In 1939 Lubitsch had singed with MGM to make Ninotchkia and one more film. That one more film turned out to be The Shop Around the Corner. Lubitsch had owned the rights to a play called Parfumerie. He would sell the rights of this play to MGM for $62,500 and then began work with writer Samson Raphaelson to make this into a movie. Lubitsch based much of the film off of his years as a child in his father's tailor shop in Berlin. Lubitsch wanted to be sure this film was not like the movies he was known for. The way this film would be different would be by being much less glamorous than those movies. He went to such great lengths to achieve this that he left a dress that Margret Sullivan (the film's leading lady) would wear in the movie out in the sun, and later even had it altered to make it fit her worse. Margret Sullivan had in fact before this bought a dress she thought worked perfectly for her part, but Lubitsch said it looked too good.
The film centers around a man named Alfred (played by James Stewart) and a woman named Klara (played by Margret Sullivan) who have been writing each other anonymous love letters (excuse me... cultural discussions through the mail). They both end up working at a little shop owned by a man named Hugo Matuschek (played by Frank Morgan). They meet and grow hate each other, while still unaware that they have been writing each other. To make matters worse Mr. Matuschek seems to be growing colder towards Alfred, leading Alfred to get fired and Klara to blame this on herself. This all leads to a Christmas Eve that will change everything for both of them.
The movie rightfully became a huge hit when it was released, which surpised the whole MGM studio, who felt that this was just an assuming little film. Luckily for us, this film is just as charming today as it was when it was originally released in 1940. This beautiful little film remains one of Lubitsch's best movies.
Part of what makes this movie so great is its sense of atmosphere. Watching this movie one truly feels like they are transported to this little town. It is so easy to get swept away in the characters as well. These are not simple little characters, but fully formed human beings. It doesn't take long until we accept these people to be as real as our friends and family. This movie is fact overflowing with humanity. In fact some of the sadder scenes in this movie are in fact painful to watch, I admit even feeling a little hurt by the "insignificant little clerk" remark. On the other hand the happier scenes are a complete joy and never fail to put a smile on my face. Even with how moving the drama is, this movie is still a comedy there are plenty of times I laughed out loud watching it. This is truly what makes the movie so special. Every element comes together to create a nearly perfect whole. This is one of those movies that reminds movie lovers like me why we fell in love with film in the first place.
This film is so charming in fact it was later remade as a movie musical in 1949, another great film (and big hit) called In the Good Old Summertime. Charles Smith who played Rudi in The Shop on the Corner would also appear in In the Good Old Summertime in a small uncredited role. It was later remade again as You Got Mail in 1998.
To see san original review from Box Office Digest click here.
The following is a brief article from The Film Daily (dated January 26, 1940).
"SRO business greeted the opening of 'The Shop Around the Corner' yesterday at Radio City Music Hall where morning and afternoon figures were described as being equal to those on the opening day of 'Ninotchka.' The MGM picture is topping normal business from 18-43 percent in Baltimore, Springfield, Mass. Albany, Indianapolis, Rochester, Syracuse, Kanas City, Toledo, St. Louis, Nashville, Louisville and Dayton."
The following is from an article in the Motion Picture Herald.
"Matt Saunders' exploitation campaign for 'The Shop Around the Corner' at Loew's Poli, Bridgeport, was featured by a full-page cooperative ad in the local Post. Contracting neighborhood merchants, Sanders arranged for a display, day before opening, featuring ads of various dealers including luggage, furniture, photographs, service stations, carrying copy plugging 'The Shop Around the Corner' and urging readers to shop at these places following their visit to the theatre. The title of the film itself was fitted with the individual ads."
-Michael J. Ruhland
Resources Used http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/413/The-Shop-Around-the-Corner/articles.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033045/?ref_=rvi_tt
http://mediahistoryproject.org/
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