 |
 |
|
|
|
> Grand Hotel |
|
|
|
| |
see larger picture
|
|
Staring:
Greta Garbo,
John Barrymore,
Joan Crawford,
Wallace Beery,
Lionel Barrymore
Director:
Edmund Goulding
Average Customer Rating:  
List Price: $19.98
Our Price: $12.11
|
|
|
|
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Warner Brothers
EAN: 0883929002450
Format: Closed-captioned, Black & White, Full Screen, Subtitled
Label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Warner Home Video
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2008-01-08
Running Time: 112
Studio: Warner Home Video |
|
|
|
Description
In this great screen drama, the glitz and glitter of Berlin's opulent Grand Hotel comes alive with its star-studded guests and employees: Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery and Lionel Barrymore. Year: 1932
Amazon.com
This Academy Award winner for Best Picture is a sweeping soap opera about the guests at the Grand Hotel. Several plots intertwine, but mostly it's about Stars! Stars! Stars! Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, and both Barrymore brothers head up the cast. Garbo is luminous as Grusinskaya, the neurotic and famous-but-slipping dancer and, yes, she "vonts to be alone." John Barrymore is a cat burglar with blue blood and a heart of gold, and Lionel Barrymore happily caroms off him as Mr. Kringelein, a dying man who wants to live out the time he has left with the rich. Joan Crawford is perhaps the biggest surprise of the movie: as Flaemmchen, a young career girl trying to decide between secretary and tart, she is uncharacteristically funny, vivacious, and downright bubbly. Along the way we discover that money, fame, and titles don't guarantee happiness, and being a jewel thief doesn't necessarily make you a bad person. The nicest touch is the hint that other, minor plots swirl around the edges of the film, suggesting that we've only seen a small chapter of the hotel's story. Grand Hotel is a great deal of fun and an excellent chance to see some famous faces in their prime. --Ali Davis
|
|
Grand in every way, 2010-04-11
Please note that I saw this movie on TV so I can't comment on the quality of the video transfer or its features.
The lives of half a dozen people who normally wouldn't mix find themselves thrown into the melting pot of the truly grand Grand Hotel Berlin in this 30s era soap opera that's sort of like a cross between Peyton Place and Cabaret. In some ways it's a story of human desperation, the desperation that lurks just beneath the otherwise highly polished surface of this ritzy hotel. John Barrymore's character, although from baronial royalty, is broke and is desperately trying to steal the ballerina's jewels; Kringelein, the dying man played by Lionel Barrymore, is desperately trying to enjoy his last days in the glitzy company of Berlin's swankiest hotel. Greta Garbo is the high strung dancer desperate to be alone ("I vont to be alone!"), but also desperately wanting love, and Wallace Beery is an industrial tycoon desperately trying to swing a merger to save his failing company. There is certainly plenty of desperation to go around despite the otherwise festive facade of the Grand Hotel.
The movie foreshadows the star-studded ensemble films of decades to come. An interesting piece of trivia is that despite the busy hotel lobby, the actors were made to wear socks over their shoes so as to cut down on the noise, wearing out 200 pairs of socks during the shooting of just the lobby scenes. Oddly enough, Grand Hotel is the only film to win best picture without receiving any other nominations. The great British actor, Robert Morley (The African Queen, etc.), once said he loved great hotels and wanted to die in the lobby of one. I hope he got his wish and I think he would have been very happy with Grand Hotel, even if he had to wear socks over his shoes. :-)
 The Grand Hotel-grand escapist entertainment!, 2010-02-28
Grand Hotel(released Sept/32)was MGM's biggest film extravaganza to date and featured some of the biggest screen names all together in one film;at MGM or elsewhere.It certainly had a major impact on all future releases from all of the major studios and their usage of their own star power.No matter how else the film may be perceived going on over 75 years now,it is a fascinating glimpse at the power and clout at the disposal of the biggest studio of its' day.
The film stars Greta Garbo as Grusinskaya,a Russian ballet dancer,Wallace Beery as Mr.Preysing an industrialist,John Barrymore as Baron Von Geigern,Lionel Barrymore as Mr.Kringelein an accountant,Joan Crawford as Flaemmchaen,a stenographer,Lewis Stone as Dr Otternschlag, and Jean Herscholt as Senf,the head hotel porter.MGM wonder kind Irving Thalberg assembled the cast and put this film into production.MGM owned the rights to the story and had backed its' Broadway play version a couple of years before so its' transition from stage to screen was relatively smooth.
