History Film / MiracleOnThirtyFourthStreet

R.H. Macy is incensed... until he sees just how much goodwill Kris is building with the store's customers, and with the public at large. Everyone soon becomes content to let Kris have his harmless fantasies; everyone, that is, except the store's resentful staff psychologist, who attempts to have him committed to the psychiatric ward. Things come to a head in a big showy trial, where the defense decides to argue that Kris is not insane even though he claims to be Santa Claus--because he ''is'' Santa Claus!

R.H. Macy is incensed... until he sees just how much goodwill Kris is building with the store's customers and the public at large. Everyone soon becomes content to let Kris have his harmless fantasies; everyone, that is, except the store's resentful staff psychologist, who attempts to have him committed to the psychiatric ward. Things come to a head in a big showy trial, where the defense decides to argue that Kris is not insane even though he claims to be Santa Claus--because he ''is'' Santa Claus!

** In 1994, Bryan wouldn't need to prove that Kris isn't crazy to keep him from being committed. The Supreme Court ruled in 1975 that you can't involuntarily commit someone unless he's a danger to himself and others. The debate over the existence of Santa Claus would have been immediately ruled irrelevant as even if Kris wasn't Santa, it didn't mean he was a dangerous person who needed to be locked up. Notably, this fact blew up in Fred Gailey's face in the 1947 version, as Fred initially claimed that Kris couldn't be crazy because if he ''was'' Santa Claus, it made sense that he'd keep getting violent or confrontational when people kept insisting that he wasn't. The prosecutor finally calls his bluff by conceding the existence of Santa Claus but pointing out that it wasn't relevant if they couldn't prove ''Kris'' was Santa Claus. In reality, the only real legal basis for arguing to commit Kris in the 1994 version was his attack against the rival CEO's henchmen, but that would have been blown because of a line in the movie indicating that the pair had ''admitted'' to intentionally provoking a physical confrontation.

** In 1994, Bryan wouldn't need to prove that Kris isn't crazy to keep him from being committed. The Supreme Court ruled in 1975 that you can't involuntarily commit someone unless he's a danger to himself and others. The debate over the existence of Santa Claus would have been immediately ruled irrelevant as even if Santa was real, it didn't mean Kris wasn't a violent person that needed to be locked up. Notably, this fact blew up in Fred Gailey's face in the 1947 version, as Fred initially claimed that Kris couldn't be crazy because if he ''was'' Santa Claus, it made sense that he'd keep getting violent or confrontational when people kept insisting that he wasn't. The prosecutor finally calls his bluff by conceding the existence of Santa Claus but pointing out that it wasn't relevant if they couldn't prove ''Kris'' was Santa Claus. In reality, the only real legal basis for arguing to commit Kris in the 1994 version was his attack against the rival CEO's henchmen, but that would have been blown because of a line in the movie indicating that the pair had ''admitted'' to intentionally provoking a physical confrontation.

* BreakingTheFourthWall: After the drunk Santa had just been attacked by Kris after has been arrested, he winks at the camera then pretends to be injured.

* BreakingTheFourthWall: While the drunk Santa pretends to be injured by Kris, he winks at the camera.

* NotSoAboveItAll: After the boy Daniel says in court that the prosecutor Mr. Collins can't be Santa because "Santa don't got a grumpy face!", the judge breaks into laughter with the rest of the courtroom before calling for order.

It's December in [[BigApplesauce New York City]], and Macy's has hired a quiet but charming old man named Kris Kringle to be their [[MallSanta store Santa]] for the holidays. Thing is, Kris clearly sees himself as something far more than a mere seasonal employee; he tells customers where to find a better price on a toy (even if it means sending them to competing stores), converses with immigrant children in their own languages, and even claims to be the real SantaClaus! R.H. Macy is incensed... until he sees just how much goodwill Kris is building with the store's customers and the public at large. Everyone soon becomes content to let Kris have his harmless fantasies; everyone, that is, except the store's resentful staff psychologist, who attempts to have him committed to the psychiatric ward. Things come to a head in a big showy trial, where the defense decides to argue that Kris is not insane even though he claims to be Santa Claus--because he ''is'' Santa Claus!

It's December in [[BigApplesauce New York City]], and Macy's has hired a quiet but charming old man named Kris Kringle to be their [[MallSanta store Santa]] for the holidays. Thing is, Kris clearly sees himself as something far more than a mere seasonal employee; he tells customers where to find a better price on a toy (even if it means sending them to competing stores), converses with immigrant children in their own languages, and even claims to be the real SantaClaus! R.H. Macy is incensed... until he sees just how much goodwill Kris is building with the store's customers and the public at large. Everyone soon becomes content to let Kris have his harmless fantasies; everyone, that is, except the store's resentful staff psychologist, who attempts to have him committed to the psychiatric ward. Things come to a head in a big showy trial, where the defense decides to argue that Kris is not insane even though he claims to be Santa Claus -- because he ''is'' Santa Claus!

