The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

• Year: 1940
• Released: 12 Jan 1940
• Country: United States
• Adwords: 2 wins
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033045/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_shop_around_the_corner
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-shop-around-the-corner
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: Not Rated
• Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
• Runtime: 99 min
• Writer: Samson Raphaelson, Miklós László, Ben Hecht
• Director: Ernst Lubitsch
• Cast: Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan
• Keywords: christmas, love, holiday, unemployment, secret love,

	8.1/10
	96/100
	100% – Critics
	91% – Audience

The Shop Around the Corner Storyline

In Budapest, Hungary, the Matuschek and Company store is owned by Mr. Hugo Matuschek and the bachelor Alfred Kralik is his best and most experienced salesman. When Klara Novak seeks a job position of saleswoman in the store, Matuschek hires her but Kralik and she do not get along. Meanwhile the lonely and dedicated Kralik has an unknown pen pal that he intends to propose very soon; however, he is fired without explanation by Matuschek on the night that he is going to meet his secret love. He goes to the bar where they have scheduled their meeting with his colleague Pirovitch and he surprisingly finds that Klara is his correspondent; however, ashamed After being let go he does not disclose his identity to her. When Matuschek discovers that he had misjudged Kralik and committed a mistake, he hires him again for the position of manager. But Klara is still fascinated with her correspondent and does not pay much attention to Alfred. Alfred works out a plan to reveal himself to Klara’s who he is attracted to now that he sees past her attitude.

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The Shop Around the Corner Movie Reviews

Pen pals in Budapest

Ernst Lubitsch’s contribution to the American cinema is enormous. His legacy is an outstanding group of movies that will live forever, as is the case with “The Shop Around the Corner”. This film has been remade into other less distinguished movies and a musical play, without the charm or elegance of Mr. Lubitsch’s own, and definite version.

Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart worked in several films together. Their characters in this movie stand out as an example of how to be in a movie without almost appearing to be acting at all. Both stars are delightful as the pen pals that don’t know of one another, but who fate had them working together in the same shop in Budapest.

The reason why these classic films worked so well is the amazing supporting casts the studios put together in picture after picture. In here, we have the wonderful Frank Morgan, playing the owner of the shop. Also, we see Joseph Schildkraut, Felix Bressart, William Tracy and Charles Smith, among others, doing impressive work in making us believe that yes, they are in Budapest.

That is why these films will live forever!

Oozes With Charm

The cast really helps make this a pleasant surprise and a cut above the normal man-vs.-woman-argue-all-the-time-but-wind up-in love-type of Hollywood screwball romance/comedy.

I usually don’t go for those type of films and that tiresome storyline but this one was refreshing, fun to watch, and oozes with charm.

Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan play off each other well and make a very handsome couple. The supporting cast is outstanding – from the always-likable Felix Bressart to the villain Joseph Schildkraut.

Frank Morgan also plays one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever seen him do in his career. He takes the film and turns it around into a whole different mood for awhile when something dramatic happens to him. That “twist” is another reason this film rises above others of its kind.

Once again, when a film has a good mix of categories, it usually succeeds. This is a great example of that. In this movie, it’s romance, comedy and drama and it’s well done. I’ll take this over the re-make “You’ve Got Mail,” any day. No comparison.

exceptional but very dark

For those who have already seen IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMER TIME, this movie will come as quite a shock. That’s because IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMER TIME is a remake of THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER but it’s a much lighter and happier film–plus it’s a musical. While the stories are very similar, THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER deals with such topics as attempted suicide and infidelity!! How this is NOT to say that it’s a bad movie–just VERY different in tone. Many may find the original film better, but I guess I am just an old softy and like the bouncier remake. Both are excellent and you should see them both.

Now, concerning the recent remake with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (YOU’VE GOT MAIL), I do not recommend it. While similar in plot, it just does nothing to add to the story and was a totally forgettable film. I really wanted to like it more than I did.

UPDATE: I just watched this again and think it’s actually a bit better than I remembered. I STILL prefer “In the Good Old Summertime”…but only just a bit more.