5 Plot Point Breakdown: Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Screenplay Genre: Comedy / Drama / Family

Movie Time: 96 minutes

1. INCITING INCIDENT

Lucky for Mrs. Doris Parker (Maureen O’Hara), a concerned citizen Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwen) agrees to step in at the last minute when the Santa in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is too drunk to participate. This new Santa is such a hit that he is hired on as the Macy’s Santa for the holiday season. (00:14:55)

2. LOCK IN (End of Act One)

Fred Gailey (John Payne), Doris’ neighbor, takes her daughter Susan (Natalie Wood) to see the new Santa Clause at Macy’s, but when Doris finds out, she calls Kris in to clear things up. She doesn’t want her daughter to believe in fairy tales, but Kris explains that he actually is Santa Clause. Doris tries to fire him, thinking he’s crazy. (00:25:33)

3. FIRST CULMINATION (Midpoint)

Because he’s such a hit with shoppers, Doris cannot fire Kris. It is arranged that Kris will stay with Mr. Gailey so that he can be watched out for while he’s working for Macy’s. This works perfectly for Kris because that way he can get to work on reinvigorating the Christmas spirit in Doris and Susan. (00:46:06)

4. MAIN CULMINATION (End of Act Two)

Mr. Sawyer (Porter Hall), the mean spirited Macy’s psychologist, provokes Kris into hitting him and then has him committed to the Bellevue mental institution. Kris almost gives up, but Mr. Gailey agrees to defend Kris’ sanity. Kris explains at a legal hearing that he is the real Santa Clause, and the case goes to trial. (01:10:00)

5. THIRD ACT TWIST

After garnering national attention, Kris miraculously wins the trial when the United States Post Office delivers all the backlogged Santa Clause mail to him at the New York Court House. (01:35:23)

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