While it will forever remain a cinematic crime that this 1947 Christmas classic was not filmed in Technicolor—thus robbing us of Maureen O’Hara’s fabulous, fiery mane—the story of an overly rational little girl (Natalie Wood) and her square-as-a-peg mother (O’Hara) who get sideswiped by Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) and his human helper (crazy-handsome John Payne) into believing in miracles and myths is a heartwarming must-see every holiday season. It’s also good fun spotting some of film and television’s greatest character actors in bit parts: Thelma Ritter, Jack Albertson and “Fred Mertz” himself, William Frawley. Catch it on the big screen and enjoy one heck of a sentimental sleigh ride.
Wed., Dec. 22, 7:30 p.m., 2010
