Daily Dialogue — December 25, 2014

Fred Gailey: Your Honor, every one of these letters is addressed to Santa Claus. The Post Office has delivered them. Therefore the Post Office Department, a branch of the Federal Governent, recognizes this man Kris Kringle to be the one and only Santa Claus.
Judge Henry X. Harper: Uh, since the United States Government declares this man to be Santa Claus, this court will not dispute it. Case dismissed.

— Miracle on 34th Street (1947), written for the screen by George Seaton, story by Valentine Davies

Daily Dialogue theme this week: Celebration.

Trivia: 20th Century-Fox studio head Darryl F. Zanuck was very much against making this film because he thought it too corny to succeed. He finally agreed to a medium-sized budget provided writer/director George Seaton would accept his next three assignments unconditionally. Seaton, who desperately wanted to get the picture made, agreed.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Twenty one bags of mail, each letter addressed to Santa Claus proved enough evidence to have the charges dropped — and reason to celebrate.