A young girl who’s stopped believing in magic suddenly meets a man claiming to be the real Santa. But instead of giving gifts, he’s the one who needs saving. Now it’s up to her to help him prove who he really is.

‘SPOILER ALERT’

Kriss Kringle walks down a street in New York while whistling the tune of a Christmas song. He prepares to cross the road when a man and his grandson stand beside him. The young boy, Ryan, tells his granddad, Harper, to ask Kringle a strange question. Harper refuses but looks at Kringle and mentions how Ryan thinks he’s Santa Claus.

Both men laugh, and Kringle bends to Ryan and whispers that he really is Santa. Harper stares at Kringle, who wishes him a Merry Christmas and walks away. Later, Cole’s Department Store prepares for its annual parade, and Dorey Walker, the head planner for the store’s events, walks into an observation van. She asks her partner, Donald Shellhammer, what the problem is, and he shows her footage of Kringle, stating that her Santa Claus is wearing a topcoat and a fedora.

Dorey is shocked as she realizes that Kringle isn’t the person she hired to play Santa. At the parade ground, Kringle teaches Tony, who was hired to play Santa, how to use a whip on the fake reindeer. Tony secretly pulls out a bottle of alcohol but gets caught as he’s drinking from it. Kringle, annoyed by Tony’s actions, scolds him, stating that several children are watching and that they will be disappointed to see an intoxicated Santa Claus.

The scolding continues, and Kringle seizes the bottle of alcohol before pouring out its contents. A cop arrives to intervene as the situation turns into an argument and he escorts Kringle away. Feeling victorious by the cop’s assistance, Tony gets on the sleigh but embarrasses himself as he’s too intoxicated to focus on what he’s doing.

Dorey arrives at the scene and is shocked to see Tony’s embarrassing behavior. He eventually leans back, causing the sleigh to pull out of its screws and flip over. Several people rush to the scene to rescue him from the sleigh, but see that he’s unable to continue his performance.

In a desperate attempt to find a replacement Santa, Dorey runs to Kringle, who is leaving the scene, and introduces herself. She begs him to take Tony’s position as Santa and mentions how there’s no one else to fill the position. Kringle reluctantly agrees as he realizes that the parade is about to begin, and he heads to the sleigh.

The parade begins, and everyone is excited by Kringle’s performance. He accurately portrays Santa, even going so far as to call the reindeer by their names and wish everyone a merry Christmas. Donald is impressed by his performance and wonders if Dorey has offered him a contract. Dorey informs him that Kringle signed a contract after the parade, but his only condition was that he would wear his own Santa costume. She begins packing her belongings and tells Donald she’s heading home.

Upon arriving at her house, Dorey calls out to her daughter, Susan, but no one responds. She finds a video Susan made, and Susan lets her know she’s still at Bryan Bedford’s house because they can watch the parade from his window. She also talks about how Dorey forgot to seal the end of the turkey and almost ruined it.

Meanwhile, Susan watches the parade with Bryan and tells him how Cole’s store is making a mistake by hosting the parade. Being extremely intelligent for her age, Susan explains that someone wants to buy Cole’s and turn it into a junk store. Bryan tries making things seem better but Susan reminds him that Cole’s are still in debt to a bank.

Seeing that she’s really smart, Bryan asks Susan to make a wish from Santa, but Susan says she knows the truth. She believes that Santa Claus isn’t real. Just then, Dorey knocks on the door, and Bryan opens it. She walks to Susan, who hugs her and asks if Tony is playing Santa again. Dorey talks about the new employee who is playing Santa perfectly.

As if having fun were a crime, Victor Landberg, the owner of Shopper’s Express and interested buyer of Cole’s store, calls Jack Duff and asks how the parade is going. He is annoyed to hear that the parade is going well because their success will make purchasing the store difficult. Landberg instructs Jack to keep an eye on Kringle, who is the reason behind Cole’s success.

