they even bothered with the awful remakes is beyond the comprehension of even the wisest of people. I'm not going to go into a plot detail. One reviewer described Thomas Mara Jr. getting his oversized football helmut Christmas morning. I tried going to every site possible and can find no mention of that scene. Besides that scene doesn't sound all that monumental. Now if that beautiful, throat lumping, eyes welling up, I hope everyone in the room is watching the movie and not me scene with the little Dutch girl was cut, THAT would be a far better reason to boycott this dvd. But they haven't. It's all there. With all the bonus features this 2 disc version is a must have. If you have the previously released DVD the cute 5 minute trailer is known as (promotional spot) on this set. Disc 2. There's a nicety to having both the colorized and original Black & White versions. I'm comfortable watching either one. I am amazed and disgusted as I find a growing number of morons oops! (I mean people) who flat out refuse to watch anything that's in Black & White. No matter how good it is. I suffered through the 1997 remake with my then wife who totally refused to watch this version simply because it was in B&W. The color version looks a little drab. A little adjustment of the tint and color settings from your TV may be necessary for the best possible picture. I know alot of people are upset because a classic B&W movie has been tampered with. Chances are, maybe the filmakers wanted to film this in color, but Fox studio exec Darryl F Zanuck did not grant a large enough budget. After all this is a Christmas movie. Who wouldn't want to display all the wonderous colors of Christmas. If this dvd was offered as a colorized version only, I would still buy it. Why? Because I could always turn the color completely off on my TV and instantly have the classic B&W version. I dread the thought of movies being colorized just to draw in knuckleheads who didn't have the respect for the classic films in the first place. Yet I'm curious as to what would something like Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein look like in color. Wow! Sorry about the tangent. This is a great movie colorized or not.

Great movie!! Classic christmas movie. The remake is good too, but everyone should have the original.

Have both of them in VCR's much prefer this one so i bought the DVD....delightful

Now in Full Color ! . Miracle on 34th Street is an irrestible fable that has , for many years , become synnomymous with celebrating Christmas . And now this three-time Oscar winning tale is as colorful and respledent as the holiday itself in an all-new colorized version that's sure to delight fans old and new ! . The holiday seasons is in a full swing when a cultured gentleman with twinkling eyes, an ample belly , and a snowy beard (Edmund Gwenn 1877-1959) is hired as Macy's department store Santa . He Claims his name is Kris Kringle , and soon fills everyone with Chrismas spirit ... exept for his boss , Doris Walker ( Maureen O'Hara 1920- ) who's raising her daughter (Natalie Wood 1938-1981) to not belive in Santa . But when Kringle is declared insane , and put a trial , everyone's faith is put to the test as a young and old alike face the age-old question: Do you believe in Santa Claus . Super all-nes colorized version . High Quality transfer . Many funny feature a recommendation .

What can I say, It is a great movie. One that the whol family will enjoy.

A wonderful movie about a child, her mom and Santa Claus, yes I still believe.

This is another classic movie of which I have more than one version. I do enjoy this version's "Kris Kringle" very much and Natalie Wood was fantastic as Susan. Maureen O'Hara made a great mother and the story speaks for itself, if you believe. . . .

Was there ever a better big-screen Santa than Oscar winner Edmund Gwenn? This timeless Christmas fable about an elderly retiree who sets New York a-twitter with his claim to be the sleigh-riding patron saint of the North Pole captures the spirit of the season like few other holiday films. Young Natalie Wood is delightful as the disbelieving girl who, hewing to her mother's urban sophisticate views, thinks the notion of elves and Saint Nick is preposterous. Repeat viewings won't diminish the charming allure or the endearing message of "Miracle."

Excellent quality film. The DVD contains both the original black and white version as well as a colorized version. Highly recommended for every family, we love it.

I have another version of this movie in LD. I like the story very much and its idea of using the Post Office to prove officially the existence of the Santa is so much better than the 1994 remake. This edition provides the best of both world (Colour and B/W)for me as well. All in all, it is a great value package for a young at heart.

she needed a VHS of the movie, i bought her one. Paid one great price!

I can't heap anymore praise on this film. We all know that it's a classic! Five (hundred) stars!!

A wonderful DVD set! The three versions (yes, three!) each have their own merits. The colorized version is reasonably vivid without being harsh on the eyes. The B&W version is a near-perfect restoration. The TV version is a nice bit of retro-media history. The interviews with Miss O'Hara are fascinating....boy, talk about someone who has aged so gracefully. The rest of the special features are a great insight into Hollywood history and studio marketing just before the beginning of the TV era. Well worth the tiny price.

This is indeed the absolute BEST Christmas movie of all time! The 1994 version I've never seen and don't plan to, because how can you compare it to this one, when the updated version has all Jews playing the Christian-based roles?? The 1947 CLASSIC deserves far more than only 5 stars!