The Shop Around the Corner (1940) dir. Ernst Lubitsch
The formula is pure Hollywood. Boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy and girl are separated by comic misunderstanding, and the audience waits for the two to reconcile. The Shop Around the Corner adds nothing but Lubitsch’s perfect touch,
Samson Raphaelson’s delightful knots,
James Stewart’s impeccable timing,
and Margaret Sullivan’s talent.
Beautiful, charming, and the type of romantic film that effortlessly slides through the decades.
The Shop Around the Corner is #206 on the 2012 edition of the TSPDT 1,000 list I’m blogging through. I’ve now seen 448.
