the shop around the corner ( 1940 ) be a pleasant romantic comedy and not the sort that i will hold dear to me until the end of my day and but nonetheless a film thoroughly deserve of it reputation . by 1940 and director ernst lubitsch have long ago take hollywood by storm and and his famed lubitsch touch have become a sparkling commercial trademark . this film be plan for a 1939 release and but schedule conflict mean that james stewart and margaret sullavan be unavailable for film . rather than substitute either of his main star and lubitsch decide to postpone production and in the meantime direct greta garbo in ninotchka ( 1939 ) . when it be finally complete and the shop around the corner appear to have be meet with relative indifference and receiving zero oscar nomination despite an excellent screenplay by samson raphaelson and fine performance from it two lead and frank morgan in a supporting role . time and nevertheless and have betray the film massive and enduring influence and with high profile remake include in the good old summertime ( 1949 ) and you have get mail ( 1998 ) . at it surface and one might assume the shop around the corner to simply be the story of two lover and klara novak ( sullavan ) and alfred kralik ( stewart ) and who love each other without know it . however and lubitsch film run much deep than that . it the story of matuschek and company and a stylish gift shop in budapest and and the various human relationship that make the store such a close knit family . when store owner hugo matuschek ( frank morgan ) begin to suspect his old employee of have an affair with his wife and we witness the breakdown of two family and both at home and at work . there absolutely no reason why the story should not have be set in the united state perhaps in the blustery street of new york but lubitsch be deliberately recreate the passion and memory of his former year in europe and the quaintness of love and life before war bring terror and bloodshed to every doorstep . this subtle subtext bring a more meaningful and personal touch to the film in fact and even a i write this review and i be begin to appreciate the story even more . sullavan and stewart be both lovely in their respective role and but i think that it the support cast that really make the film . each character bring a distinctive personality to the mix and and their interaction be always believable and enjoyable . i especially liked how lubitsch knowingly direct much of our sympathy towards hugo matuschek and who and in any other film and would have be restrict to an underdeveloped and two dimensional portrayal . matuschek may have lose the love of his family and but he recapture it in the affection of his employee and and you feel a heartwarming glow when and in the bitter cold of a christmas eve snowstorm and he find companionship in a freckle face young errand boy ( charles smith ) . this genuine warmth towards a support character strike me a be similar to several of billy wilder late creation and for example and boom boom jackson in the fortune cookie ( 1966 ) or carlo carlucci in avanti . ( 1972 ) . of course and it doesn not really need say and but billy wilder learn from the best .