The Deaf Girl - Miracle on 34th Street (1994) Discussion

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Gooner_Ali 16 years ago

Found this ...
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Miracle on 34th Street Sunday 07 December 2008
6:20pm - 8:30pm
Channel 4
Richard Attenborough plays Kriss Kringle in this remake of the classic 1947 fantasy. In the original, Edmund Gwenn won an Oscar for his portrayal of the elderly gent, whose behaviour while working as a department-store Santa suggests that he believes he really is Father Christmas. Here Attenborough positively twinkles in the role in an attempt to convince moppet Mara Wilson, and the audience, that he is a living legend. Although the film as a whole is a much more glamorous affair, and Wilson and Elizabeth Perkins as her mother are undoubtedly charming, it does lack some of the magic of the original.
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"HO HO HO ... HAPPY X-MAS Y'ALL ...HO HO HO!"

Unboxed, set up, dressed, and lit this years (brand new) X-mas tree whilst
watching this film (and I got me ('special' posh version) Santa on too.

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[–] JackRabbitRutherford 15 years ago

Absolutely. You really get the feel that this little girl has been left out of so many things her peers have been able to enjoy that when she is given this one, little yet incredibly big moment to share with someone doing nothing more than treating her like everyone else, you can't help but become overwhelmed with a sense of happiness for her, her mother, and even Kris Kringle as he was able to make this magic come true. Also to find out that it was completely unexpected for the young actress truly made my day.

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[–] someones_in_my_head 12 years ago

I just watched that scene again, and I was struck by the look on Santa's face when the mother told him that he didn't have to talk to the girl. He looked so very sad that they would settle for just sitting in his lap. Then he takes a deep breath and starts signing to the girl. It was so charming.

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[–] cinedream 14 years ago

Nah I don't cry in this version..I was irritated with the movie in general especially the end reason for proving santa existed. But I have fits of blubbering with the 47 version with the dutch or swedish girl who can't speak english whose parents died in a fire or something and whose new guardian says she insists that your santa claus. Then he talks in her language and sings a santa claus song in her language .kills me everytime..in fact i have to leave the room to man up.

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[–] btisseur 14 years ago

one of my favorite Xmas films
i just saw it in a video store for 6.99 and jumped on it.

before i begin i just want to specify i am a 44 year-old male and i cry a lot at a lot of movies.

that scene hasnt begun yet and im already bawling starting at a specific shot.

the mom makes the girl sit on his lap and says "you dont even have to talk to her,she just wanted to look at you."

and the next shot is of the beautiful blond girl just turning around beaming at Santa.

Imagine,just LOOKING at Santa makes her happy.

most of the time i dont hear the rest cause im blowing my nose and crying like a waterfall.

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[–] geatornez82 14 years ago

I, personally, found this scene to be very touching. I am also the type of person who enjoys those heartwarming "warm fuzzy" moments in movies. You will forgive me for sort of destroying people's beliefs and all, but I feel this *must* be said. I think a lot of the people who criticize this scene just don't get it. I may not get it myself, but this is why I think this scene is so heartwarming.

First of all, most department store Santas are Regular Joes who are hired to play Santa Claus. Nothing wrong with that. I may not know much about the whole Department Store Santa industry, and I can tell you this was a tradition in my family up until I was about seven or eight (I have found old photos of me and my sister on Santa's lap). In any case, it could be quite possible that most Department Store Santas wouldn't know sign language. Again, I'm not quite sure how often these Santas run across deaf children, but that's not the point. If you will remember, Sami's mother said to Mr. Kringle that Sami was deaf and only wanted to see Santa (or something along those lines? I haven't seen this movie in awhile). And when Mr. Kringle started signing to Sami, it only told me that Mr. Kringle was the real deal. And it made a little girl happy. What's so wrong about that?

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[–] pastorjwallen 13 years ago

I've had the joy of playing Santa Claus. It was just for a small farmer's market, but I enjoyed those three weeks like no other. All of these children just smiling and looking at me like I was the very heart of their imaginations, and I did my best to live up to those imaginations, those little faces that were beaming at me. I wanted them to believe. More importantly, I wanted to believe.

What touched me the most was the little girl who came to me on the last week, right before Christmas. She couldn't have been more than 9 or 10, and she was so excited to see me. She climbed up on my knee, and she was so sweet. She was such a beautiful little girl. You see, she had cancer, and was receiving chemo treatments, and what she wanted was to be with her family on Christmas, and she wanted me to make the cancer go away. It broke my heart into pieces, but that belief she had was so strong, and she gave me a kiss on the cheek and told me that she believed I could do it. I will never, ever, in my entire life, ever forget that moment.

Whether one believes or not, has faith or not, it is important to these children, and that makes it important to everyone. So scenes like the little deaf girl, or the little adopted Dutch girl, these scenes touch me in the deepest part of my heart, because these scenes represent real examples of childlike faith and that the smallest, seemingly unimportant gifts can make a child's life so much better.

If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go cry now.

~j~

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[–] cosmic_quest 13 years ago

I love that scene too. Not only was the little girl very cute but it was so touching to see Santa's ability to sign delight her and her mother. Only someone with heart of stone wouldn't find that a great scene.

"I always pretend to root for Gryffindors but, secretly, I love my Slytherin boys."~ Karen, W&G

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[–] RowenaMorgan 10 years ago

It's my favorite scene in the whole movie. Every time I watch it, I get tears in my eyes. So lovely.

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[–] AnoOrca 12 years ago

It touches me at a personal level. My best friend's two siblings are both deaf. They were never able to have the experience of telling Santa what they want for Christmas before they stopped believing, something that I think a lot of people take for granted. While watching that scene, I couldn't help but picture them on Santa's lap, not expecting anything special...and he starts signing to them, and they light up the same way that little girl did...and I wish so hard that it could have happened for them.

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[–] thoth-ibis-1 12 years ago

I loved that part of the film ! Of course Santa would know sign language so he could talk with all kids. so cool !

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[–] MisterDenton 9 years ago

I love that scene, it's so genuine and touching. I also think it's the mother saying thank you that really gets me - she seems so appreciative.

On a related note, does anyone know who played the mother? There are a few "mothers" in the cast, but none that are listed clearly as "Sami's" mother. Thanks!

formerly orlandoflorida2002

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