The Shop Around the Corner

- 'Morning, Mr. Pirovitch.

- Good morning.

- Always the first one.

- It's none of your business.

Let me tell you,

it doesn't hurt to be too early.

What for and why? Who sees you? Me.

And who sees me? You.

What does it get us?

Can we give each other a raise? No.

What are you doing with that bicycle?

You can't take it.

Better not let Mr. Matuschek see.

Why don't you tell him?

It's all right with me.

You know where I was last night

while you were home soaking your feet?

Running my legs off for Mrs. Matuschek.

"Pepi, go to the dressmaker."

And when I come back:

"Pepi, will you please pick up a package

at the drugstore?"

- Good morning.

- Good morning, Miss Kaczek.

Good morning.

- How's your boy?

- Much better, thanks.

- We called Dr. Hegedus.

- He's a very expensive doctor.

What can you do?

I thought I'd cut down on my cigars

for a few weeks.

- Good morning.

- Good morning, llona.

- That's a new silver fox! It's stunning!

- Thank you.

- It must have been pretty expensive.

- It was.

I hesitated a long time before I bought it.

I said, "No, I can't afford it."

Still, I couldn't take my eyes off it.

- I said, "No, I have no right to..."

- And then he said, "Go on and take it."

- Trying to be clever.

- Shut up.

Good morning.

Pepi, go to the drugstore

and get me a bicarbonate of soda.

- What's the matter?

- Do you feel well?

It's all right.

- Good morning, good morning.

- Good morning.

- Want to hear a joke?

- No.

What's the matter, folks?

Not awake yet? Look at me.

I bet I haven't slept half as much as you.

Friends, Romans, countrymen,

to tell you the truth...

...I had quite a time last night.

We don't want to hear the poor girl's name.

- Kralik, how was the dinner last night?

- Oh, yes, that's right.

Kralik had dinner with the boss last night.

How was it? Tell us all about it.

- Are you a partner now, Mr. Kralik?

- Don't be funny.

How was it?

It was a very nice evening,

and I enjoyed myself.

- I bet the food was good.

- You can imagine.

Tell me, is it true Mrs. Matuschek

had her face lifted?

How could I know that?

- How old did she look to you last night?

- Well, 40.

She had her face lifted.

I think Mrs. Matuschek

is a very charming woman.

- Who said she isn't?

- Don't try to make something out of it.

I didn't say Mrs. Matuschek

is not charming.

But I said she is. What's wrong with that?

So the food was good?

Seven courses,

not including the hors d'oeuvres.

- Were you sitting next to her?

- I was. What do you think of that?

- I bet you were brilliant.

- No, I kept still and tried to learn.

- Your bicarbonate, Mr. Kralik.

- Thanks, Pepi.

- Bicarbonate?

- I had a little too much goose liver.

What's the matter? Wasn't it any good?

Now, look here, vadas.

Just a minute. Folks, come over.

Did you hear... I want you to hear this.

Did I make any derogatory remark

about the goose liver?

- No, not any!

- Not one word!

I merely said

that I had too much goose liver.

- "A little too much goose liver."

- That's right.

"A little too much goose liver."

Not one word more, and not one less.

- Good morning, Mr. Matuschek.

- Yes, good morning.

Here.

- Good morning.

- Good morning, Mr. Matuschek.

Who put this 32.50 suitcase in the window?

I did, Mr. Matuschek.

- I guess it's all right.

- Thank you, Mr. Matuschek.

- Yeah. Pepi.

- Yes, Mr. Matuschek.

Go across the street to the drugstore,

and get me some bicarbonate of soda.

Yes, sir.

Allow me, Mr. Matuschek. May I help?

There we are, Mr. Matuschek.

- Pirovitch. Want to hear something nice?

- Yes. What is it?

A letter from a girl.

"My heart was trembling as I walked

into the post office...

"...and there you were, lying in box 237.

"I took you out of your envelope

and read you...

"...read you right there...

"...oh, my dear friend."

- What is all this?

- You see, I wanted to buy an encyclopedia.

Encyclopedia? What're you talking about?

You come to a time in your life

when you get tired of going to cafs...

...dance halls every night,

and you want to improve yourself.

You want to study something about art...

...literature and history,

how people live in Brazil.

Tell me what has all this to do

with the letter?

You know I can't afford

a new encyclopedia...

...so I was looking through the ads

in the paper...

...and I got on the wrong page,

and I came across this ad, and...

Wait a minute, I have it right here.

Here, read that.

"Modern girl wishes to correspond

on cultural subjects...

"...anonymously with intelligent,

sympathetic, young man.

"Address:
Dear Friend,

Post Office 15, Box 237."

I know those ads.

The papers are full of them.

- How long has this been going on?

- We've exchanged four letters.

- Four letters?

- And she's no ordinary girl.

Now listen to this:

"Are you tall? Are you short?

"Are your eyes blue? Are they brown?

Don't tell me.

"What does it matter

so long as our minds meet?"

- That's beautiful.

- It is, isn't it?

Now, wait a minute.

"We have enough troubles

in our daily lives.

"There are so many great

and beautiful things...

"...to discuss in this world of ours...

"...it would be wasting precious moments...

"...if we told each other the vulgar details...

"...of how we earn our daily bread,

so don't let's do it."

Mr. Kralik.

Yes, Mr. Matuschek.

Yes, Mr. Matuschek.

I can buy two dozen of

these cigarette boxes at Miklos Brothers.

What do you think of it?

I think it's great. Well, open it.

No, Mr. Matuschek, it's not for us.

But you haven't listened to it.

It plays Ochi Tchornya.

Even if it played Beethoven's

Ninth Symphony, I'd still say no.

I just don't like the idea.

It's wonderful how you make up

your mind so quickly.

I've been in this business for 35 years.

It took me a whole hour to decide

that I like this box.

But, of course, you're a genius.

You know so much more than I.

- Mr. vadas.

- Coming, Mr. Matuschek.

- Miss Novotni.

- Yes, Mr. Matuschek?

Look here, what do you think of this?

I want your honest opinion.

Don't let me influence you.

All I want is your honest opinion.

Well, Miss Novotni?

I think people who smoke cigarettes...

...and love to hear Ochi Tchornya

will like it.

I'd even go further.

I think it'll make music lovers

out of smokers...

...and smokers out of music lovers.

It's sensational!

Yes, well.

Mr. Kralik, have you thought it over?

Yes. I still think it's inadvisable.

Well, give me one reason.

Let's say that a man smokes

20 cigarettes a day.

That means that 20 times a day

he opens this box...

...and 20 times a day

he has to listen to Ochi Tchornya.

It's a perfectly terrible idea.

It's imitation leather, the glue's no good...

...in two weeks it will fall apart,

and all you'll have is Ochi Tchornya.

You don't have to tell me

that it's imitation leather. I know that.

You sell things and let me do the buying.

- Excuse me, Mr. Matuschek.

- Yes?

Miklos Brothers is calling

about the cigarette box.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote