I have lived not far outside of London for around seven years now and it took me until about a month ago to get my arse to the BFI Southbank cinema. I have since been twice more and made a day of it each time. And why wouldn’t I when they consistently show films I would never see otherwise. I include in that today’s film, The Shop Around the Corner (1940). A romantic comedy based around Christmas; it doesn’t instantly jump out at me as I film, I need to watch. However, it does star Jimmy Stewart and that did pique my interest. And seeing as I already going to the Southbank to see Woman in the Dunes (1964) and Tokyo Drifter (1966) I thought I may as well make it a triple threat. Who would have thought I would come away having enjoyed The Shop Around the Corner the most out of the three? The film follows two shop workers around Christmas time. The two of them can’t stand each other, clashing at almost every turn. One thing they do have in common is that they both have secret admirers who they have been corresponding with through letters for several months. Unbeknownst to the two that the people they have been falling for through these letters are each other,
You may be thinking that that synopsis doesn’t exactly sound like a Christmas film, and I am here to alleviate those fears. While Christmas doesn’t take centre stage, the majority of the film takes place around Christmas and there is a ton of iconography throughout which gives the film a very Christmassy feel even if the narrative could work without Christmas being involved. And I think the Christmas setting goes along with the general tone of the film with it being light-hearted and whimsical at times. That being said it isn’t all fun and games and a genuinely quite major plot point in the film is an attempted suicide. It feels slightly out of place in a film that does go light throughout, especially as it isn’t used as a way of shifting the tone to something more serious, it is just there as a plot device. It doesn’t harm the film in any way, just seems a little out of place. Another thing to mention about the tone and feel of the film is just that it very much feels of its time. That isn’t a criticism, just something to be noted. It has that kind of melodramatic style that was common for the time, and it works really well in the comedic moments of the film, which is helped by the actors.
This is a film that works due to its performers and the script they have to work with. Everyone is on song at all times throughout. As melodramatic as it can be with the acting at times, it always fits the tone and never feels too much. And all the actors also manage to capture the genuinely more emotional moments of the film well. The two MVPs of the film are Jimmy Stewart and Frank Morgan, who play Alfred Kralik and Hugo Matuschek respectively. It is possible that I felt like these two stood at as they have the more in-depth character moments throughout the film, and this allowed them to show more than the other actors who were focused much more on the comedic aspects of the film. Every single actor is helped by a script that is smart and witty all the way throughout, but they all do it justice with their line delivery throughout which is consistently on point. And, not to go back to Jimmy Stewart, but he continues to be an actor who I love every time I see him. He has a screen presence not many actors can rival, and it is the same in this film. Every time he is on screen your eyes are fixed on him and I think he really does elevate the film.
In the intro of the first review, I did for these Christmas films I said that we were in for a world of hurt as I had (supposedly) gone through all the good Christmas films and I was down to the bare bones. But now having seen The Shop Around the Corner three of the four I have seen so far have been good, or even great, with this falling into the latter category. The script is strong, and the performers are all on board with it and act it brilliantly, and it comes together in a consistently funny, witty, and charming rom-com with a lot of heart and one I see myself coming back to. And with the films coming up that I will be reviewing, I will probably be begging to watch it again as soon as possible.
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