Grand Hotel

MGM's 1932 all-star extravaganza, GRAND HOTEL, was the first of its kind to include several major box-office names in one production. The film utilized a wide range of filming techniques - overhead crane shots, moving camera, cross cutting, artistic lighting and long takes - to infuse emotion and drama into its premise which takes place entirely at a posh Berlin hotel while overlapping the individual crises of its patrons. It was a novel idea and proved extremely successful, spawning many similarly structured films such as DINNER AT EIGHT (MGM,1933), WEEKEND AT THE WALDORF (MGM,1945), THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY (Warner Brothers,1954), and THE V.I.P.S (MGM, 1963), to name a few.Based on a novel and play by Vicki Baum, GRAND HOTEL was directed by Edmund Goulding and stars Greta Garbo, John and Lionel Barrymore, Joan Crawford and Wallace Beery all in roles of equal importance, and each shines in what counts among their best performances. The luminous Garbo is perfect as a tired of life ballerina, her stylized acting captures just the right note of eccentricity. This is the film in which she utters her signature line, "I want (not "vant") to be alone". Crawford is radiant, chic and sensitive as a stenographer assigned to work for boorish business magnate Beery, who, despite his villainous character, manages to generate our sympathy. Beery is the only one to affect a German accent which serves to underscore his menace and alienates him from the other characters. John Barrymore displays his celebrated profile and gives a touching and ultimately tragic portrayal as a thief forced into his trade out of dire need, and Lionel Barrymore is a likeable old fellow who believes he's dying and decides to live it up during his stay at the Grand Hotel.The hotel itself figures as one of the main characters, and its elaborate art-deco design is showcased to great advantage, consisting of a circular construction and checkered floor tiles, topped off by the main lobby desk and telephone switchboard. Everything was given top-notch treatment, resulting in a film that epitomizes the Hollywood studio system at its very finest. Quality and dignity represented the order of the day in that classical period of filmmaking, and GRAND HOTEL met every expectation both critically and commercially, going on to win Best Picture of 1932. To this day it's still regarded as one of the greatest films of its decade, and has been selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".The newest Blu-ray release of GRAND HOTEL from Warners is quite grand to be sure, with a clarity and density that outdoes the previous DVD. The grain configuration is tantamount to 35mm film, and details in clothing and background elements are readily apparent. This pristine presentation of an 81 year old film makes one appreciate even more the exceptional skill of the cinematographers of that time. Of course, they also had movie stars with the kinds of fabulous faces that the camera could adore. The audio on this release is clear and crisp, with voices registering at a pleasing pitch without any distortion. All in all, it makes viewing this vintage classic a very enjoyable experience.The extras are all taken from the DVD: "Checking Out" - a making-of documentary, the Grauman's Chinese Theater premiere newsreel, "Just a Word of Warning" Theater Announcement, the Vitaphone spoof "Nothing Ever Happens", and trailers for GRAND HOTEL and WEEKEND AT THE WALDORF - a 1945 semi remake. The only new feature is a well researched commentary by Jeffrey Vance and Mark Vieira which adds insight and is particularly helplful to viewers who are challenged by older movies.Highly recommended.

This film has been described by some where "nothing happens", which turns a lot of people off. It's true, in the traditional sense since there's no obvious plot. This film being about nothing reminds me of some stories I read in college while studying film and writing, where the core of the story (film, in this case) is an unexpected telling of a moment that would usually be overlooked or mentioned but is focused on because it's vital in some way. In Grand Hotel the characters are the driving force with paralleling subplots. We don't know what exactly has brought them all here or what their fate will be when they leave. We just know what is happening to them over the course of a brief stay at Grand Hotel. That sounds mundane, doesn't it? But give the film a chance and you'll see how they are all affected by the particular moment. It's an interesting story with well rounded characters, beautiful art direction. I will admit I initially ordered this because I love Greta Garbo (especially in silents) and saw John Barrymore in Midnight (1939) awhile back and enjoyed his performance. Some have defined 1930s film by this one film, I don't think I'd go so far as to echo that but that's only because I can think of other films that capture the style, architecture and Great Depression in other ways that also define the 1930s. But of course this is subjective! Also worth noting is one of the special features is a newsreel of the premiere. On some of my other classic DVDs the newsreels are very short and have no sound but I was surprised this one has sound! The actors/actresses speak into the microphone for the live radio broadcast that fans would have been listening to. I wish the footage would have been longer because I loved it so much, but if you love Old Hollywood and especially 1930s movie stars you will really like what footage is available of the premiere.

A gem of a classic!!! The acting is superb. A little of history of social norms of those times.The Barrymore’s never disappoint.Wallace Beery- incredible scoundrel !Joan Crawford- so young!I love those black and white movies . Grateful !

My. Son likes it

This is indeed a great film, the story itself, the acting, the lavish sets and costumes, the directing, are all perfect. I am amazed at the quality of the restoration work that was carried out on this classic for the blu-ray release. There isn't a blemish to be found on the picture, and the sound has been properly cleaned up too. The picture is also very still and doesn't shake about like many unrestored movies of that time period (this one came out 87 years ago folks). I believe all old films should get this treatment, after all, a film isn't just entertainment, it's also a window on a certain time period. I know that restoration of a high calibre is very expensive, but film buffs such as myself need it. The viewing experience is so much more pleasurable when a film has been restored to its former glory.

Goldeneraofhollywood.averysimpleplotandwellmade

Great film. Fast delivery. A++++

Desafortunadamente no puedo hablar el idioma tan bien que puedo escribir cualquier comentario. Es cierto, Google Translate, pero será demasiado laborioso.