Seminar: The Shop Around the Corner
"How would Lubitsch do it?" read the sign over director Billy Wilder’s desk. Wilder wasn't the only filmmaker who considered Ernst Lubitsch a cinematic genius. Other admirers included Orson Welles, John Ford and Jean Renoir.
A successful European director who emigrated from Berlin to Hollywood in 1922, Ernst Lubitsch made films celebrated for their European sophistication, wit, economy of style, and deep appreciation and sympathy for human folly. All are on shimmering display in The Shop Around the Corner, a film New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael considered "as close to perfection as a movie made by mortals is ever likely to be."
What makes The Shop Around the Corner such an enduring classic? Is it Margaret Sullavan’s and James Stewart’s flawless performances as two bickering, meant-for-each other sales clerks at a Budapest department store? The elegant script by frequent Lubitsch collaborator Samson Raphaelson? The brilliance with which the film creates a naturalistic, fully-realized, workplace world? Or Is it the film’s clear-eyed humanism?
In her introduction to The Shop Around the Corner instructor Kaj Wilson will elaborate on the above; review Lubitsch’s biography, filmography, and legacy; explore the director’s distinctive use of cinema space; and attempt (and inevitably fail) to pin down the famed, ineffable "Lubitsch touch."
About the Speaker
Kaj Wilson served as Artistic Director of The Boston Jewish Film Festival for twelve years. For her work she was honored with a Special Commendation from the Boston Society of Film Critics and with the Image Award for Vision and Excellence by Women in Film and Video/New England. Prior to joining the BJFF, she was Film Editor of The Improper Bostonian. She studied film at Boston University’s graduate College of Communications. Kaj has sat on panels, grant committees, and international film festival juries. A popular speaker, she introduces films, hosts film series, and leads film discussions at movie venues and non-profit organizations throughout the Boston area. She has taught numerous courses at the Coolidge, including courses on Lubtisch in 2012 and 2015.
About Coolidge Education Seminars
Want to learn more about some of your favorite classic films? Coolidge Education is excited to introduce new one-night seminars at select Big Screen Classics events. Attendees can sign up to hear a 30 minute lecture before the film from an expert, and then stick around after the screening for a moderated discussion with other seminar attendees. Tickets are $25 ($22 for Coolidge members and students) and include a reserved seat for the film screening.
