nothing ever happens: Grand Hotel (1932)

  Grand Hotel [videorecording (DVD)]. Metro-Goldwyn Mayer; Loew's  Inc.; directed by Edmund Goulding. Special edition. Turner Entertainment Co.; Warner Home Video, 2005. Based on the novel by Vicki Baum. DVD release of the 1932 motion picture. Special features: documentary "Checking Out: Grand Hotel"; Hollywood premiere; "Just a Word of Warning" theatre announcement; vintage musical short: "Nothing Ever Happens"; theatrical trailers: Grand Hotel (1932) and Weekend at the Waldorf (1945).  
  Photography, William Daniels; film editor, Blanche Sewell; recording director, Douglas Shearer; art director, Cedric Gibbons; costumes, Adrian. Performers: Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone, Jean Hersholt. Summary: the glitz and glitter of Berlin's Grand Hotel comes alive with this story of love and betrayal.

Were I to single out one movie that epitomizes the glamour of Golden Age Hollywood, with all attendant positives and negatives, I would choose Grand Hotel, and as support, note the gala world premiere, a snippet of which is included in present package, as the zenith of Hollywood stage management with resultant near hysterical response from the throngs of ecstatic fans. Indeed, the near riot that ensues at the premiere seems to anticipate the apocalyptic ending to Nathanael West’s far less romantic, much darker novel Day of the Locust.

  In any case, let us begin with a mild criticism. Like the well-heeled guests at the titular establishment, Grand Hotel comes perilously close to overstaying its welcome. The movie might well have been trimmed by ten minutes or so and little of substance lost. But such a quibble amongst a proverbial embarrassment of riches: like the grand hotel itself the film has a high gloss, well-tended (even by MGM standards) look. Make no mistake, Grand Hotel is beautifully filmed and lit, with the incredible moderne set worthy of a special mention in itself. Much praise is also due to the smoothly balanced script that deftly integrates the various stories, all held together by Edmund Goulding’s brisk, non-showy directorial hand. Goulding may be the true unsung hero of GH, but his direction tends to be overshadowed, albeit deservingly, by the legendary cast and their unforgettable performances.

   Of course the big draw in GH is the, then novel, all-star cast. All the leads are fine, though I’m not so fond of Wallace Beery or Lionel Barrymore, the characters or the performances. For me Lionel was at his worst when he chewed the scenery too much, which he tends to do here. And much as I’m a fan of Joan Crawford, I can’t agree with the mostly rave reviews of her take on the little stenographer. Sure, she holds her own against the heavyweight talent around her and looks great in those Adrian designed suits, but that’s about it. Otherwise there’s nothing special about the character or the performance.

    But ultimately this is Greta Garbo’s movie, perhaps her finest hour. For all your Kate Hepburns, Bogarts, Marilyns, and Chaplins, my choice as the greatest movie star of all time would have to be Garbo, probably because of her very mystery and her status as the most reclusive major film star ever. And with no disrespect to Camille, Ninotchka and her other great essays, I’d say this is her most purely Garboesque role, for the simple reason that she’s playing herself: insecure, unpredictable, shy, but basically a good soul with a big, and vulnerable, heart. And yes, this is the movie where she says her signature line, debatably the most famous quote by a star in film history: ‘I want to be alone.’

    Barrymore also shines in a very John Barrymore type of role, a shady noble who’s fallen on hard times. A thief he is, a criminal to be sure, but always the gentleman. He does his best to make a living scraping by as a member of the nouveau poor, but in a well-turned sort of way, with strong helpings of elan and panache. No surprise he gets plenty of the great profile views.

    In their scenes together both Barrymore and Garbo play it natural and understated, with limited overly-emphatic gestures and vocal mannerisms so typical of the times. They are a true joy to watch and savor, their pairing all the more special in that this was the only film they did together. Still, even while toning down his more hammy theatrical instincts, the wily Barrymore couldn’t resist stealing a few scenes: only John Barrymore could upstage Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford while underplaying his role.

   Included on the present DVD is a respectable collection of bonus features, including the aforementioned gala world premiere at (where else?) Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. I confess I would have preferred a commentary track since GH has so many resonances historic and otherwise. (Update: there’s commentary on the more recent [2013] Blu-Ray version: hooray!).   

   

I want to be alone!

As for the other bonus features, best of all, and almost as good as the original, is the slightly surreal parody, “Nothing Ever Happens,” a newly discovered 1933 Vitaphone short (18 min.), produced by Warner Brothers, and directed by Roy Mack with a group of highly skilled if little known actors. They camp it up mightily with their delectable lampooning of Garbo, the two Barrymores, Beery and Crawford. Indeed, the five principals in the parody, who bear striking resemblances to the originals, are so good they may be more spot-on than their more celebrated colleagues (but don't tell anyone I said so!).
 
    Moreover, and true to its pre-Code pedigree, Grand Hotel gets away with a lot of suggestion and innuendo. However, "Nothing Ever Happens" pushes the envelope even further, though it takes repeated viewings to catch all the spicy entendres, double and otherwise. NEH also boasts some, eminently echt-Warner Bros., dance numbers that would do Busby Berkeley proud.

   

Summary: Grand Hotel is a wonderful treat, an all-time classic served up in grand style. It's true catnip for fans of Old School movie-making at its best.