Greetings, Kisses, and Total Chaos in Gruß und Kuß - Veronika

Is it worth your time?

If you have a soft spot for 1930s comedies that move at a frantic pace, you'll probably enjoy this. It’s light, it’s breezy, and it doesn't try to change the world. If you hate old films with lots of door-slamming and frantic dialogue, you’re going to be bored out of your mind within ten minutes.

Veronika works in a flower shop, which basically makes her the gatekeeper of everyone else's love lives. She starts playing a dangerous game by leaving her own notes in the bouquets she arranges for a guy she’s eyeing. Bad idea, right? Of course, it is. But that's exactly why we're here.

It’s fascinating watching how these old films handle the 'misunderstanding' trope. Today, you'd just send a text or check someone's Instagram to see they're a jerk. Here, the whole plot hinges on the physical movement of flowers and paper notes. The stakes feel weirdly high because the characters act like a misplaced bouquet is a life-or-death situation.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Gruß und Kuß - Veronika (1933) through its definitive frames.

Erika Glässner is clearly having the most fun in the room. There’s a specific moment where she’s trying to juggle these deliveries, and you can see her eyes darting around the set like she's looking for an exit strategy. It’s not subtle acting, but it works for this rhythm.

The pacing is a bit of a whip-lash. Sometimes a scene drags on just to establish a room, and then suddenly, there's a whirlwind of action that lasts five seconds. It reminded me a little of the frantic energy in Mr. Bingle, though this one feels a bit more tied to its specific social setting.

Some of the background extras look like they’re just waiting for lunch. There’s a scene in the flower shop where someone in the back is just... staring at a vase for way too long. It’s distracting, but honestly? I kind of liked it. It makes the movie feel like a real production that was happening in a real room, not some polished digital dreamscape.

Random thoughts from the screen:

• The amount of floral arrangements in this movie is frankly stressful.
• I’m still not entirely sure why the guy is sending flowers to so many people at once. Is he rich? Is he just really, really polite?
• The lighting in the second act is surprisingly moody for such a silly premise.
• Paul Hörbiger looks like he’s trying not to laugh in at least three of his close-ups.

It’s not a masterpiece. It doesn't need to be. It’s a snapshot of a time where love was managed by hand-written cards and the hope that the person delivering the roses didn't mess up the address. It’s sweet, messy, and totally fine for a rainy afternoon.