Ernst Lubitsch

The Master of Sophistication and the Inimitable “Lubitsch Touch”

Introduction

Ernst Lubitsch was one of the most important and influential directors in the history of cinema. Born in Germany and later flourishing in Hollywood, Lubitsch is celebrated for the deft combination of wit, elegance, and subtlety in his films—an approach that came to be known as the "Lubitsch Touch." Whether directing romantic comedies, musicals, or biting satires, Lubitsch's films exhibited a uniquely cosmopolitan sensibility and a mastery of suggestion over exposition. His work paved the way for modern romantic comedy and continues to be studied for its narrative economy, moral ambiguity, and delicate balance of humour and pathos.

Early Life and Career in Germany

Ernst Lubitsch was born on January 29, 1892, in Berlin, Germany, to a Jewish tailor. Initially aspiring to be an actor, he joined Max Reinhardt’s prestigious Deutsches Theatre, one of the most important theatres in Europe. This formative experience gave him a deep understanding of performance, stagecraft, and storytelling.

He began appearing in films in 1913 and quickly transitioned to directing. His early German films were primarily comedies and historical dramas that showcased a flair for visual storytelling and narrative structure. Some notable early works include:

The Eyes of the Mummy Ma (1918) – a melodrama starring Pola Negri.

Madame DuBarry (1919) – a lavish historical epic that gained international acclaim and introduced Lubitsch to American audiences.

Anna Boleyn (1920) – another ambitious historical drama, demonstrating Lubitsch’s command over costume design, pageantry, and ensemble direction.

By the early 1920s, Lubitsch had established himself as one of Germany’s leading filmmakers.

Emigration to the United States and Rise in Hollywood

In 1922, Mary Pickford invited Lubitsch to Hollywood to direct her in Rosita. The film’s critical and commercial success marked the beginning of Lubitsch’s permanent relocation to the U.S., where he would become a central figure in the development of classical Hollywood cinema.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Lubitsch crafted a string of silent and early sound films that reflected his sophisticated European sensibility while adapting to the American studio system. His early American successes included:

The Marriage Circle (1924) – a domestic comedy that foreshadowed his signature style of nuanced romantic intrigue.

Lady Windermere’s Fan (1925) – a silent adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s play, noted for conveying complex dialogue-driven drama through visual means.

The “Lubitsch Touch”

The phrase “Lubitsch Touch” refers to the director’s uncanny ability to imply more than he showed, using suggestion, timing, and innuendo instead of overt exposition. It involved:

Elegant economy in storytelling.

Sexual suggestiveness delivered with charm and restraint.

Clever visual metaphors (a closed door, a knowing glance).

Mature handling of moral ambiguity, often using humour as a disarming tool.

The "Lubitsch Touch" was less about any particular shot or edit and more about the sensibility—a subtle blend of irony, romance, and intelligence that invited audiences to feel like co-conspirators in the narrative.

Transition to Sound and Peak Period

Lubitsch transitioned seamlessly into sound, where his sharp wit and ear for dialogue could be fully expressed. His comedies from the 1930s and early 1940s represent some of the finest works of the studio era.

Notable Films

Trouble in Paradise (1932)

A masterclass in sexual innuendo and romantic deception. This pre-Code comedy about a charming thief and a perfume heiress is widely considered one of Lubitsch’s greatest films. It’s an exemplar of sophistication and moral ambiguity, blending farce and genuine feeling.

Ninotchka (1939)

Starring Greta Garbo in her first comedic role, Ninotchka pits Soviet austerity against Parisian decadence in a Cold War comedy of manners. The tagline, “Garbo Laughs,” signalled both a tonal shift for the star and Lubitsch’s skill in transforming personas. The screenplay, co-written by Billy Wilder, launched Wilder’s Hollywood career.

The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

A romantic comedy set in a Budapest gift shop, starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan. Its mix of humour, melancholy, and grace makes it one of the most beloved romantic films ever made. It later inspired You've Got Mail (1998).

To Be or Not to Be (1942)

A daring wartime satire starring Jack Benny and Carole Lombard, the film mocks Nazism and authoritarianism through the lens of a Polish theatre troupe. Though controversial at its release (due to its comedic treatment of Hitler), it has since been hailed as a masterpiece of subversive humour and political commentary.

Influence and Legacy

Lubitsch’s influence on American cinema is immeasurable. His work shaped the genre of romantic comedy and set the standard for witty, character-driven storytelling. Directors and screenwriters who have acknowledged his impact include:

Billy Wilder, who famously kept a sign in his office that read, “How would Lubitsch do it?”

Preston Sturges, Woody Allen, Blake Edwards, Wes Anderson, and Noah Baumbach, all of whom drew from his ironic tone and narrative subtlety.

François Truffaut and other French New Wave critics considered Lubitsch a major influence, seeing in his work the seeds of auteur theory.

Lubitsch was also an early example of a European director successfully adapting to and enriching Hollywood cinema, helping establish the transatlantic sophistication that would define Golden Age filmmaking.

Challenges and Final Years

In the 1940s, Lubitsch’s output slowed due to health problems. He was appointed head of production at Paramount in 1935 but found executive life unfulfilling and soon returned to directing. His final films, though not as celebrated as his earlier masterpieces, retained his characteristic charm and elegance.

His last completed film, Cluny Brown (1946), starring Charles Boyer and Jennifer Jones, is a delightful satire on class and conformity in pre war Britain. It was underappreciated in its time but has since been re-evaluated as a minor gem.

Lubitsch died of a heart attack on November 30, 1947, at the age of 55. He was at work on That Lady in Ermine (1948), which was completed by Otto Preminger.

Awards and Recognition

Honorary Academy Award (1947) for his “distinguished contributions to the art of the motion picture.”

Posthumous retrospectives by the Museum of Modern Art, Cinematheque Française, and various film festivals.

Frequently included in “greatest directors” lists and scholarly studies of narrative form and genre innovation.

Conclusion

Ernst Lubitsch was a master storyteller, a director who trusted the intelligence of his audience and elevated the romantic comedy to a form of cinematic art. He pioneered a style of filmmaking that was simultaneously light and profound, humorous and human. His “touch” was not a gimmick but a worldview—one that embraced irony, understood desire, and believed in the transformative power of laughter and love.

Though he made his last film nearly 80 years ago, the Lubitsch Touch remains very much alive—in the deft timing of a modern romantic comedy, in a clever cutaway shot, in a line of dialogue that says less and means more. To study Lubitsch is to study the grammar of cinematic elegance—and to discover that sophistication, in the right hands, never goes out of style.