The story works on many levels at once.Among the many guests is Grusinskaya,a worn down ballet dancer who is staying at this the Berlin(Germany)property of the Grand Hotel chain.Her performances of late have been poorly received and she is very depressed.More than once she utters(what was to become)the immortal line:"I (v)want to be alone!".Baron Von Geigern is also friendless,alone and more importantly,broke.He owes some lowly people some money and plans to steal Grusinskaya's pearls.But he inadvertently falls head over heels in love with the ballerina(only in the movies,folks!).Meanwhile a lowly desk accountant Kringelein has come to the hotel to enjoy a final fling,as he has a terminal illness.He runs into his company boss Preysing,who is not only a bully but who is also desperate.He is seeking a merger with some foreign companies and it is not going well.Preysing has hired a stenographer called Flaemmchaen.She has fallen hard for the Baron but her feelings are not to be reciprocated.She agrees to accompany Preysing to England on "business" but he catches the Baron trying to steal his wallet.Presying kills him and ends up being arrested for murder.Flaemmchaen and Kringelein both grieve at the Baron's demise(the Baron was good to them both)and come to the agreement that Kringelein will spend the last days he has treating Flaemmchaen and himself to the best time they can possibly have,and leave at once for Paris.Gruisnskaya who has been on cloud nine ever since the Baron's admission of his love and devotion to her,leaves for Vienna on the train where she hopes to rendezvous with the Baron;which we know will never be.Throughout all this turmoil and trouble the head porter Senf has had a wife in labour(the longest in screen history!) and at the end she finally gives birth to a boy.Mother a child are doing well,thank you.As the main protagonists leave the hotel new faces arrive to breathe a new life into it,as life indeed does goes on.Dr.Otternschlag has come in and out of the film throughout dispensing tidbits of advice,both practical and philosophical.He was a veteran of WWI who had the right side of his face disfigured due to a grenade and the resulting infection which set in.At the end of the film,as he does in the beginning,he states"...nothing ever happens here".Filled with obvious irony and a telling testimony to the doctor's lack of perception and to the blinders he carries around with him.
Grand Hotel was ably directed by Edmund Goulding,or should I just say he ably assisted the proceedings.These were huge talents put into his hands and I doubt whether Goulding had to give much direction to the likes of either Barrymore or a Lewis Stone or Jean Herscholt;pros all.The newest of the main cast is Joan Crawford.She was at this point still an up and coming actor but she gives a very nice performance and stands toe to toe with all the veterans that surround her.Speaking of which,Lionel Barrymore gives a splendid performance as Kringelein the deathly sick desk accountant.His choice of dress,accessories and demeanor enhance his role beautifully.Then there is his talented brother,the Great Profile himself,John.John also turns in a boffo performance as the desperate but gentlemanly and kind Baron.Garbo,well I must be honest,I have never been a Garbo fan.With her deep throaty voice and less than(to me)subtle acting ability,I have always considered her far over rated.However while she continues to over act here,she at times does hit an amenable mark and is at her best with her scenes with Barrymore.And speaking of her and Barrymore you might take a closer look at the case cover for this DVD,taken from a period lobby card.Notice the couple's embrace;look familiar? It should.It was the self same embrace(and look) of the much played up "romance" between a younger Garbo and the screen's then leading man John Gilbert of just a few short years before in the "silents" period.Both were MGM properties then,but while Garbo was getting bigger and bigger,Gilbert had been long disgraced and persona non grata at MGM.He would be dead in about four years.
Technically this is virtually the same release print from the 2004 initial release;same picture and same features.The picture,while generally good in contrast and crispness,still needs a bit of work as it can get quite grainy and scratchy at times.There are a number of interesting features included:a featurette on the movie,footage of its' premiere at the Graumann's Chinese Theatre,a "warning" theatrical film clip of the films' last days of showing in the L.A area,its trailer and a quite funny Warners Vitaphone 1933 short"Nothing Ever Happens".It's a musical spoof,often scripted in rhyme both spoken and musical.All the minor Warner actors here are made up to look as close to the stars of the Grand Hotel as possible and they did a bang up job,I can tell you.Also watch for the chorines that come in and out of the short;they are like refugees from the Radio City Music Hall!
All in all a nice release of a "grand" old picture,chock full of some of the best stars off the then MGM lot.Though it certainly runs the gamut of emotions,it can easily be perceived as quite melodramatic with a depressing overtone throughout.I find the performances here by the Barrymore brothers to be the scene stealer's throughout.It's a juggernaut of MGM talent and it is little wonder it ended up winning a best picture OSCAR that year.It just shows the tip of the iceberg of talent MGM had at their disposal in the 30s.Look at MGM today and wonder at just how far the mighty have fallen!
