The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Retro Review #37: Actually it's in Budapest, but it's as cozy as it sounds.
The Shop Around the Corner (1940) — Actually it’s in Budapest, but it’s as cozy as it sounds.
+ Feature film, bw, 1h 39m
A ^
Family Suitability
+ ✅2️⃣ OK for teens and adults. (Grades 7+) | Approved
Alignment with Judeo-Christian Values
+ ❎1️⃣ Fair/Slightly Favorable
+ Based on literature (stage play) “Parfumerie”❗🔜⭐ by Miklós László
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Grade: A ^ (12.0) / HOF: 30
EQ 👍A | 📖A 👥A 📽️B+ 🎼B
DW 🚫5.2 | 🌚7 🌝5
POPCAP 💯n/a 🍿n/a 🧢n/a
L-R ☮️n/a ◀️n/a ▶️n/a 🛐n/a
It’s easy to understand why “The Shop Around the Corner” is considered a cinema classic. The film is simple, but not simplistic. No special effects or award-winning soundtrack, no gimmicks or an epic cast with thousands of extras. Just a solidly entertaining story with drama, romance and comedy.
It’s a grown-up story, with grown-up comedy, that doesn't tip my Whimsy scale much. But hey, I may favor Dark Whimsy, but I don't only like Dark Whimsy. And this is a very good movie.
What it doesn’t have is much Christmassy content. But it’s set during the holiday season, and just like Die Hard, the consensus is that this is a Christmas movie, so I’m not about to argue.
In The Shop Around the Corner, James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan play co-workers who do argue. They just can’t get along. They dream of love, but not with each other. Both have fallen for a correspondent via letters that may have begun innocently, but have stirred up romance. Well, no spoiler intended, but obviously we know where this is headed.
It’s funny how your feelings for the movie mirror the romance in the story. You start off open minded, wanting to like the film. But it’s only a little bit funny at first, not like your ideal of a romantic comedy. Do you really like this movie at all? There’s a lot of drama, but is it too much? Then there are revelations. You’re amused and reconsidering. You look at things differently. Eventually you’re laughing and charmed and love the film. Either that or you’re just psychologically mixed up until it’s almost over and you decide you’ve loved the film all along.
Sure, this is only the second best Christmas film starring Jimmy Stewart, but he’s terrific, elevating the entire cast, and The Shop Around the Corner is not to be missed. Enjoy the ride.
Onwards!
+ last viewed (2) 2025-12-05, HDX7, 1.37, 1M
+ first viewed 2024-12-24, HDX7, 1.37, 1M
+ 🎈⛄🎄🎅🗄️🥰😍😏😥🥸
Family Suitability Detail
+ ✅2️⃣ OK for teens and adults. (Grades 7+) | Approved
+ 😡+2 😵💫+2 🤬+4 🤭+2 🫣+4
Judeo-Christian Values Detail
+ ❎1️⃣ Fair/Slightly Favorable
+ ✝️ +2 ➕😇💒💒❤️💜 ➖(🔮)🚬
+ ✡️ +1 ➕🌗😠😊 ➖(🔮)
+ 🗽 +1 ➕🗽🏦🏦 ➖(🔮)
Note: This work is in the public domain in the United States, but I have not found a good recording on YouTube. Let me know in the comments if you find one to link here.
Please do not include spoilers in the comments.
Spoilers are permitted in the Chat for this work.
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Text Group Comment:
W: Yes, we just watched it this year for the first time—felt similarly!
Reaction: 🩷 from Rick Retro