Ameriatch One of the best films i have seen

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Ginger Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Edwin The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Jackson Booth-Millard I had seen the original 1947 Oscar winning Edmund Gwenn version, and the more recognised 1994 Lord Sir Richard Attenborough version, but I had no idea there was another one, until I saw it broadcast, so I watched to see what I'd think. Basically the actor playing Santa Claus for Macy's Department Store Thanksgiving Day parade is found drunk, so parade director Karen Walker (Jane Alexander) persuades the bearded man who found him, Kris Kringle (The Jungle Book's Sebastian Cabot) to take his place. Kris proves to be a sensation with the public, and is quickly recruited to work in the Macy's store store on 34th Street to play Santa for the holiday period. What gives the store really good business is that they market the fact that Kris is telling customers where to find toys, including at better prices, and he is really enlightening everyone's spirits, including Karen's own daughter Susan (Suzanne Davidson), who is intelligent but cynical to beliefs and fantasy. The store's incompetent psychiatrist Dr. Sawyer (Roddy McDowall), is hired take Kris on a case study, but they only become enemies in the process, he eventually provokes Kris and causes him to react in the a way that will cause him to taken to Bellevue for tests, and he awaits a trial to prove his sanity. Karen's friend and neighbour Bill Schafner (David Hartman), agrees to help Kris, not just to defend him for his freedom and sanity, but unbelievably by proving he is the real, and the one and only Santa Claus! It is going to take a miracle for Kris to win, but thankfully they find something that clearly proves his identity, hundreds of letters addressed to "Santa Claus", all given to Kris at Christmas, they win the case, and in the end, Susan gets the present she always wanted for Christmas, a new house. Also starring Jim Backus as Shellhammer, David Doyle as R.H. Macy, Tom Bosley as Judge Harper and Roland Winters as Mr. Gimbel. Cabot is likable as the man who may in fact be the real Santa, although I was distracted closing my eyes and imagining his voice with Bagheera the panther or the Narrator in Winnie the Pooh, the rest of the cast, apart from perhaps McDowall, aren't really worth mentioning, the story is pretty much the same as the original film, but you can tell it is made for TV, it has a predictable script, and it doesn't have any charm or pizazz, stick with the 1947 and 1994 versions, it is a fairly terrible remake seasonal family film. Adequate!

atinder Miracle On 34th Street 1973I have seen the other two movies, never saw this movie before l , this was not as good as the original or 1994 remakeI just could not get into this movie at all, This movie was missing something, I can not put my finger on it!I just didn't enjoy it, while i was watching, it took me while to get into the movie, as most of the movie scene from scene remake but scenes felt empty and stillthe acting was okay from the cast 4/10

coxtalan I watched this when it first came on TV 35 years ago Dec.14,1973. I liked this one better than the 1947 and 1994 versions. Although,the 1947 and 1994 ones are on DVD and get the most advertised. This 1973 made for TV one is the one I grew up with as an 11 yr. old kid in the 70's.When at Christmas,kids wanted things like bicycles,roller skates, sleds,footballs,GI Joes,Barbie dolls,and the board games at that time. And before there were Ipods,there was the view master.This one stars Sebastian Cabot(Mr.French of Family Affair and Winston Essex of the Ghost Story series)as a man claiming to be Santa Claus. But Macy's store workers Karen Walker(Jane Alexander)and Dr.Sawyer(Roddy McDowall)have a hard time believing that but Karen's daughter Susan(Suzanne Walker(whatever came of her?)believes him. David Hartman(The Bold Ones:The New Doctors and Lucas Tanner)(the icon of 70's TV) plays Bill Schaffaer the lawyer who helps Kris Kringle prove who he is.This movie also stars Jim Backus(I Married Joan and Thurston Howell III of Gilligan's Island)as Horace Shellhammer. I liked it when Susan called him "Horace Belljammer". Conrad Janis(Mork and Mindy),Tom Bosley(Mr.C of Happy Days),and David Doyle(Bosley of Charlie's Angels)This movie should also set the record straight of a rumor that was going around of Tom Bosley and David Doyle being the same person. There is a scene were you see both actors together at an angle. So that rumor is false.I got this movie taped and watch it every Christmas because it reminds me of the Christmases I grew up with in the 70's.In my opinion,the best version.

mistymountain OK, this version was kind of lost in the shuffle when the 1994 (gasp, another one!) remake made its way to cable TV. So now these days you have your choice of the original 1947 B&W version with Maureen O'Hara or the 1994 remake with cute little Mara Wilson (Mrs. Doubtfire). What about the 1973 version?? Isn't that good enough to show on TV??? I grew up watching the 1973 version on Thanksgiving in the 1970s. The cast was definitely all-star. Sebastian Cabot (Mr. French on "Family Affair") was excellent as Kris Kringle. Jane Alexander was great as Karen Walker, the single mom, and David Hartman (former host of Good Morning America)was so-so of an actor as the attorney. Tom Bosley (Mr. Cunningham on "Happy Days") and David Doyle (Bosley on "Charlie's Angels") were both pretty good. This was kind of like a 1970s updated version of the 1947 movie.