Miracle on 34th Street is a 1947 American Christmas film written and directed by George Seaton. Starring Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood and Edmund Gwenn, the classic film tells the story of a department store Santa Claus who is deemed insane and a lawyer who defends him based upon the claim that he is the real Santa.

The film was nominated for four Academy Awards and won three: Gwenn for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Valentine Davies for Best Writing, Original Story, and George Seaton for Best Writing, Screenplay. In 2005, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant”.