The Shop Around the Corner1940The Shop Around the Corner
1940
In a Budapest gift shop, head clerk Alfred Kralik and new salesgirl Klara Novak can't stand each other. Neither knows that the anonymous pen pal each has fallen in love with is the other.
The default: films the whole family can watch together; any scary or intense moments for the littlest viewers are flagged in the Context Notes.
Why it’s here
Two proud people who can't stand each other learn to love each other's better selves. Warm, gentle, and loyal, with a shopkeeper who learns who his true friends are at Christmas.
Context notes
For parents, before you press play.
The shop owner learns his wife is having an affair and attempts suicide off-screen (an employee stops him); the affair is treated as betrayal and the sympathy is with the wronged husband, so it may need a word with older kids. Kralik hides that he is the pen pal for a while, played for romance; smoking.
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Discussion questions
When the credits end, go around the room. Each person gives the film a score out of ten and says why.
- Why did Kralik and Klara dislike each other?
- What did Mr. Matuschek learn about his employees?
- Was it fair for Kralik to keep his secret?
- What did you think of Pepi?
Content advisory
BBFC and IMDb (via WebSearch): an implied off-screen suicide attempt (a gun; he survives); an off-screen affair; period smoking; mild innuendo.
Trailer
Best edition
The disc comes first.
The Shop Around the Corner Blu-ray (Warner Archive Collection)
Blu-ray · December 22, 2020
4K UHD announced for 2026-12-15
Edition link coming soon.
Listing on Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)Coming later
Where to stream
Streaming services are not listed yet. When they are, this note stays secondary to the disc.