Grand Hotel

Rating: 4/5

In this fifth ever Academy Award winning film, Grand Hotel is a wonderful collection of the biggest stars Hollywood had to offer.

Set in Berlin in 1932, the Grand Hotel is filled with colorful characters from all walks of life. Though one of the first lines spoken in the film are, "Grand Hotel... always the same. People come, people go. Nothing ever happens.", it couldn't be further from the truth. Within the Grand Hotel, there is Baron von Geigern (John Barrymore) who is completely broke and has succumbed to hotel theft in order to pay off his debts. Along with the Baron, there's the aging ballerina Grusinskaya (Greta Garbo) who fears her career is over, the struggling stenographess Flaemmchen (Joan Crawford) who is working for the gruff businessman Preysing (Wallace Beery), and the terminally ill bookkeeper Kringelein (Lionel Barrymore) who just wants to truly live his life to the fullest before he dies. In one form or another, the characters cross each others paths, and mystery, romance, and intrigue weave their way through the story.

With such an extensive cast of Hollywood legends, some actors stick out more than others. Greta Garbo stands out, but not for the right reasons. She seems as if she has forgotten that she is not in a silent film and therefore does not need to rely on over exaggerating her actions and emotions in order to sell the role. John Barrymore tries to steal the show, and almost does, but is put to the test by Joan Crawford and Lionel Barrymore's performances. Though she was new to Hollywood compared to her costars, Crawford was able to hold her own throughout the movie. Even though Lionel Barrymore's character is quite eccentric, it is his scenes with Crawford and the other Barrymore that appear to be the most natural parts in the film.

To add to the impressive cast, the design of the film is truly transportive. Of course Grand Hotel is in black and white, but the amount of detail put into each setting makes it very easy to imagine the wonderful color and glamour of the Grand Hotel. It is truly hard to believe that this film was shot on the MGM lot, and not in a real hotel filled with the beauty that the movie portrays.

Grand Hotel's plot may be a bit muddled and the characters sometimes not so realistic. Perhaps it only won the Academy Award due to its' star studded cast, but it is a film that is 100% worth a watch; especially for any fan of Classic Hollywood.

1932 Best Picture Winner- Grand Hotel