The Shop Around the Corner

Samson Raphaelson's marvel of a script unfolds in six sequences that rise and fall with the surprising weight of mini-lifetimes; under Lubitsch's tart-tender direction, the emotionally transparent Stewart and the electric, conflicted Sullivan create an immortal comic courtship. [13 Feb 2004]

The onscreen chemistry between James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan was the stuff of legend, never better displayed than in this Ernst Lubitsch romantic charmer. [03 Apr 2020, p.E1]

For my money, this is Lubitsch’s masterpiece, an immaculate conflation of his sprightly shooting style, expertly layered wisecracking and bracing realism, all topped off with a romantic subplot that offers a nakedly joyous celebration of young, serendipitous love.

The real surprise is in how earnestly the director of some of the finest, spikiest romantic comedies ever made is willing to step off the gas and let heartfelt romance win the day. And it so very winning.

It's funny, touching and beautifully paced with numerous examples of the celebrated "Lubitsch touch".

Nostalgic and charming romance with special moments in the extra-narrative action.

This is a sharp, elegant, unsentimental picture in which Stewart plays a character who is often gloomy and downright unsympathetic.

This has to be one of the great movies of all time. The acting is wonderful and the premise, which, because it is an old movie, is very original, if fun and entertaining. I think the more modern movie, "You've Got Mail" is a remaking of this movie. That one wasn't nearly as good. :-)

Es una película que realmente pensé que sería una comedia romántica genérica, pero me equivoqué gratamente, porque presenta un argumento bastante maduro. Esta vez, el romance, que es la parte central de la historia, creo que está escrito bien, no es la gran cosa, ni mucho menos, pero es estable, lo que ayuda a que todas las demás escenas o subtramas tengan un impacto emocional mucho más creíble. Al final, como es costumbre, brillan más los personajes secundarios que los principales, ya que el final es algo un poco escueto. Pero algo que me gusta es que, en tan solo pocas locaciones, alrededor de unas 3 para ser exactos, pudieron hacer una historia bastante interesante, por lo que es una buena película.