Why I despise Miracle on 34th Street...

[cynatnite]

This is the original one with Natalie Wood. I've not seen the remakes.

The little girl is the perfect skeptic. She wants facts and not myth. The mother has taught her fact and not myth. Santa Claus is a myth.

It pisses me off that they take that skeptic and turn her into a myth-believer. They don't want her to believe in reality or facts.

I hate it.

[Purveyor]

1. I was pissed off that I couldn't find 'Miracle' on TV this Thanksgiving Day. It is ALWAYS on and

I haven't seen it yet.

Guess I'm going to have to netflix or just out right buy it so I always have it.

[progressoid]

2. yeah,

my wife eats those xmas movies up. She even watches the Lifetime movies.

And I agree with you about the movie. I thought that Natalie and her mother were pretty cool. But the whole thing is just too sappy for me.

[Warpy]

3. I thought that one stunk even when I was a kid

I just didn't buy the premise, at all, and didn't buy Wood's performance, either. I thought she was a better actress as an adult.

I think my parents were a little disappointed when I rated it "dumb," but they were wise enough not to ask why I felt that way.

[onager]

4. Agreed! And more sneaky Xmas skepticism.

Even when I was still a kid myself, I thought the kid in the movie was better off with the facts.

One of the few movies I hate worse than MO34St is that damnable "It's A Wonderful Life." Because it shows over and over and OVER during the season. At this point, I would rather watch life-insurance sales training videos than that POS. One thing I remember - to me, the dreaded "Potterville" looked a lot better than the George Bailey version of Bedford Falls. Potterville had hot jazz clubs, interesting women strolling the streets, and Negroes, among other things.

And forget any version of "A Xmas Carol." By the 4,587th time Tiny Tim croaks out "God bless us every one," I just want to rip the crutch out of his little hands and beat him to death with it.

Oh yeah, the topic. Here's some more Early Science Learning/Skepticism. And it comes in one of the goofiest Xmas songs every written - and one of my personal favorites, for some strange reason - "I Want A Hippopotamus For Xmas:"

Mom says a hippo, would eat me up but then,
Teacher says hippos are vegetarian...

Damn right. You go, girl. Listen to your teachers. Mom just doesn't want to get you a hippo. Probably because you live in a New York City walkup, but I digress...

That's from 1953. And unlike many Xmas kiddie songs performed by lisping adults, this one was actually sung by a 10-yr-old girl, Gayla Peevey:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=9RBZz730ibU

[Jokerman]

6. I always thought Potterville looked like a lot more fun.

Although I grew up in a "Bedford Falls", I was lucky enough to spend time in Chicago. I always found the bright lights, busy streets and nightlife much more appealing.

"It's a Wonderful Life" has always been a guilty pleasure for me. It is one of the only holiday movies I'll watch in spite of the corny, religious story line. I do however long to see George fire Uncle Billy for gross incompetence! If any employee of mine had misplaced that much cash he would have had to dig my shoe out of his ass, relative or not.

[frogmarch]

5. And while we’re on the subject,

I also despise the famous “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” 1897 editorial that appeared in The Sun. It should have said, “No, Virginia, there is no Santa Claus. Santa Claus is a myth.” What was with all that “He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist...” crap? Virginia wanted the truth, but what did she get? Gobbledegook. When I was a kid, I wanted straight answers, and I think most other kids did too, and that kids still do.

[onager]

7. Other Ways Of Knowing - 1897 version!

Sorry, I couldn't resist. "They do not believe except they see...veil covering the unseen world...supernal beauty and glory beyond..."

Now where else have I heard such bafflegab? Why, in a Certain DU Group. Where any number of Tonstant Posters could have written that moldy old piece of Xmas cheese.

[frogmarch]

8. I thought it rang a bell!

bafflegab - my new favorite word!

[brooklynite]

12. Thank --- I'm not spending Christmas at YOUR house...

If you can't see the difference between the spirit of Christmas and the reality of Santa Claus...

[bobclark86]

13. It's called...

Satire . Much like how many people think Romeo and Juliet is a love story even though it's a pedophile and some jailbait getting it on and in the following 48 hours seven people die, people think this wasn't written by some snarky-ass 19th century editor laughing at the girl.

[Odin2005]

9. I hate the promotion of blind faith as a virtue.

[earthside]

10. You missed the point, big time.

All love is about a certain kind of faith and belief in other human beings that is not quantifiable by facts and/or measurements.

The movie is also about how love can triumph over the corporate/state machine.

It delivers a message of love and hope and the power of relationships without religious 'Christmas' preaching ... it is, in fact, a very secular holiday movie.

In my estimation, 'Miracle on 34th Street' is a great liberal-progressive holiday movie.

[brooklynite]

11. Oh, for pity's sake....

Santa IS real! But, you're not supposed to believe in him; you're supposed to believe in CHRISTMAS. That's the whole point of the movie.

MY real issue is that Thomas Mara Jr. (the DA's son) apparently expects a bribe ("remember, an authentic Football Helmet!". "Don't worry, Tommy; you get it!&quot in consideration for his testimony...