watch all this. Doris stands on top of Macy's roof with Marvin Shellhammer, a Macy's junior executive. They both comment how good the substitute Santa seems to be. This Santa has everyone virtually mesmerized by his sheer presence. Later on the day we are at Doris' apartment where Susan is at the typewriter. Doris enters and gives her daughter a pair of new slippers. Susan excitedly tries them on and thanks her mother. The two sing "Arm In Arm" where it is evident that they have a very special rather mature mother/daughter relationship. Susan tells her mother about her meeting with Fred and also asks her if she ever believed in Santa Claus. Doris avoids the question and puts Susan to sleep and sings "You Don't Know" where she basically talks about playing it safe. It's evident that Doris is someone who doesn't get emotionally involved so as not to get stung in the end. The next morning in the Manager's Briefing Room at Macy's, Mr. Shellhammer is training the new young female clerks. It seems that Mr. Shellhammer has ordered too many plastic alligators and is teaching the girls how to sell them by singing a little jingle he wrote. ("Plastic Alligator") You can say anything if you just sing it - even sell plastic alligators. Mr. Macy enters and sees this going on and is not impressed by Mr. Shellhammer or his jingle. The scene immediately following takes place in Macy's glittering Toy Department. The Bearded Gentleman Doris hired in the first scene is "playing" Santa Claus. He is sending parents to other stores to purchase toys that Macy's doesn't have in stock. This seems strange - but he tells the parents that Macy's really has "the true spirit of Christmas." This Bearded Gentleman also speaks and sings in Dutch ("Bugles") with a little orphan girl who doesn't speak any English. Fred brings young Susan to see Santa; unfortunately, the young girl doesn't believe in Santa. But this Santa seems different from all others her mother has hired. He speaks a variety of languages, has a real beard, and even tells people to go to other stores and buy what they can't get at Macy's. Why does he do this? In the song, "Here's Love," the Bearded Gentleman explains that love is what it is all about - especially at this time of year. He starts off this song, and eventually it turns into a big production number with the entire company going from Macy's to Herald Square and eventually to the front of Gimbels where some of the customers go to get what Santa tells them Macy's doesn't have. Lights come up on a playground in the Park where Fred and Susan enter and play on the seesaw. Susan is now enchanted with Fred and is calling him "Uncle Fred." She even asks him to be her father; however, he tells her that he is a confirmed bachelor and plans on staying that way. They talk a bit more and Fred finds out that Susan's birthday is on Christmas so she never has a party. He says how terrible that must be, so just for today he decides to make it her honorary birthday and be her honorary father just till they go home. They sing "My Wish." Back at Doris' office, Ms. Shellhammer reports that Macy's Santa is steering everyone off to Gimbel's to find what they don't have at Macy's. It also seems that this gentleman goes by the name of Kris Kringle (with next of kin being Dancer, Prancer...) Mr. Macy burst in furious over all this. After he gives Doris a chance to talk, she suggests a sales idea - What if they follow Santa's lead and have all of their employees send customers to other stores where the prices are cheaper? Macy's will be "the store with the heart." They'll put public service ahead of profits, and subsequently make more profit than ever. Mr. Macy loves the idea. Doris decides to give Mr. Kringle a lifetime contract; however, Mr. Shellhammer has fired him. In fact, his pink slip is in the mailroom. With that, Mr. Kringle appears with his pink slip and Doris rips it up. She tells Mr. Kringle how she is going to follow his lead - and adopt his policy to send people to other stores. He is happy because he was just about to give up. He misses the old days when there were real Christmas trees and "Pine Cones and Holly Berries." Doris, Mr. Shellhammer and Mr. Kringle all sing. (It's here that the holiday classic "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" is sung.) Mr. Macy comes back in excitedly saying that the new campaign is working. Doris tells her secretary to call home and tell Susan that she's coming home for dinner. Shellhammer informs her that he saw Susan at the store earlier with a man whom he didn't know. Doris is very determined to check this out. The scene shifts to Fred's apartment, late afternoon the same day, where Doris enters and confronts him about why he took Susan to see Santa Claus. She has told Susan that Santa is a myth and doesn't want her
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