The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

8.0Approved99 minDirector: Ernst Lubitsch

1940 film by Ernst Lubitsch

The Shop Around the Corner is a 1940 American romantic comedy-drama film produced and directed by Ernst Lubitsch starring Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan, and Joseph Schildkraut. The screenplay by Samson Raphaelson is based on the 1937 Hungarian play Parfumerie by Miklós László.

The film is about two employees at a leather goods shop in pre-war Budapest who can barely stand each other, not realizing they are falling in love as anonymous correspondents through their letters. It follows social themes associated with the lives of the middle class.

Though the film did not do well at the box office, it was met with generally positive reviews from film critics. It has since been adapted into three productions. In 1999 The Shop Around the Corner was selected with 24 other films to be included in the National Film Registry as "culturally, historically or aesthically" significant and is also included in the all-time top 100 movies selected by Time magazine.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is The Shop Around the Corner about?
The Shop Around the Corner (1940) — 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
Is The Shop Around the Corner based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is The Shop Around the Corner scary?
Content rating: Approved. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.
What is The Shop Around the Corner (1940) about? Plot, synopsis and ending explained — Screencodex