The 1940 gem, “The Shop Around the Corner,” may not be James Stewart’s best-known holiday classic (that of course is “It’s a Wonderful Life”), but IndieWire has named it the #1 Christmas film of all time, calling it “not just one of the greatest Christmas rom-coms, but one of the greatest rom-coms, period.”
Coronado Island Film Festival is proud to bring this treasure to the Coronado’s Village Theatre on Wednesday, December 20 as its holiday selection and final film of the 2023 monthly Classic Film series. Starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan, it tells the story of two co-workers in a Budapest leather goods shop who can’t stand each other and bicker constantly. But, unbeknownst to the other, each of them is secretly corresponding with an anonymous pen pal who just happens to be each other! In their letters they reveal their softer sides and find themselves falling in love with the stranger they don’t know. Masterfully acted by Stewart and Sullavan and directed by the great Ernst Lubitsch, this movie is the sweet charmer we all need right now.
If the shop owner, played by Frank Morgan, looks familiar to you, it’s because we all recognize him as the man behind the curtain in “The Wizard of Oz.” And, if the plot is ringing a bell, the ’90s remake, “You’ve Got Mail,” starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, is another charmer we never seem to tire of.
Bring the family to this; it’s a Master Class in how movies were made in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Tickets are $15 and are on sale now at coronadofilmfest.com (recommended) or at the CIFF table at the door the night of the screening (if available). Doors will open at 5 pm for a Meet and Greet with complimentary refreshments, followed at 5:30 by a vintage cartoon and the feature presentation.
The 2024 Classic film series is in the works and will be announced soon. Check the website at coronadofilmfest.com for the latest updates. Meantime, CIFF wishes everyone a holiday season filled with joy and good memories in the making!