Back at Dorey’s house, she and Susan are joined by Bryan for Thanksgiving dinner. Susan talks about how they seem like a family, but Dorey passes it off as a joke. They begin eating, but Bryan asks to say a prayer before they continue. He quickly concludes, and the trio converses while eating.

The following morning, Kringle dresses in his Christmas costume and is excited to see Cole’s Christmas decorations. The clock strikes nine, and several children rush into Cole’s store, leaving Shoppers Express deserted. Kringle begins attending to the children, and a young boy asks for a Peter Pollywog toy. His mother can’t afford the toy because it’s expensive, but Kringle tells her where she can purchase it for half the price.

This shocks the mother, who didn’t expect a store to be referring their rivals in order to help out parents. A different mother, who was also blessed by Kringle’s advice, speaks to Donald and tells him that she has become a loyal customer. She also suggests that Kringle receive a raise for putting parents first.

Donald is impressed by what Kringle is doing and speaks to Dorey about it. He suggests that they pitch it as an idea to C.F. Cole, the owner of the store. Dorey doubts that the idea will work, and Donald reminds her of the new house she wants to buy. They expect to receive a large bonus if they make a good profit from the Christmas period, and it’ll be enough to cover the cost of purchasing the house.

Dorey also realizes that they’re out of options as Cole’s store will be bought and shut down if the season ends unsuccessful. She agrees to Donald’s idea and they approach Cole, who surprising likes the idea because it’s bold and fresh. He’s also happy about it because it will make Landberg, his greatest rival, very angry.

Cole’s store implements the new idea and help their customers find where they can get products and services that they don’t offer. Landberg is furious upon seeing the news and senses that Cole’s store will make a lot of money through it. This will make purchasing the store difficult and he instructs Jack to do something to prevent their success.

Back at the store, Bryan takes Susan to see Santa, but she feels like it’s a waste of time. She strongly believes that he isn’t real, but Bryan says she’s got nothing to lose by seeing him. It gets to her turn, and unlike other children, Susan offers Kringle a handshake. Kringle accepts the handshake and places Susan on his lap. He tells her all the names that Santa has been known by and proceeds to speak several languages while stating that he has to know them because he travels around the world.

Susan says she knows he’s just an actor but is impressed by his realistic beard. She’s excited to see that his beard is in fact real. Kringle tells Susan to ask her dad if he’s real but Susan reveals she doesn’t have a dad anymore. He also asks what she wants for Christmas but Susan says she doesn’t want anything because. Just then, Dorey arrives at the store and takes Susan away.

She has a conversation with Bryan in her office, where she says she doesn’t want Susan believing in the fantasy that Santa exists. Bryan understands and prepares to leave but Dorey asks if he can take Susan home. She proceeds to look through Kringle’s file and finds that his place of birth is the North Pole.

Later that night, Jack and his partner Alberta Leonard meet Kringle speaking to a reindeer. They introduce themselves as employees of Shoppers Express and ask if he can come work for them. Kringle turns don their offer because he already works for Cole’s store. They offer to take him home as it’s getting late and Kringle, who stays at a senior center, agrees.

During the ride home, Jack asks Kringle how possible it is for Santa to deliver presents to the entire world in one night. Kringle explains that it’s very possible when time is slowed and a second becomes a year while a minute becomes a century. They drop him off at the senior center and wonder how Cole’s are getting away with hiring someone as crazy as he is.

The following day, Dorey stares at Kringle and asks Donald if he thinks their Santa is insane. Donald wonders where the question is coming from, but Dorey is worried that someone who strongly believes they’re Santa could be a problem for the store. Donald, on the other hand, isn’t worried at all as Kringle’s presence has taken the store to greater heights.

Downstairs, a woman comes with her daughter Sami and tells Kringle that Sami is deaf and just wants to see him. Touched by this, Kringle begins speaking to her using sign language, and Sami gets excited. They sing a Christmas song together, and Kringle wishes her a merry Christmas before they leave. Susan watches as this happens, and Kringle winks at her.

