NFR Project: 'The Shop Around the Corner' (1940)

 

NFR Project: ‘The Shop Around the Corner’

Dir: Ernst Lubitsch

Scr: Samson Raphaelson, Ben Hecht

Pho: William Daniels

Ed: Gege Ruggiero

Premiere: Jan. 12, 1940

99 min.

Director Ernst Lubitsch is known for his “Lubitsch touch,” a sure sense of sophisticated and understated comedy on film. He spent most of the early sound era creating frothy romantic comedies, usually set in imaginary kingdoms. His sharp observations of the vagaries of human behavior are tempered with affection, always leading to happy endings.

The Shop Around the Corner is another romantic comedy, but this time it is set in the real world of commerce. In Budapest, the leather goods store of Matuschek is inhabited by a squad of employees under Mr. Matuschek himself (a wonderful Frank Morgan). Jimmy Stewart plays Alfred, Mr. Matuschek’s number-one man, and Margaret Sullavan plays Klara, a new employee who fails to hit it off with Alfred. They constantly argue.

However, unbeknownst to them both, they are secretly pen pals who love each other through epistolary channels. The contrast between the love they carry for their unmet correspondents and their fractious real-life relationship forms the core of the movie. We watch as, slowly, Alfred finally understands that Klara is the girl he loves. He begins to think about how to break it to her.

Meanwhile, Mr. Matuschek’s unseen wife is discovered to be having an affair – with another employee of Matuschek, Vadas (Joseph Schildkraut). When Matuschek finds out, he tries to kill himself. He is prevented from doing so by Pepi, the errand boy (William Tracy). Matuschek suffers a nervous breakdown, and Alfred takes over as manager of the shop. Soon the equilibrium of the situation is restored. Matuschek realizes that his employees are his true family, and treats them all to Christmas bonuses. Alfred reveals himself to Klara, and they clinch to close the film.

The film’s pace is steady. Lubitsch carefully gives each character just enough time in front of the camera (Felix Bressart, one of Lubitsch’s regulars, puts in a significant performance as the mild Pirovitch), and the subtleties are communicated with a minimum of fuss. The result is a delightful and warm-hearted look at regular folks in their daily lives.

The NFR is one writer’s attempt to review all the films listed in the National Film Registry in chronological order. Next time: Siege.