Yes! , it is a nearly perfect film that can be watched repeatedly with the same amount of enjoyment and satisfaction. Another lovely Christmas film that is often overlooked is the 1947 “The Bishop’s Wife.” Very sweet and heartwarming, and like It’s a Wonderful Life, deals with the mood and circumstances after WW2.
I think this about as perfect and complete as a film or story can be. The actors and direction are a true ensemble. Not wide-ranging, but deep. Humor and sadness, and every character in it seems like a real person. When I watch this I remember its era, and worry about these people because the darkness is about to descend...
One of the best. As a Christmas movies fan, i love this so much! Indeed, movies today don't seem to capture the Christmas feel, the human element, family, the bonds. Jimmy Stewart was truly charismatic! And a man of integrity. I miss male leads like him.
He just continues to impress me. The guy is an incredible actor. I actually heard a beautiful poem he wrote about his dog that had passed away back in the 80's on the Johnny Carson Show (I believe). They were discussing him on the radio today and they played that clip. Such a likeable figure.
Several biographies have said that Margaret Sullavan was the love of Stewart's life. She valued him as a friend but ended up marrying Stewart's best friend Henry Fonda in the early 30s. The marriage only lasted two years. Stewart, Sullavan and Fonda were close working together in the same theater company before making it in Hollywood. Sullavan was a very serious stage actor and helped Stewart with some of his acting flaws. He gave her a lot of credit for his future success in films.
Margaret Sullivan (1909-1960) was a great actress. She made some movies together with Jimmy Stewart. Both were one of the most popular film couples of the early 1940s. Thanks for this reaction.
I love how invested you were in this film! “You’ve Got Mail” is the remake, and it has so many lovely references. The bookstore is even called “The Shop Around the Corner!”
@@IrishGuyReacts Yes, very very good. Although it was supposed to represent this story brought up to date, but now the computer stuff is looking a bit dusty. Like, who gets ONE email a day at best?! Someday that will be further brought up to date but I dread to think how.
This movie has been a favourite of mine since childhood. It's so warm and funny. There's another movie that gives the same feeling of warmth 1940s "OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES" staring Edward G. Robinson and Agnes Moorhead. Robertson was best known for his gangster pictures. He is wonderful as a meek and mild father/farmer. I think you would like it. As always GOD BLESS ALL HERE!!!!!!!!
Couldn't agree more about how warm it is. Very welcoming of a narrative. Nice to hear from you again Gregory. Hope you're doing well. 👍 And thank you for the film suggestion.
I love "Our Vines Have Tender Grapes" for so many reasons, and one of them is how it gives Robinson the opportunity to play this gentle, wise and innocent father. Moorehead is, as always, a gem.
James Stewart has been my all time favorite actor since growing up in the 50s/60s in most genres (classics in every genre excepting musicals). Love this film‼️ I believe it was originally a stage play. When done again as “You’ve Got Mail”, Meg Ryan’s book shop was named “Shop Around The Corner” 😏
At 73, a good deal of my time has been employed lately with ever mounting age related health issues, but I hang out when back on track. When recommending Stewart Westerns a while back for your viewing, I neglected mentioning one kinda off the beaten path film that dealt with the west in the context of The Civil War, a film that barely gets mentioned or seen anywhere anymore, “Shenandoah”, which I happen to like a lot. Another thoroughly enjoyable take on/in the same western Civil War field also deals with a similar familial problem is “Friendly Persuasion” with High Noon’s Gary Cooper, & Psycho’s Anthony Perkins, both highly recommended 👌
Another Stewart RomCom classic with both Stewart & Cary Grant (together for the first & only time) you might like is “The Philadelphia Story”. Not certain, but I seem to recall this one also beginning life as a stage play 🤔
@@raymeedc Your health comes first and foremost. God bless you. I believe I have both those Westerns on the watchlist. You always have great suggestions though so I may add one of those to the January schedule
"Well, what do you say now?" "I think people who like to smoke candy and listen to cigarettes will love it." Fun Fact: All scenes were reportedly shot in sequence. Remake Tribute Fact: In You've Got Mail (1998), which is based on this film, Meg Ryan's character owns a bookstore named The Shop Around The Corner. Good Frienemies Fact: Even though Margaret Sullavan was infamous for her quick temper and disdainful attitude towards Hollywood, James Stewart counted working with her as one of the great joys of his professional career. And because he knew her personally, he was more equipped than most of the cast and crew members to deal with her frequent and volatile emotional outbursts. Art Imitates Life Fact: While directing this movie, Ernst Lubitsch drew upon his extensive experiences working in his father's Berlin shop as a young lad. At the film's January 25, 1940 premiere at Radio City Music Hall, Lubitsch remarked: "I have known just such a little shop in Budapest...The feeling between the boss and those who work for him is pretty much the same the world over, it seems to me. Everyone is afraid of losing his job and everyone knows how little human worries can affect his job. If the boss has a touch of dyspepsia, better be careful not to step on his toes; when things have gone well with him, the whole staff reflects his good humor."
Frank Morgan is the MVP of the movie. He gives 110% and is the emotional anchor that allows the romance of the two main characters to be believable. Go in Peace and Walk with God. 😎 👍
@@IrishGuyReactsIf you like doing older films there are a few sites that list public domain titles. New ones are added each year. YT doesn't like posting links , but they are easy to find.
Love your superman analogy. A very clever remake is “In The Good Old Summer Time” 1949. Don’t let the name fool you, same story but different enough to make it well worth it with many wonderful actors and the musical touch also makes it more cheerful.
@@IrishGuyReacts it just may top “The Shop.” It’s more dimensional. By that I mean, the same storyline with some additional elements. More character development andJudy Garland is at the top of her game. Not a musical but she does get to show her stuff. Still, I love them both.
This film came out just before the Nazis invaded Hungary. “It’s A Wonderful Life” came out shortly after the end of WW2. It is amazing to see the change in about 7 years for Jimmy Stewart. Another fantastic film that is both humorous and heartbreaking by Ernst Lubitsch set at the beginning of WW2 is “To Be or Not To Be.” Stewart did actually have a crush on Sullavan for several years, and their relationship was complex since Stewart was also a best friend to Henry Fonda, one of Sullavan’s husbands. Another excellent film the 2 stars made in 1940 was “The Mortal Storm” - a strongly anti-Nazi film.
Lubitsch often set his films in Europe, believing American audiences would be more tolerant of was thought to be loose behavior from European characters. Can you imagine? Today's ideas on "loose behavior ".... would never go over well with American audiences in the '40's. " In the Good old Summertime" was a musical movie of the musical play " She Loves Me " " The Shop Around the Corner " is a non musical version of the same story....and " You've Got Mail " was the remake. All are the same story. Thanks again...for your reaction to this wonderful movie.
Different times indeed, but agreed. Not sure audiences of the 1940's would be ready for a storyline with "loose behaviour" of today. Thanks for the support. Glad you enjoyed the reaction.