It's December in [[BigApplesauce New York City]], and Macy's has hired a quiet but charming old man named Kris Kringle to be their [[MallSanta store Santa]] for the holidays. Thing is, Kris clearly sees himself as something far more than a mere seasonal employee: he tells customers where to find a better price on a toy (even if it means sending them to competing stores), converses with immigrant children in their own languages, and even claims to be the real SantaClaus! R.H. Macy is incensed... until he sees just how much goodwill Kris is building with the store's customers and the public at large. Everyone soon becomes content to let Kris have his harmless fantasies; everyone, that is, except the store's resentful staff psychologist, who attempts to have him committed to the psychiatric ward. Things come to a head in a big showy trial, where the defense decides to argue that Kris is not insane even though he claims to be Santa Claus -- because he ''is'' Santa Claus!

It's December in New York, and Macy's has hired a quiet but charming old man named Kris Kringle to be their [[MallSanta store Santa]] for the holidays. Thing is, Kris clearly sees himself as something far more than a mere seasonal employee: he tells customers where to find a better price on a toy (even if it means sending them to competing stores), converses with immigrant children in their own languages, and even claims to be the real SantaClaus! R.H. Macy is incensed... until he sees just how much goodwill Kris is building with the store's customers and the public at large. Everyone soon becomes content to let Kris have his harmless fantasies; everyone, that is, except the store's resentful staff psychologist, who attempts to have him committed to the psychiatric ward. Things come to a head in a big showy trial, where the defense decides to argue that Kris is not insane even though he claims to be Santa Claus -- because he ''is'' Santa Claus!

It's December in New York, and Macy's hires a quiet but charming old man named Kris Kringle to be their [[MallSanta store Santa]]. Thing is, Kris clearly sees himself as something far more than a mere seasonal employee: he tells customers where to find a better price on a toy (even if it means sending them to competing stores), converses with immigrant children in their own languages, and even claims to be the real SantaClaus! R.H. Macy is incensed... until he sees just how much goodwill Kris is building with the store's customers and the public at large. Everyone soon becomes content to let Kris have his harmless fantasies; everyone, that is, except the store's resentful staff psychologist, who attempts to have him committed to the psychiatric ward. Things come to a head in a big showy trial, where the defense decides to argue that Kris is not insane even though he claims to be Santa Claus -- because he ''is'' Santa Claus!

It's December in New York, and Macy's hires a quiet but charming old man named Kris Kringle to be their [[MallSanta store Santa]]. Thing is, Kris clearly sees himself as something far more than a mere seasonal employee: he tells customers where to find a better price on a toy (even if it means sending them to competing stores), converses with immigrant children in their own languages, and even claims to be the real SantaClaus! R.H. Macy is incensed... until he sees just how much goodwill Kris is building with the store's customers and the public at large. Everyone soon becomes content to let Kris have his harmless fantasies; everyone, that is, except the store's resentful psychologist, who attempts to have him committed to the psychiatric ward. Things come to a head in a big showy trial, where the defense decides to argue that Kris is not insane even though he claims to be Santa Claus -- because he ''is'' Santa Claus!

* PragmaticAdaptation: The Dutch little girl of the 1947 film was an orphan from World War II, which wouldn't work for a remake set in TheNineties, so she's replaced by a deaf little girl. Kris's hidden talent to surprise the girl and make her happy, that is being able to speak Dutch, is replaced by sign language.

That ''other'' famous heartwarming Christmas movie from TheForties, after ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife''.

* CunningLinguist: Turns out Kris can speak Dutch, which is all the better for the Dutch orphan little girl.

* BenevolentBoss: R.H Macy, who gives a bonus to his employees for coming up with a successful marketing stunt and sticks up for Kris in court.

* LastSecondWordSwap: Mr. Shellhammer comes up with the idea of getting his wife drunk to make her more receptive at taking in Kris as a boarder, and tells Doris he'll call when his wife is "plaster -- er, feeling better."

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: None of the adaptations ever explicitly declare Kris to be Santa, though the 1947 and 1973 versions hint at some truth to it via TheStinger when [[spoiler: Kris' cane appears in the new house that he shouldn't have ever been able to visit.]] The 1973 happy couple just laughs it off, but in 1947, Fred about has a heart attack. The 1994 version is much more leaning towards the "magic" than the "mundane", and also delivers a line from Kris to the prosecutor at the end of the trial that is basically an admission of it ([[spoiler: he asks if the prosecutor did anything about his TV antenna, since Kris tore his pants on it last Christmas]].)

* SlaveToPR: Complicates matters for several people at the public hearing over Kris' identity, since no one wants to claim Santa Claus doesn't exist, especially not in front of children.

* MeaningfulName: Kris Kringle is, of course, another name for SantaClaus.