MovieChat Forums > The Shop Around the Corner (1940) Discussion > To those who have seen 'You've Got Mail'...

To those who have seen 'You've Got Mail'... cool similarities


Am I the only one who could notice the similarities between Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan's character) & Klara Novak??? Tonight was the first time I watched The Shop Around the Corner, because I just bought the bluray of 'You've Got Mail' and this came with it. I think Meg Ryan might have studied Margaret Sullavan's voice tone and mannerisms. I don't know, is it just me that can see it? I think it pays nice homage on Ryan's part.

By the way, I personally liked Meg Ryan's acting better (even though I'm not a huge fan of her). I know I shouldn't even compare, but I don't know. Maybe it's not so much Sullavan's acting that was bad, but the apparent lack of chemistry between her and Stewart. Or, it could have been that she just wasn't in the film as much. I mean, we didn't really get into that much depth of the Klara character. I LOVED Stewart's acting, though. I'm surprised I never saw this film before, because Jimmy Stewart is one of my favorite actors (just about the only kid in school who knows who he is, sadly). I still think this is a good movie, though. I just prefer You've Got Mail, even though that its self has some flaws, too. I really enjoyed seeing some scenes that inspired You've Got Mail. Like, the part in the restaurant/coffee shop. :) I thought it was cool how both scenes were so similar. Ah, and the only thing I didn't understand in this movie was... the fact that it was somehow set in Budapest??? I found that really funny, simply because everyone (or almost everyone) was American.

reply

The movie was set in Budapest because the author of the original play on which this movie was based was from Budapest, Hungary (when he was born, that was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire). In 1940, nobody saw any particular reason why the setting needed to be moved, so they didn't move it.

Of course, Meg Ryan's character should be reminiscent of Klara, but I didn't get the impression that Ryan was really changing her style or voice for the role. It seemed to be pretty much Ryan's standard romantic comedy persona.

It seems a bit odd to me that even high school kids (at least in terms of large percentages) wouldn't know Jimmy Stewart ..... if only as "that guy in It's a Wonderful Life".

reply

I've watched You've Got Mail a long time ago, and I watched The Shop Around the Corner yesterday. All of a sudden I remembered the 1998 movie, especially when they set the date at the restaurant and she says that she'll be with a carnatian and the book Anna Karenina.

By the way, where I live (out of the US) high school kids don't even know that there's a movie called It's a Wonderful Life. Imagine they knowing about Jimmy Stewart... Maybe they don't even know that there were (good) movies before the 1990s. So sad...

reply

where I live (out of the US) high school kids don't even know that there's a movie called It's a Wonderful Life.

Well, that I can believe.

In the US, though, It's a Wonderful Life is such a constant around Christmas time that is seems like most people should be at least a little bit aware of it.

reply

Be sure to check out "In the Good Old Summertime". I'm watching it now, and it's also based on the same play as the other two movies. Enjoy! That one is a musical starring Judy Garland and Van Johnson.

~~
Jim Hutton: talented gorgeous hot hunk; adorable as ElleryQueen; SEXIEST ACTOR EVER

reply