In the spring of 1947, 20th Century Fox studio head Darryl F. Zanuck had an undeniable masterpiece on his hands, and a massive marketing dilemma to match.
Zanuck was convinced that audiences avoided Christmas movies during the warm summer months, yet he refused to sit on his finished picture, Miracle on 34th Street, until winter. Instead, he scheduled the release for May, keeping the film’s holiday setting completely secret.
He went so far as to omit Santa Claus entirely from the promotional trailers, crafting a deceptive campaign that framed the movie as a heartwarming romantic comedy instead. The gamble paid off spectacularly.
Audiences filed into theaters expecting a lighthearted summer romance, only to be completely swept away by the magical tale of Kris Kringle spreading goodwill through Macy’s department store. Miracle on 34th Street became a runaway box-office hit.
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The website Dust on the VCR wrote, “Take a look at the original poster. It looks like a screwball romance starring Maureen O’Hara and John Payne. Edmund Gwenn would go on to win an Oscar for his performance as Kris Kringle in this movie, but to promote it according to their agenda, they buried his name below the title and made him the size of an Elf on the Shelf on the poster. And he’s just wearing a regular old suit. He looks like he’s playing Natalie Wood‘s grandfather or something.”
Before even releasing the film, its holiday premise was hidden in a trailer shown to theatergoers. It begins with a man walking through Manhattan, New York, and morphs into a series of clips of men in suits appearing to watch the film, laughing. The only description of the film was in its title cards and announcement of its stars.
“That picture has everything,” the trailer declared. “It’s hilarious; it’s romantic. Tender, charming, delightful.”
According to Jay’s Classic Movie Blog, Miracle on 34th Street follows Kris Kringle (Gwenn), an elderly man hired to play Santa Claus at the flagship Macy’s department store on 34th Street after the original performer is found intoxicated before the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Kris quickly becomes a sensation by asserting that he is, in fact, the real Santa Claus. His insistence on spreading genuine holiday goodwill earns him the love of the public, but the deep skepticism of cynical adults.
Doris (O’Hara), the pragmatic Macy’s executive who hired Kris, has raised her young daughter, Susan (Wood), to disbelieve in fairy tales and Santa Claus. Kris makes it his personal mission to restore their imagination and faith.
After a scheming store psychologist provokes an altercation with Kris, he is committed to Bellevue Hospital and faces a sanity hearing in New York State court. Fred (Payne) steps up to defend him, attempting to legally prove in court that Kris Kringle is the one and only true Santa Claus.
The 1947 film won a trio of Academy Awards and received four nominations at the 20th Academy Awards. Oscars were won in the categories of Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Edmund Gwenn), Best Writing, Original Story, and Best Writing, Screenplay. The movie was also nominated to Best Picture, but lost to Gentleman’s Agreement.
Miracle on 34th Street can be streamed on Hulu, Disney+, and Apple TV.
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This story was originally published by Parade on Nov 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the Movies section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
