Which playwrights and theatrical traditions influenced Ernst Lubitsch’s sound comedies?

Ernst Lubitsch’s sound comedies were deeply influenced by his affinity for established theatrical traditions. His work drew significantly from the wit, urbanity, and elegance found in the comedies of manners written by Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, and Molière.1

Additionally, Lubitsch was indebted to the structure of "well-made" bourgeois farces, a tradition exemplified by the works of playwrights such as Victorien Sardou, Eugène-Marin Labiche, and Georges Feydeau. These influences helped shape the sophisticated style and narrative complexity that became hallmarks of his sound films.1