That night, Dorey does some work, and Susan meets her. She can’t fall asleep because she keeps thinking of Kringle’s vast understanding of toys and other languages. She asks her mum if she’s sure Santa isn’t real. Dorey speaks on how believing in myths will only leave her sad and disappointed. They decide to put Kringle to the test, and Dorey tells Susan to ask him for something that she’d never asked her. They expect the truth to be revealed by Christmas morning, and Susan goes back to bed.

Meanwhile, several Santa actors drink at a bar, and Tony tells Jack how Cole’s store terminated his contract. He tags Kringle as one of the crazy people in the city and never expects to lose his job to him. Jack wonders if Tony has any way to contact Kringle, but Tony says he doesn’t. He even speaks on how Kringle got in his face and almost struck him with his cane. Jack pulls out some money and hands it to Tony before telling him about a job he wants him to do.

Sometime later, Dorey helps Kringle put on his cape and prepares him for a live broadcast. She advises him to remain calm and pretend the cameras aren’t there. Kringle lets her know that he’s aware she thinks he’s a fraud. He believes he’s a symbol of the human ability to suppress their hateful and selfish tendencies. Dorey is surprised by what he says, and he tells her she’ll be doomed to a life of doubt if she can’t have faith in something.

Realizing that Dorey and Susan will be excellent test subjects, Kringle decides to see if he still has hope as Santa and decides to try his best to make them believe. Dorey is left speechless and they head out the store. The live broadcast is a success and Kringle wishes everyone in America a good morning.

Later that day, Dorey gets some work done in her office when Bryan calls and asks if they can go on a date that evening. He offers to find a good babysitter to take care of Susan while they’re out, and Dorey eventually agrees. She returns home that night to find Kringle and Bryan having fun with Susan. Bryan points out that there’s no better babysitter than Santa himself.

Dorey and Bryan head out for their date and converse while walking around New York. They eventually go to dinner and end up at the ice rink. Back at the house, Kringle tucks Susan in and says there has to be something she wants for Christmas. He also mentions how he’s good at keeping secrets, and Susan decides to open up.

She pulls out a picture from a box and hands it to Kringle, who opens it and is shocked to see a picture of a family standing in front of a house. Susan reveals that she wants a house, a brother, and a dad for Christmas. She asks him to get it for her if he’s truly Santa and says he’ll just be a grey-bearded old man if he can’t.

Kringle explains that a house is really expensive, and having a child takes almost a year. He also speaks on how no one can miraculously bring a father into someone else’s life, but Susan says he should be able to pull off such a miracle since he can make millions of toys. She doubts she’d ever get her request, but Kringle asks if he can keep the picture. Susan agrees, and Kringle tells her goodnight before turning the lights off and leaving the room.

Meanwhile, Dorey and Bryan discuss how they had fun that night as they head home. Dorey admits to being difficult towards Bryan and says she does so to avoid being disappointed. They stop walking as Bryan says he has an early Christmas present for her. She wonders what it is, and Bryan pulls out an engagement ring.

Annoyed by the gift Bryan presented, Dorey apologizes if she has given him any false impressions about their relationship. He admits that she never gave a sign that she was interested in getting married, and Dorey asks what made him make such an assumption. Bryan speaks up about the love he has for her and Susan and how he has never asked for anything in return. He speaks about how he put his faith in her, but she calls him a fool for doing so and storms off.

Kringle steps out of the building shortly after and sees Bryan sitting alone on a bench. He asks how his date with Dorey went and is taken aback when he hears about the engagement ring. They realize that Bryan popped the question at the wrong time. Kringle is sad about how Dorey behaves and how she’s always careful with her emotions.

This leads Bryan to speak about her past and how she was married in college. Her ex-husband had a drinking problem and eloped when Susan was born. Bryan believes that Dorey is dragging Susan into her sadness, to which Kringle agrees. Kringle believes that Susan wants to believe in Santa but is loyal to her mother’s wishes. His cab eventually arrives, and Bryan asks Kringle to keep the engagement ring. He believes he’ll get over the rejection, but Kringle now knows what he wants for Christmas.

