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The ‘Other’ Jimmy Stewart Christmas Movie Classic
We all know the most famous Jimmy Stewart Christmas movie, but what about his other classic that we all seem to forget? ‘The Shop Around the Corner’ is must see.
We all know the drill. Every December, television stations broadcast It’s A Wonderful Life on an infinite loop. We watch George Bailey run through the snow, we hear the bell ring, and we cry. It is a masterpiece. But what if I told you that Jimmy Stewart starred in another Christmas movie just six years earlier. One that is funnier, wittier, and arguably even more romantic?
We remember the ‘other’ Jimmy Stewart Christmas movie classic, because its definitely worth a watch. The Shop Around the Corner (1940) is the forgotten holiday classic that deserves the top spot on your watchlist this year.
The Shop Around the Corner: (The original You’ve Got Mail) Klara and Alfred are constantly at odds with each other, while both are enamored of their respective pen pals. Little do they know, they are each the other’s pen pal and, despite outward differences, have unwittingly fallen in love through their letters.
Watch the Movie: Click To Buy on Blu Ray
The “Other” Jimmy Stewart Classic
Released in January 1940, this film was directed by the legendary Ernst Lubitsch. While it doesn’t feature angels or alternate timelines, it captures the human spirit of the holidays with a sophistication that modern rom-coms desperately try (and often fail) to emulate. If you love the “enemies to lovers” trope, this isn’t just a good movie; it is the blueprint.
The Plot: A Romance Before The Internet
If the plot sounds familiar, it’s because you have probably seen the remake. This film is the original source material for the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan blockbuster You’ve Got Mail.
Instead of rival bookstore owners in New York battling over email, The Shop Around the Corner is set in a leather goods gift shop in Budapest. There’s Alfred Kralik (Jimmy Stewart), the top salesman who is sensible, honest, and slightly cynical. Then there’s Klara Novak (Margaret Sullavan), the new hire who’s passionate, impulsive, and sharp-tongued.
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In person, they cannot stand each other. They bicker constantly on the sales floor. But unbeknownst to them, they are falling in love with each other through anonymous letters they have been exchanging as “Dear Friend.” Sound familiar?
Why It Stands the Test of Time
1. The “Lubitsch Touch”
Director Ernst Lubitsch was famous for his unique style. Its a mix of elegance, subtle humor, and emotional depth known as the “Lubitsch Touch.” The movie is never sappy. It treats the audience as intelligent. The jokes land because they are about human nature, pride, and the funny way we try to impress people we like.
The Shop Around the Corner: (The original You’ve Got Mail) Klara and Alfred are constantly at odds with each other, while both are enamored of their respective pen pals. Little do they know, they are each the other’s pen pal and, despite outward differences, have unwittingly fallen in love through their letters.
Watch the Movie: Click To Buy on Blu Ray
2. Real Stakes
Unlike many Hallmark movies where the biggest problem is a lack of Christmas spirit, this film is grounded in reality. The characters are worried about their jobs. They worry about bonuses. The owner of the shop, Mr. Matuschek, is dealing with a heartbreaking personal crisis.
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Because the darkness is real, the light feels brighter. When the characters finally find happiness on Christmas Eve, it feels earned, not manufactured.
3. Jimmy Stewart at His Best
We usually associate Jimmy Stewart with the frantic, desperate energy of George Bailey. In this film, he is different. He is suave, sarcastic, and incredibly charming. Watching him navigate the realization that the woman he “hates” is actually the woman he loves is a masterclass in comedic acting.
The Perfect Christmas Eve Scene
The film builds to a crescendo on Christmas Eve inside the shop. Snow is falling outside, the store is bustling with last-minute shoppers, and the tension between Alfred and Klara reaches its breaking point. It captures that specific Christmas Eve feeling. The mix of exhaustion, anticipation, and the hope that something magical might happen before the clock strikes twelve.
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The Shop Around the Corner is a warm blanket of a movie. It is cozy without being cloying, and funny without being silly. It reminds us that the greatest gift isn’t what is in the box, but the person standing next to you, even if they annoy you sometimes. If you are tired of the same old rotation, travel back to 1940 Budapest. You won’t regret it.
Home Alone & Home Alone 2: After the McCallisters mistakenly leave for the airport without their son Kevin, he is left home alone on Christmas.
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Home Alone 2: Click to Buy from $11.99
Alone: This film, distributed by Breaking Glass Pictures, explores the dark trauma of domestic abuse amid the very real horror of being stalked in isolation. The debut film from directors Dan Salem and Mandi Mellen, its described as an homage to films like Halloween and The Invisible Man, with a villain always cloaked in shadows, leaving the audience unsure of what is real.
Stream the Movie: Click To Stream Now
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Photo Credits to Warner Brothers Pictures
Movie reviews on BuzzChomp:
Horror Movies – Halloween; The Shining; Scream; The Blair Witch Project; Saw; I Know What You Did Last Summer; I Still Know What You Did Last Summer; Jaws; Jaws 2; Jaws 3-D; The Exorcist
Christmas Movies – Home Alone; Christmas Vacation; A Christmas Story; Elf; The Santa Clause; The Grinch; Bad Santa; Its A Wonderful Life
Classic Movies – When Harry Met Sally; Jurassic Park; Back To The Future; Back To The Future Part 2; Back To The Future Part 3; Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Star Wars Movies – Star Wars Episode 1; Star Wars Episode 2; Star Wars Episode 3; Star Wars Episode 4; Star Wars Episode 5; Star Wars Episode 6; Star Wars Episode 7; Star Wars Episode 8; Star Wars Episode 9
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