Miracle On 34th Street Page #8

I don't blame them.

Any man who'd put Santa Claus

on trial for lunacy.

See what I mean?

Hey.

Don't worry about me.

I've got the best lawyer

in the world.

How long do you think

this will take?

Maybe a week.

A week?! That seems impossible!

That lawyer

won't be stupid enough...

to let him admit anything.

He'll deny everything.

I'll bring witnesses,

and he'll bring witnesses.

Hear ye, hear ye.

All persons having business...

with the supreme court

of the county of New York...

draw near, give attendance,

and ye shall be heard.

You have Kris Kringle's

commitment papers.

I'd like to call

the first witness.

Mr. Kringle,

will you take the stand?

Good morning, Your Honor.

You do solemnly swear...

the testimony you'll give

shall be the whole truth...

so help you God?

I do.

Before you begin, I want

to explain to the witness...

this is a hearing, not a trial.

Mr. Kringle...

you don't have to answer

against your wishes...

or even testify at all.

We have no objection,

Your Honor.

I'll be glad to answer

any questions I can.

What is your name?

Kris Kringle.

Where do you live?

That's what this hearing

will decide.

A very sound answer,

Mr. Kringle.

Do you believe

that you're Santa Claus?

Of course.

The state rests, Your Honor.

Well, Mr. Gailey...

do you wish to cross-examine

the witness?

I believe he was employed

to play Santa Claus.

Perhaps he didn't understand

the question correctly.

Oh, I understood perfectly,

Your Honor.

No further questions

at this time.

Thank you.

In view of this statement...

do you still wish

to put in a defense?

I do, Your Honor.

I'm fully aware

of my client's opinions.

That's the entire case

against him.

All these complicated tests

boil down to this:

Mr. Kringle is not sane...

because he believes himself

to be Santa Claus.

An entirely logical...

and reasonable assumption,

I'm afraid.

It would be if the clerk,

Mr. Marrah, or I...

believed we were Santa Claus.

Anyone who thinks

he's Santa Claus is not sane.

Not necessarily.

You believe yourself

to be Judge Harper...

yet no one questions your sanity

because you are Judge Harper.

I know all about myself,

young man.

Mr. Kringle is the subject

of this hearing.

Yes, Your Honor...

and if he is the person

he believes himself to be...

just as you are,

then he's just as sane.

Granted, but he isn't.

Oh, but he is.

Is what?

I intend to prove

that Mr. Kringle is Santa Claus.

He's crazy, too!

Hi, darling.

Sorry I'm late. Get your coat.

I reserved our table at Luigi's.

We're gonna celebrate.

What are we celebrating?

Read all about it.

"Gailey Throws Court Bombshell."

Yes, I read that.

I didn't see this...

Front page! Good. Good.

You're not serious about this?

Of course I am.

But you can't possibly

prove he's Santa Claus.

Why not? You saw Macy

and Gimbel shaking hands.

That wasn't possible either,

but it happened.

It's the best defense I can use.

Completely logical

and completely unexpected.

And completely idiotic.

What about your bosses...

Haislip and Mackenzie

and the rest?

What do they say?

That I'm jeopardizing

the prestige and dignity...

of an old, established

law firm...

and either I drop this

impossible case immediately...

or they will drop me.

I beat them to it. I quit.

Fred, you didn't.

Of course I did.

I can't let Kris down.

He needs me,

and all the rest of us need him.

Darling,

he's a nice old man...

and I admire you

for wanting to help him...

but you've got to be realistic

and face facts.

You can't just

throw your career away...

because of a sentimental whim.

But I'm not

throwing my career away.

If Haislip feels that way...

so will every other law firm.

I'm sure they will.

I'll open my own office.

What kind of cases will you get?

Probably people like

Kris who are being bullied.

That's the only fun in law

anyway.

If you believe in me

and have faith in me...

everything will...

You don't have any faith in me,

do you?

It's not about faith.

It's just common sense.

Faith is believing in things...

when common sense

tells you not to.

It's not just Kris

that's on trial.

It's everything he stands for.

It's kindness, joy, love,

and all other intangibles.

Fred,

you're talking like a child.

You're living

in a realistic world!

Those lovely intangibles

aren't worth much.

You don't get ahead that way.

That all depends

on what you call getting ahead.

Evidently,

we have different definitions.

We've talked

about wonderful plans.

Then you go

on an idealistic binge.

You give up your job,

throw away your security...

and then you expect me

to be happy about it!

Yes,

I guess I expected too much.

Someday,

you're going to find out...

that your way of facing

this realistic world...

just doesn't work.

And when you do...

don't overlook

those lovely intangibles.

You'll discover

they're the only things...

that are worthwhile.

These reporters make me

look like a sadistic monster...

who likes to drown cats...

and tear the wings

off butterflies.

Why, this old man...

Tommy, go get

mother's scissors, will you?

They're in the bedroom.

That's a good boy.

I don't want to discuss

this case in front of him.

It'll break his heart.

While we're on the subject,

I agree with the reporters.

Mr. Kringle seems

to be a nice old man.

I don't see why you have

to keep persecuting him.

Firstly,

I am not persecuting him.

I am prosecuting him.

And secondly,

I like the old man, too.

I wish

I'd never gotten into this.

But it's too late now. There's

nothing I can do about it.

It's up to the state

of New York.

I'm their duly appointed

legal representative.

Kringle has been declared

a menace to society...

by competent doctors.

It's my duty to protect

the state of New York...

and see that he's put away.

No matter what they say

about me...

I've got to do it.

Sometimes I wish I'd married

a butcher or a plumber.

Well, my dear,

if I lose this case...

it's very possible

that you'll get your wish.

Hello, Kris.

Your name?

R.H. Macy.

You are the owner...

of one of the biggest

department stores...

in New York City?

The biggest.

Who is the gentleman

seated there?

Kris Kringle.

- Your employee?

- Yes.

Do you believe him

to be truthful?

Yes.

You believe him to be

of sound mind?

I certainly do.

Mr. Macy, you're under oath.

You really believe

this man is Santa Claus?

Well, I...

Well, he gives

every indication...

Do you really believe

he's Santa Claus?

I do.

You do?

That's all.

Psychologist!

Where'd you graduate from,

a correspondence school?

You're fired.

Your Honor,

I object to this testimony.

It's ridiculous, irrelevant,

and immaterial.

Mr. Gailey is making

a circus of this court.

There is no such person

as Santa Claus...

and everybody knows it.

I submit

it's purely a matter of opinion.

Can Mr. Marrah disprove

Santa's existence?

No. I don't intend to.

This isn't a nursery. It's the

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