Sometime later, Kringle attends to children at Cole’s store when Tony appears and walks around. A worker asks him to leave as the area is for children only but he refuses. Tony tries polluting the children’s mind by telling them that Kringle isn’t really Santa. He calls him a big, fat, fake, and Kringle clenches his cane in annoyance. Seeing that his words annoyed Kringle, Tony laughs and leaves the area.

Later that night, Kringle steps out of the store while Jack and Alberta spy on him from their car. Tony suddenly appears from the shadows as Kringle walks down the street and begins following him, with Jack and Alberta following suit. While walking, Tony insults Kringle and asks why he’s pretending to be Santa.

Kringle tries holding back his anger from all the insults but sadly isn’t able to. He raises his cane at Tony but Tony grabs it, over exaggerates the pain he’s in, and falls to the ground. A crowd quickly arrives at the scene, with Jack and Alberta emerging. Alberta lies and says Tony is badly hurt while making everyone aware of who Kringle is. The crowd is shocked and disappointed to see that Kringle could do something so horrible, and someone suddenly takes a picture of him.

Officers suddenly arrive at the area like the entire scene was scripted. They quickly arrest Kringle and take him to the police station. As this happens, Tony opens his eyes and winks, proving that he’s alright and faking the entire thing.

News headlines and newspapers quickly report the events of the previous night. Susan is sad as she watches the news on television, and the reporter states that Kringle won’t appear as Santa for the rest of the day. Landberg has a smile on his face as he reads the report, while Kringle stares out of the window while thinking about what happened.

Later, Dorey heads to work and sees the crowd of parents who have a Santa to take their kids to. She remembers what Kringle said before his live broadcast and asks her secretary to place a call to Bryan. Not surprised that Bryan already knows what’s happening, she begs him for his help because she knows Kringle innocent. Bryan knows that she’s right and being one of the best attorneys in the city, decides to help.

At the court, prosecutor Ed Collins goes to Judge Harper’s office with Kringle’s mental competency report. He asks Harper to sign some commitment papers that’ll prove that Kringle is insane. Harper is about to sign the documents but finds out that Collins is working with Landberg, who he suspects is playing dirty. He decides to allow justice prevail but Collins mentions how Landberg is aware of his intention to get reelected.

They suddenly hear a knock on the door just as Harper prepares to sign the documents, and his secretary informs him that Kringle’s attorney has arrived. Bryan enters the room and requests to have a formal hearing where he’s allowed to bring witnesses. Harper agrees to have the hearing but Collins isn’t worried because there won’t be a jury to rule otherwise.

Bryan goes to see Kringle at the care center later that day, and a worker speaks on how Kringle is innocent. He enters the room and finds that Kringle is still sad from what happened. Kringle admits to intentionally failing his mental exam because of the disgraceful behavior he exhibited. He also wonders how the kids will still be able to look up to him.

Bryan reassures him that what he did was right because he was defending his honor. He also speaks about how the events of that night were staged and how even the arresting officers believed in him. He encourages Kringle to take one last stand, as they’ll be going to court in a few days.

While Bryan is fighting for Kringle’s reputation, Cole’s store is sadly distancing themselves from it as Cole speaks with some executives. They discuss how they’ll move their brand away from Kringle, but Dorey barges in in anger and annoyance. She calls them cowards for wanting to turn their back on someone who is one of their own. Cole reminds her that the public’s perception of Kringle has been ruined, but Dorey says they can change it by standing with him and challenging the rumors. She also says they must think about whether they believe in Santa or not.

Realizing that Dorey is right, Cole goes on a live broadcast where he tells the world that he and his people believe in Santa Claus. They choose to stand with Kringle and Cole asks the people if they truly believe in Santa Clause. The entire city joins the hype as they truly believe in Santa.

The first day of the hearing arrives, and Bryan meets Kringle in court. Judge Harper enters the room and permits everyone to sit as the hearing begins. Collins begins the hearing and calls Kringle as his first witness.

Kringle greets Harper on his way to the bench and asks how his grandson Ryan is doing. Harper doesn’t understand but suddenly remembers that they met at the parade, where Ryan mistook him for Santa. Collins begins by asking Kringle what his name is, and Kringle formally introduces himself to everyone. Kringle admits to believing he is Santa.

Bryan refuses to question Kringle once Collins is done and calls his own witness, a young boy named Daniel. Daniel believes that Kringle is Santa Claus because of how nice he is, and everyone laughs when he says Collins can’t be Santa because of how grumpy he is. The young boy is allowed to return to his seat, and Bryan calls his next witness, Collins’ wife, Rebecca.

Rebecca gets on the stand, and Bryan asks if her children believe in Santa, to which she confirms that they do. Collins gets annoyed and objects, saying that Bryan simply wants to tarnish his image and expose private matters in court. The judge overrules as Bryan says he’s simply trying to prove that even Collins’ kids believe in Santa.

Rebecca reveals that Collins has told their kids that Santa is real and they’ve even accepted Kringle as Santa. The audience laughs as Harper asks Collins if he wants to cross examine his wife. He objects, stating that Bryan is mocking the court. They go back and forth, and the court goes into recess when Bryan asks Collins to prove that Kringle isn’t Santa Claus.

Bryan returns to his seat and tells Kringle that Collins won’t be able to prove that Santa exists elsewhere. Although Bryan has a point, Kringle is still worried because Collins has an opportunity to prove he doesn’t exist. Bryan tells him to relax and makes him promise not to speak unless asked to.

Shortly after, Bryan has a weird interaction with Dorey outside, where she apologizes for her rude response to his proposal. She mentions how Susan misses Bryan and he accepts her apology.

The court hearing resumes the following day, and Dr. Hunter speaks about the history of Santa Claus. Collins emphasizes on a statement Hunter made about how the church made Saint Nicholas’ celebration optional instead of mandatory. He also calls Colonel Coulson to the stand and asks if he ever found any workshop during his trips to the North Pole.

Coulson says it’s impossible for someone to build a workshop in the North Pole. These questions provoke Kringle, who stands up and states that his workshop is not in the physical realm but in the dream realm. Bryan asks him to sit because his actions are hurting his case. This is exactly what Collins wants, and he calls a reindeer as his next witness.

Everyone is shocked by his action, and he asks Kringle to make the reindeer fly. Bryan asks Kringle to remain calm because Collins is simply trying to provoke him. Kringle admits that he can’t make the reindeer fly but shocks everyone by saying they only fly on Christmas Eve. This makes everyone laugh, and Harper asks for the animal to be removed.

Collins gives his closing argument, stating that no one can deny that Kringle is insane. He accuses Kringle of pretending to be Santa simply for profit, but Kringle stands up and objects. Bryan calms him, and Collins wishes for the court to place Kringle under the care of the state. He claims that doing so will remove the children of New York from risk.

Susan, who is present in the court, yells at Collins and defends Kringle. She calls Collins a jerk for what he’s doing and Dorey comforts her daughter. Bryan gives his closing statement, speaking on how Kringle has willingly sacrificed himself and subject himself to prosecution to make children happy. He concludes his statement and Harper says he’ll render his opinion the following day being Christmas Even.

Later that night, Harper speaks to Bryan privately regarding his verdict and says it’s going to be almost impossible for him to rule in Kringle’s favor. He points out that Kringle fits the definition of disturbed for his strong belief that he’s Santa. Bryan mentions how Kringle isn’t a threat but Harper argues that he can’t represent the state of New York and rule that Santa Clause exists.

Bryan holds up some dollar bills and claims that money is what’s moving the case. Harper doesn’t let his statement provoke him and says Kringle will need a miracle to win the case. He steps out of the room, and at that moment, Bryan gets an idea as he sees the writing “in God we trust” on the dollar bill. He smiles as he realizes that he has found a way to win the case.