Charming Deja Vu, 2010-06-04
Greta Garbo and the Barrymore brothers are the top stars in the movie. Joan Crawford is however wonderful and
Wallace Beery is excellent in their roles. Beery's character appears to be humorously ogling Crawford as an ambitious secretary in their scenes together. John Barrymore displays some of the intensity which made him famous. Garbo's beauty and also grace and style are what her fans fell in love with.
Mother of all Blockbusters, 2010-02-21
"Grand Hotel" is the mother of all blockbusters, although it had been preceded by"Paramount on Parade" (1930), also by director Edmund Goulding. What distinguished "Grand Hotel" from "Parade" was that the all star cast were used in a story as characters, rather than an all star review in which the stars played themselves. "Grand Hotel" was also distinguished by the interlocking stories that, at first, appear unrelated, but slowly merge together, a technique commonplace today, but never before attempted in cinema.
Never before (and possibly since) had so many major stars appeared in a single film. Garbo was fresh off two Academy Award nominations ("Anna Christie" and "Romance"), Wallace Beery had been nominated as Best Actor for his role in "The Big House" (1930) and won for "The Champ" (1932), the Barrymores had just appeared together in "Rasputin" (1932), John had an enormous success with "Svengali" (1931) and Lionel had won the Best Actor for "A Free Soul" (1930), Wallace Stone had been nominated for Best Actor for his role in "The Patriot" (1929) and played alongside Beery in "The Big House" (1930).
Joan Crawford didn't have the same award pedigree as the others, but by 1932 she was a hit at the box office and her marriage to Douglas Fairbanks Jr. added to her clout. From 1932 through 1936 she was among the top 10 moneymaking stars.
The black and white film is crisp and the sound is excellent. Edmund Goulding's direction keeps the nearly 2 hour film moving along quickly, and the changes from one subplot to the next are done seamlessly which was rare in those days. It won the Best Picture award for 1932, beating out "The Champ" and "Five Star Final".
"Grand Hotel" is important as a sort of psychodrama, the onscreen roles of the main characters revealing a lot about their personal lives and their off screen personalities. For example...
- Contrary to his "Aw shucks" screen persona, Wallace Beery was known for his violent temper and disagreeable personality. None other than child star Jackie Cooper referred to him as a "big disappointment" and child actress Margaret O'Brien complained about Beery's constant pinching. Curiously enough, Beery said "I hate the lousy part...I told 'em I didn't want to do it..." and staged a 2 day strike, to no avail.
- Like her on screen character, Garbo vanted to be alone, and by 1935 she had started to withdraw, and in 1941 she would retire. Prior to Grand Hotel she made 2 to 4 films a year; after she made less than 1 per year. There are 23 films prior to 1932 and only 7 after.
- John Barrymore plays a renowned Baron who has squandered his wealth and now makes money by playing cars and occasional thievery. In fact Barrymore had squandered his enormous talent and gave perfunctory performances after 1932 in such forgettable films as "Night Flight", "Maytime" "True Confession", etc. Flashes of his former great self were seen only on occasion (e.g., Mercutio in "Romeo and Juliet" in 1936).
- John Barrymore romances a stenographer (Joan Crawford) but it is brother Lionel who leaves with her for Paris. In real life, brother John had started a romance with silent screen actress Irene Fenwick but it was brother Lionel who left with her for Paris (ie., married her).
- Joan Crawford plays a woman of loose morals, and at the time of "Grand Hotel" she was married to Douglas Fairbanks Jr. while having an affair with Clark Gable.
"Grand Hotel" won the academy award for Best Picture, however, director Edmund Goulding was not nominated for Best Director, an unusual event since most pictures and directors are nominated together (in fact, it's happened less than a half dozen times). "Hotel" was not nominated in any other category, although Beery won for his role in "The Champ" (he tied with Frederic March's "Jekyll and Hyde" - the first and only tie). Director Goulding earned himself the nickname "The Lion Tamer" for keeping such big egos in check during the filming.
Variety said it was better than the stage play and praised the Barrymores and Beery, but called Garbo "artificial" and said that Crawford was "not the most fortunate casting." The New York Herald called the film "dull" John Barrymore said that Beery was "the best actor on the set" and the Des Moines Register agreed.
The film will appeal to fans of 30s films and to people who enjoy blockbusters. It's also a great chance to see these legendary actors in one place.
Highly Entertaining., 2010-04-25
Greta Garbo can be boring sometimes, but this pre-code Hollywood outing allowed her to pull out all stops. It is said that this film made Joan Crawford a star in her own right, but I still do not see where that came from. Of course, this was 1931-32 and women did not get the better roles. The men, on the whole , carry this film, and work with their parts well.
|
|
|
|
| |
![The Man with No Name Trilogy [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Ue8GNJ3aL._SL75_.jpg "The Man with No Name Trilogy [Blu-ray]"){kind=small}