If you watch the original 1947 trailer for Miracle on 34th Street, you might notice something weird. It’s almost a bait-and-switch. You’d think a movie about Santa Claus would lead with, well, Santa Claus. Instead, 20th Century Fox was terrified that a "Christmas movie" released in May—yes, May—would flop. So they made the trailer about a bunch of random actors on a studio lot talking about how great the movie was. It’s a bizarre, meta piece of film history that somehow worked.
Hollywood was different then. Studio head Darryl F. Zanuck insisted the film come out in the spring because more people went to the movies when it was warm. Naturally, this meant the promotional team had to hide the fact that the movie featured a bearded guy from the North Pole. In the trailer for Miracle on 34th Street, you see stars like Rex Harrison and Anne Baxter (who weren't even in the film!) wandering around the Fox lot, bumping into each other and "accidentally" hyping up the screening they just saw.
It’s bold. It’s kind of ridiculous. But it’s a masterclass in curiosity-gap marketing.
The 1947 Trailer for Miracle on 34th Street: A Meta Experiment
Most trailers follow a formula. You get the inciting incident, a few jokes, and a dramatic swell of music. The trailer for Miracle on 34th Street threw that out the window. It opens with a fictionalized version of a "man on the street" interview, but with famous stars. They don't show you Kris Kringle. They don't show you Macy’s. They just show people looking genuinely impressed.
This was a calculated risk. By 1947, audiences were savvy, but they weren't used to being winked at by the studio. The trailer relies entirely on social proof. If the guy from Anna and the King of Siam says this new movie is a "miracle," you're probably going to buy a ticket, even if you don't know it's about a department store Santa.
The pacing of the 1947 promo is frantic. It jumps from one star to another, never letting the audience settle into the actual plot. This kept the "Christmas" element a total secret until people were already in their seats with their popcorn. Honestly, imagine the shock of a 1940s audience realizing they were watching a holiday film while it was 80 degrees outside.
Comparing the 1947 and 1994 Teasers
Fast forward to the 1994 remake. The approach changed completely. John Hughes, who produced and wrote the update, knew he didn't have to hide the premise anymore. The trailer for Miracle on 34th Street (1994) leans heavily into the nostalgia of the original while trying to prove that Richard Attenborough is the definitive Santa.
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While the '47 trailer was a meta-commentary, the '94 version is a straight-up emotional gut-punch. It uses the "Believe" motif as a weapon. You’ve got sweeping shots of New York City, the iconic Macy’s (renamed Cole’s for the remake) parade, and that twinkling, bell-heavy score that screams "Christmas Classic."
The difference in how these two trailers handle the core conflict—the trial of Kris Kringle—is fascinating. The original promo barely mentions a court case. The '94 promo makes the trial the centerpiece, positioning it as a battle for the soul of childhood.
What the Trailer for Miracle on 34th Street Teaches Us About Suspense
There is a specific scene in the trailer for Miracle on 34th Street where the little girl, Susan Walker, pulls Kris Kringle's beard. In the 1947 version, this is played for a quick laugh, a moment of "Is he or isn't he?" In the 1994 version, it's framed in slow motion, emphasizing the magic.
Trailers are essentially liars. Or, at least, they are storytellers with an agenda. The trailer for Miracle on 34th Street from the 40s lied about the genre to get people in the door. The 94 trailer lied about the tone, making it seem like a high-stakes legal thriller for kids. Both were successful, but for vastly different reasons.
The 1947 trailer’s success is actually backed up by the film’s box office. Despite the weird marketing and the summer release, it was a massive hit. It proved that you don't always have to show your hand. Sometimes, telling the audience how they will feel is more important than telling them what they will see.
The Anatomy of a Holiday Trailer
If you’re analyzing the trailer for Miracle on 34th Street, look at the editing.
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- The 1947 version uses "wipes" and hard cuts to keep the energy high.
- The 1994 version uses "fade to blacks" to let the emotional beats land.
- Both use voiceovers, but the 47 version uses a fast-talking, newsreel-style narrator.
- The 94 version uses a deep, resonant voice that sounds like a grandfather reading a bedtime story.
It’s weird how much the narrator's voice changes the vibe. The original feels like a "must-see event," while the remake feels like a "family tradition."
Why Modern Audiences Still Watch These Trailers
People still search for the trailer for Miracle on 34th Street every December. Why? It's not just for the movie. It’s for the vibe. We live in an era of spoilers where every 3-minute trailer gives away the entire plot including the ending. Going back to see how Fox marketed a movie without showing the movie is refreshing.
The 1947 film actually won three Academy Awards. It wasn't just a fluke of marketing; it was a legitimately great screenplay by George Seaton. But the marketing is what got it over the finish line. If they had marketed it as a "Christmas movie" in May, it might have been forgotten. Instead, they sold it as a "human interest story" that everyone in Hollywood was talking about.
Technical Breakdown of the 1947 Promo
If you look closely at the trailer for Miracle on 34th Street, you can see the technical limitations of the time. The lighting on the "interviews" is harsh. The audio has that characteristic mid-range tinny sound. Yet, the charisma of the actors carries it.
The lack of color in the original trailer also helps. It creates a sense of "prestige." Even though we now have colorized versions, the black-and-white trailer has a crispness that feels timeless. The 1994 version, by contrast, feels very "90s." The color grading is warm—lots of oranges and deep reds—which was the industry standard for "cozy" at the time.
Misconceptions About the Promo Campaign
One big myth is that the trailer for Miracle on 34th Street was a mistake. Some film historians used to claim that the studio didn't know what they had. That’s not true. They knew exactly what they had—a holiday masterpiece—they just didn't trust the audience to watch it out of season.
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Another misconception is that the 1994 trailer used the Macy’s name. It didn't. Macy’s famously declined to be part of the remake, so the trailer focuses on "Cole’s." This actually forced the marketing team to work harder. They had to sell the idea of a big New York department store without the most famous brand name in the world.
Practical Takeaways for Film Buffs and Creators
Watching the trailer for Miracle on 34th Street today is a lesson in psychology. If you’re a creator, notice how they use mystery. If you’re a fan, notice how your brain fills in the gaps.
To get the most out of these trailers, do this:
- Watch the 1947 "meta" trailer first to see how they hide the plot.
- Watch the 1994 trailer to see how they maximize the emotion.
- Compare the "courtroom" reveal in both—one is a surprise, one is a promise.
- Look for the cameos in the original promo; it’s a "who’s who" of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
The legacy of the trailer for Miracle on 34th Street isn't just about selling a movie. It's about the evolution of how we are talked to as consumers. From the "star-studded" hype of the 40s to the "sentimental journey" of the 90s, these clips are snapshots of what we, as a culture, find persuasive.
Next time you’re scrolling through YouTube for something to watch, put these two trailers side-by-side. It’s better than most modern films. You’ll see the shift from selling a product to selling a feeling. And honestly, that’s the real miracle.