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Ernst Lubitsch

Director

Ernst Lubitsch

Born January 28, 1892 in Berlin, GermanyDied November 30, 194773 films

Ernst Lubitsch (January 29, 1892 – November 30, 1947) was a German film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as his prestige grew, his films were promoted as having "the Lubitsch touch".

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Lubitsch is best known for screwball comedies and romantic comedies, such as Trouble in Paradise (1932), Ninotchka (1939), The Shop Around the Corner (1940) and To Be or Not to Be (1942). While being escapist, his films often offer social commentary on human relationships and society in a satirical way.

Andrew Sarris in his influential book of film criticism The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929–1968 included him in the "pantheon" of the 14 greatest film directors who had worked in the United States.

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The best way into Ernst Lubitsch's work
The Shop Around the Corner posterFirst watchThe Shop Around the Corner19408.1Two employees at a gift shop can barely stand one another, without realising that they are falling in love through the post as each other's anonymous pen pal.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
To Be or Not to Be poster7.8To Be or Not to Be1942Ninotchka poster7.5Ninotchka1939Trouble in Paradise poster7.4Trouble in Paradise1932Heaven Can Wait poster6.9Heaven Can Wait1943Design for Living poster7.1Design for Living1933The Doll poster7.4The Doll1919Cluny Brown poster7.2Cluny Brown1946Bluebeard's 8th Wife poster7.0Bluebeard's 8th Wife1938

Filmography

73 films as director
  1. 1948That Lady in ErmineDirector
  2. 1946Cluny BrownDirector
  3. 1943Heaven Can WaitDirector
  4. 1942To Be or Not to BeDirector
  5. 1941That Uncertain FeelingDirector
  6. 1940The Shop Around the CornerDirector
  7. 1939NinotchkaDirector
  8. 1938Bluebeard's 8th WifeDirector
  9. 1937AngelDirector
  10. 1934The Merry WidowDirector
  11. 1933Design for LivingDirector
  12. 1933The ClerkDirector
  13. 1932If I Had a MillionDirector
  14. 1932Trouble in ParadiseDirector
  15. 1932One Hour with YouDirector
  16. 1932Broken LullabyDirector
  17. 1931The Smiling LieutenantDirector
  18. 1930Monte CarloDirector
  19. 1930Paramount on ParadeDirector
  20. 1929The Love ParadeDirector
  21. 1929Eternal LoveDirector
  22. 1928The PatriotDirector
  23. 1928The Student Prince in Old HeidelbergDirector
  24. 1926The Honeymoon ExpressDirector
  25. 1926So This Is ParisDirector
  26. 1925Lady Windermere's FanDirector
  27. 1925Kiss Me AgainDirector
  28. 1924Three WomenDirector
  29. 1924The Marriage CircleDirector
  30. 1924Forbidden ParadiseDirector
  31. 1923Faust and Marguerite Test FootageDirector
  32. 1923RositaDirector
  33. 1923Die FlammeDirector
  34. 1922The Loves of PharaohDirector
  35. 1921The WildcatDirector
  36. 1920Anna BoleynDirector
  37. 1920SumurunDirector
  38. 1920Romeo and Juliet in the SnowDirector
  39. 1920Kohlhiesel's DaughtersDirector
  40. 1920The Housing ShortageDirector
  41. 1919The DollDirector
  42. 1919Madame DuBarryDirector
  43. 1919IntoxicationDirector
  44. 1919The Oyster PrincessDirector
  45. 1919Käsekönig HolländerDirector
  46. 1919The Swabian MaidenDirector
  47. 1919My Wife, the Movie StarDirector
  48. 1919Meyer from BerlinDirector
  49. 1918CarmenDirector
  50. 1918The Eyes of the MummyDirector
  51. 1918I Don't Want to Be a ManDirector
  52. 1918The Rosentopf CaseDirector
  53. 1918The Ballet GirlDirector
  54. 1918The Toboggan CavalierDirector
  55. 1918Prinz SamiDirector
  56. 1918Fuhrmann HenschelDirector
  57. 1917The Merry JailDirector
  58. 1917When Four Do the SameDirector
  59. 1917Der BlusenkönigDirector
  60. 1917Ossis TagebuchDirector
  61. 1916The Tenor, Inc.Director
  62. 1916The New NoseDirector
  63. 1916The Most Beautiful GiftDirector
  64. 1916The Mixed Ladies ChorusDirector
  65. 1916Pinkus's Shoe PalaceDirector
  66. 1916Where Is My Treasure?Director
  67. 1915The BodybuilderDirector
  68. 1915The Last SuitDirector
  69. 1915His Only PatientDirector
  70. 1915Miss SoapsudsDirector
  71. 1915Sugar and CinnamonDirector
  72. 1915Blind CowDirector
  73. 1915A Trip on the IceDirector