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Miracle On 34 Street
Cast & Intro
Susan Walker - six-year-old girl living in New York City
Dorey Walker - Susan’s single mother who is also director of special projects
for Cole’s® department store
Bryan Bedford - neighbor, attorney, and boyfriend of Dorey
Kris Kringle - a kind old man who claims to be Santa Claus
Mr. Shellhammer - Cole’s® general manager and Dorey’s coworker
M
ost children in America are taught from a young age that on
Christmas Eve Santa Claus brings gifts to children all over
the world while they are sleeping. During the Christmas
season, children often visit large stores that employ a “Santa”
where they sit on Santa’s lap and tell him their “wish list” of
gifts they’d like him to bring them on Christmas. Years later
when children go to school they inevitably discover that Santa Claus is a traditional myth.
Each Thanksgiving Day (the fourth Thursday in November) there is a large parade in New York City along-
side Central Park. The parade is sponsored (paid for) by a large department store called Macy’s® (in the movie called
Cole’s®). Santa Claus is part of the last float in the parade, signifying the beginning of the Christmas season. The day
after Thanksgiving is the biggest shopping day of the year in America. In the movie, Cole’s® store is in financial
trouble and a competing store, Shopper’s Express®, is eager to drive Cole’s® out of business.
Miracle on 34th Street is a remake of a 1947 classic film that has become a part of American Christmas
culture. Set in New York City, six-year-old Susan doubts the reality of Santa Claus. Her mother told her the “secret”
about Santa a long time ago, so on Christmas Susan doesn’t expect her deepest secret wishes to come true. After
meeting Kris Kringle, a special department store Santa who believes he’s the real Santa Claus, Susan begins to
believe. Because Dorey’s husband ran away years ago, Dorey finds it difficult to believe in anything.
Saint Nicholas was a real person from fourth century Asia Minor (now Turkey) on which the legend of Santa
Claus is based. A kind, religious man, Nicholas became famous for giving gifts to poor children. Later, a tradition
followed his example and children were given secret gifts on the Eve of St. Nicholas Day which is December 6.
Because of the date’s nearness to Christmas, the tradition was later combined with Christmas celebrations.
The mythical Santa Claus is said to live at the North Pole, employ elves 灵精小to build toys for him to give
as gifts, and travel in a magical sleigh 橇雪 pulled by flying reindeer 鹿驯.
Vocabulary and phrases give someone the shaft -v phr- to treat someone in a harsh, unfair
way; also “give someone a raw deal”
inebriated -adj- drunk float -n- decorated exhibit driven or pulled in a parade
interest-free loan -n- 款贷息无 loon –n informal- crazy person
bombed –adj slang- drunk whack -v- to hit; give a hard slap or blow
sentimental -adj- emotional, tender, romantic, nostalgic fraud -n- impostor; person who cheats and deceives
cater -v- to cook and prepare food for someone suppress -v- subdue; prevent from being revealed
blessing -n- short prayer said before a meal test case -n- first experiment, setting a precedent
rebate -n- money returned to a buyer after a purchase bait -v- to lure or trap
drive someone nuts -phr- annoy; drive crazy; drive batty provoke -v- to stir to action or feelings
limit my intake of sugar = a grown-up way of saying “I will transcript -n- something written down
eat less candy”
disgrace -n, v- to bring shame or dishonor
gullible -adj- easily tricked or deceived
decency -n- moral standards
Easter Bunny -n- mythical figure said to bring candy and eggs
commit someone -v- to officially place one in a mental hospital
to children at Easter
grumpy -adj- surly, cranky, grouchy
through the roof -phr- very high
benevolence and generosity -n- kindness; generous acts
this company has turned around = this company has
200511
rebounded; gone from unsuccessful to successful St. Francis -P. n- (in this movie) the name of a Catholic church
Notable Quotes
I am a symbol of the human ability to be able to suppress the selfish and hateful tendencies that rule the major part of
our lives. If you can’t believe, if you can’t accept anything on faith, then you’re doomed for a life dominated by doubt.
(Susan first meets Santa inside the store) KRIS: Thank you.
SUSAN: Hello sir. SUSAN: Your beard’s stuck on real tight. Usually the
KRIS: Oh. How do you do? Would you like to come sit store’s Santa Claus’ whiskers are too loose.
on my knee? Good. Up we go. There we are. Now KRIS: Right.
then, what’s your name? SUSAN: Yours look realistic.
SUSAN: Susan Elizabeth Walker. What’s yours? KRIS: That’s because they are real. You give them a tug.
KRIS: Mine? Ha, ha, ha, ha. Well, I have lots of names. (she tugs) Whoa! Ha, ha, ha. Are you convinced?
Ah, Kris Kringle, Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint SUSAN: Mm-hmm. This isn’t the regular Santa suit is it?
Nicholas. If you were in Holland, I’d be Sinter Klaas, KRIS: Oh no, this is the real Santa suit.
or in Italy La Befana. I have to speak many languages SUSAN: It’s very nice.
because of course I travel, as you know a great deal. KRIS: Mmm. I agree, lovely. Gold buttons, gold thread—
S Rozhdestvom Kristovym; that’s Russian. And Zeculu it’s as real as me. Well you ask your daddy if I’m real.
algae ya Noeli; that’s Swahili. SUSAN: I don’t know where he is.
SUSAN: My mother’s Mrs. Walker. She’s director of KRIS: Well, he’s uh—
special events for Cole’s®. She runs the parade. SUSAN: That’s my friend, Mr. Bedford. I don’t have a
KRIS: Ah. dad anymore…. (pause)
SUSAN: I know how this all works. You’re an employee KRIS: Well, now what can I get you for Christmas?
of Cole’s®. SUSAN: Nothing, thank you.
KRIS: That is true. KRIS: Nothing?
SUSAN: But you’re a very good Santa Claus. SUSAN: My mother buys my gifts….
New York City is America’s largest
city with over 8 million residents and a total of
21 million in the metropolitan area. Beginning
in 1624 at the mouth of the Hudson River,
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the city quickly became one of the largest
cities and most important ports in North
America. Today the “Big Apple” is home to
the United Nations, the financial centers of
Wall Street, over one hundred colleges and
universities, and is the international center for
thousands of corporations and organizations.
Centrally located Manhattan Island has the
largest concentration of people and buildings.
In the middle of Manhattan is a large park of
grass, trees, and lakes a half-mile wide and
two and a half miles long (1.6 x 8 ). Central
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Park is recreational heart of the city.
Questions to Consider
1. Most Americans teach their children about Santa Claus. Why do you think Dorey doesn’t teach Susan about him?
2. Why do you think Cole’s new store policy, “If we don’t have it, or it’s cheaper somewhere else, we’ll tell you
where to go to get it,” was so successful? Do you think it would be successful in China?
3. If you personally were living in America today, would you teach your children there was a Santa Claus?
4. During the trial, Bryan said, “The court should judge which is better: A lie that brings a smile; or a truth that
brings a tear.” What do you think of this question? What do you think is the answer?
5. Kris said, “I am a symbol of the human ability to be able to suppress the selfish and hateful tendencies that rule
the major part of our lives. If you can’t believe, if you can’t accept anything on faith, then you’re doomed for a life
dominated by doubt.” What do you think he meant? Do you agree or disagree?
6. What did you learn about New York City from watching this movie?
7. What customs concerning Christmas did you learn from this movie? (Make a list.)
For More Information
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0110527/ (for info on the movie)
www.foxhome.com/miracle/ (for info on the movie)
http://www1.macys.com/campaign/parade/parade.jsp (for info on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade)
