"Grand Hotel" begins in the lobby of the Grand Hotel in Berlin. It's hustle and bustle as staff and guests set about pleasing or being pleased. It takes some time to flesh out who is who and which are the main characters. Eventually we settle in to the lives of Baron Felix (John Barrymore), Grusinskaya (Greta Garbo), Flaemmchen (Joan Crawford), Otto Kringelein (Lionel Barrymore), and Preysing (Wallace Beery).
The Baron (John Barrymore) is at the Grand Hotel to steal some pearls from the famous dancer Grusinskaya (Garbo) in order to get out of debt. Grusinskaya is in Berlin for a performance. Preysing (Beery) is there to hash out a major merger between his company and another. Flaemmchen (Flem for short) (Crawford) is there as a stenographer for Preysing. And Kringelein (Lionel Barrymore) is there to live out the rest of his days in style as he recently found out that he's terminally ill.
All of their stories intersect at this hotel with love, lust, merriment, treachery, and deceit. The Baron is the main character and is genuinely lovable. Everyone he meets falls in love with him or wants to befriend him which makes doing what he has to do difficult. The Baron has a conscience after all.
"Grand Hotel" has the style and atmosphere that makes it timeless. It could be made in any era and be just as relevant and enjoyable.
2.49 on Amazon Prime.
The Baron (John Barrymore) is at the Grand Hotel to steal some pearls from the famous dancer Grusinskaya (Garbo) in order to get out of debt. Grusinskaya is in Berlin for a performance. Preysing (Beery) is there to hash out a major merger between his company and another. Flaemmchen (Flem for short) (Crawford) is there as a stenographer for Preysing. And Kringelein (Lionel Barrymore) is there to live out the rest of his days in style as he recently found out that he's terminally ill.
All of their stories intersect at this hotel with love, lust, merriment, treachery, and deceit. The Baron is the main character and is genuinely lovable. Everyone he meets falls in love with him or wants to befriend him which makes doing what he has to do difficult. The Baron has a conscience after all.
"Grand Hotel" has the style and atmosphere that makes it timeless. It could be made in any era and be just as relevant and enjoyable.
2.49 on Amazon Prime.