Review by Jenny Priestley
Stars James Stewart, Margaret Sullavan, Frank Morgan, Joseph Schildkraut, Sara Haden, Felix Bressart, William Tracy, Inez Courtney, Sarah Edwards, Edwin Maxwell
Written by Samson Raphaelson
Certification UK U | US G | Australia PG
Runtime 97 minutes
Directed by Ernst Lubitsch
I must admit, going in to watch this film the only thing I knew was it's the basis for You've Got Mail, the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan film. But this is infinitely superior. The story zips along at a cracking pace and the performances from Stewart and Sullavan are spot-on.
In fact, I found it surprising to find such a strong female role in a film made in the 1940s; Sullavan's Klara Novak, although rather misguided at times, continuously holds her own in her feisty exchanges with Stewart's Alfred Kralik. It feels like you're watching a verbal duel as the two spar and parry with their words, dancing around one another with their witty retorts, all the while not realising that hate so easily turns to love.
The basic premise is Novak and Kralik are penpals, writing letters of love to one another, but never knowing who the other is. Then Novak gets a job in the shop where Kralik works and they take an almost instant dislike to one another. As they continue to bicker in real-life, the misguided couple fall more and more in love through their letters. Thrown into this mix is a subplot where their boss Mr Matusheck mistakenly thinks Kralik is having an affair with his wife.
This is a real joy of a film, one that leaves you with a warm feeling at the end. It stands up against anything modern Hollywood has to offer. It's A Wonderful Life has always been one of my favourite Stewart performances, but I have a feeling this film is going to give it a run for its money. Treat yourself this Christmas and spend some time at the The Shop Around The Corner.