Thousands of people gather the following day and prepare to listen to Harper’s verdict. Harper enters the courtroom, and before he’s able to pass his judgment, Susan walks to him and hands over a Christmas card. Harper finds a dollar bill inside. He opens it and sees the words “in God we trust” circled in red.

This immediately makes him change his mind about Kringle, as he has a smile on his face. Harper wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and crushes the document that contains his verdict. He tells everyone how the bill, which has the phrase “in God we trust,” was issued by the treasury of the United States of America and even backed by the government and its people.

Harper relates the people’s belief in God to their belief in Santa, and how everyone doesn’t need proof to believe that God truly is real. With this, he concludes that Santa Claus does exist and that he exists in the person of Kriss Kringle. Everyone in the courtroom begins celebrating the news, and a security guard announces it to the civilians standing outside.

The celebration spreads across the city as their fates are reassured. As everyone leaves the court, Collins congratulates Bryan on his victory and wishes him a Merry Christmas. He reminds Kringle not to forget to stop by his house to hand his kids their presents, and Kringle promises not to forget.

Bryan congratulates Kringle on his freedom and states that he has made everyone believe in him. Kringle disagrees as he still has one person left to convince. Susan and Dorey rush to them and congratulate Kringle. Susan gets excited to see Dorey with Bryan, but her smile fades when she realizes that they’re going their separate ways.

Kringle thanks Bryan for all his help and promises to never forget him. They wish each other a Merry Christmas, and Kringle speaks on how busy he’ll be because it’s Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, Landberg is annoyed as he has incurred more loss than the even what he expected to gain. Jack explains that no one expected someone as crazy as Kringle to win the case. Landberg strongly believes that Kringle isn’t Santa but Jack and Alberta think otherwise.

Later that night, Dorey finds a letter from Bryan asking her to meet him at a church. Coincidentally, Bryan also finds a letter from Dorey, asking her to meet him at the same church. Dorey obliges to the invitation and enters the church as everyone is leaving. A priest suddenly emerges, and an orchestra begins playing music that’s fit for a wedding.

Bryan suddenly enters the church and asks if people are getting married. He denies arranging their meeting, and Dorey does the same. The priest asks if they’re ready to get married and pulls out the engagement ring Bryan left with Kringle.

Dorey finds Susan sitting under a Christmas three the following morning, and Susan notices a strange reflection on the tree. She turns around and finds her mother wearing a wedding ring. Bryan emerges, and she rushes to hug them in excitement.

Later that day, the trio heads out to the house Susan told Kringle she wanted. Dorey tries calming her by saying they’re only going to take photos of the house, but Susan believes that Kringle has a surprise for her. They arrive at the house shortly after, and she excitedly runs inside. The house is fully furnished and decorated for Christmas.

Dorey is surprised that there aren’t any photographers in the area. Donald walks up to her with the keys and speaks about the call he received from Kringle the previous night, insisting on offering Dorey and Bryan the house. Their Christmas sales were a huge success, and Dorey’s bonus was more than enough to pay for the house. She doesn’t believe what she hears as Kringle has given Susan two out of three Christmas gifts.

They enter the house and meet Susan, who says she’ll have to wait for her third present to arrive. She rushes up the stairs to check out her new room but Dorey stops her and asks what her third wish was. Susan smiles as she says she wished for a baby brother. This makes Dorey and Bryan realize that they might be expecting a child soon.

Kringle seemed like a delusional old man who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He suddenly began warming the hearts of both parents and children in a bid to make the world a better place. This wonderful gesture was met with resistance as Landberg solely believed in making a profit over the Christmas spirit. Luckily, his plans were foiled, and Kringle granted everyone their wishes, proving that he was indeed Santa Clause. Did you think he was Santa or just another old man having fun?

Miracle On 34Th Street 1994.