Watch Shop Around the Corner

Shop Around the Corner is a 1940 romantic comedy film directed by Ernst Lubitsch and starring Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, and Frank Morgan. Set in Budapest, the film tells the story of two feuding co-workers at a gift shop who are unknowingly pen pals and falling in love with each other through letters. Klara Novak (Sullavan) and Alfred Kralik (Stewart) are employees at a gift shop in Budapest. They can't stand each other, constantly bickering and arguing about everything. Meanwhile, the shop is going through some changes as the owner, Mr. Matuschek (Morgan), faces personal and financial troubles.

In parallel, both Klara and Alfred are anonymously writing love letters to someone they have never met. They only know each other through words on paper, and little do they know, they are corresponding with each other. The two unknown pen pals start to fall in love with the personality they're glimpsing through their letters, not knowing that person is their co-worker.

As their correspondence deepens, they agree to meet in person. But before they can, Alfred realizes with disappointment that his pen pal is Klara who he detests. He decides to continue writing her anyway, but in their day-to-day interactions his bitter feelings towards her grow stronger.

Mr. Matuschek, the owner of the shop, is also going through a tough time in his life. He is convinced his wife is having an affair and is struggling to keep the business afloat. However, things start to look better for him when he starts to rely on Alfred, his trusted assistant, more than ever.

The film's pace is smooth, and Lubitsch's direction is elegant and subtle. He plays with the camera in a masterful way; shots are carefully arranged and cut together as if they were musical notes in a perfect composition. The film's blend of humor, romance and bittersweet emotions displays the director's unique ability to touch the audience's heart.

The performances of Sullavan and James Stewart are delightful. Sullavan's portrayal of Klara is both feisty and charming. She represents a strong, independent female character who knows what she wants and is unafraid to speak her mind. Klara is a woman who, despite her troubles, is enthusiastic about life, and the audience can't help but fall in love with her.

James Stewart as Alfred is nerdy and awkward, but charming and sincere at the same time. His performance brings a quality of likability and adorability to the character. He is the perfect complement to Sullavan's Klara.

Frank Morgan as Mr. Matuschek is also impressive, adding a dimension of complexity to the story. His character's struggles with his personal and financial troubles create a relatable and empathetic character.

Overall, Shop Around the Corner is an entertaining, witty and romantic film, which captures the audience's heart with a charming story, strong performances, and skilled direction. The film is an example of the sophistication of classic Hollywood cinema, where style and substance are cleverly mixed. It remains one of the most cherished romantic comedies of all time.

Shop Around the Corner is a 1940 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 39 minutes. It has received outstanding reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.0 and a MetaScore of 96.