People in the Hotel (1932)

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Movie
German title People in the hotel
Original title Grand Hotel
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1932
length 113 minutes
Rod
Director Edmund Goulding
script William Drake
production Paul Bern for MGM
camera William H. Daniels
cut Blanche Sewell
occupation

People in the Hotel (original title: Grand Hotel ) is the first American feature film with a star cast , which included Greta Garbo , Joan Crawford and John Barrymore . Directed by Edmund Goulding . The film was released for US distribution on April 12, 1932 and is based on the play of the same name by Vicki Baum .

action

The intricate plot depicts the interwoven fates of several people who stayed at the Grand Hotel in Berlin at the end of the 1920s and whose résumés meet and cross over again and again over the course of 24 hours. Under the gaze of Dr. Otternschlag, who has stayed in the hotel since being injured in the war, begins the film with his comment after a brief introduction by most of the protagonists

“People come, people go. Nothing ever happens. "

Shortly afterwards, the individual main characters arrive. Grusinskaya was one of the most famous ballerinas in Russia before the October Revolution. Now she is past the zenith of her career and suffering from nervous tension. She canceled another performance and her impresario threatens to sue for damages. At the same time as her, Baron von Gaigern arrives, a bon vivant who keeps his head above water by stealing and whose gambling debts have brought him into conflict with his creditors. He intends to steal the precious pearl necklace of the Grusinskaya. Director Preysing is in the hotel to negotiate with possible future partners of his company, without whose capital his company is threatened with bankruptcy. He calls the typist Flammchen over to dictate a few letters to her. This indicates that, in return for appropriate consideration, you are willing to do more than just type letters.

At the same time, Mr. Kringelein, employee of the Preysing company, arrives at the hotel. He found out about his incurable disease. With his savings he wants to enjoy his last days in luxury. At the bar he meets Baron von Gaigern. After a game of cards, the baron steals from Kringelein for his substantial profit and savings, but lets himself be moved by the man's desperation and gives the money back straight away. The Baron and Flammchen met shortly beforehand. Flammchen is deeply impressed by the urbane gentleman who treated her with respect and benevolence. Von Gaigern introduced Flammchen to Kringelein, who later became friends. Meanwhile, Kringelein confronts Preysing with his moral mistakes.

Grusinskaya meanwhile wants to leave life because she no longer seems to meet the demands of the world. After the interrupted performance, still in ballet costume, she is ready to take sleeping pills. Baron von Gaigern, who had entered her room through the window ledge, gave her new courage in the course of a conversation - and gave her back the pearl necklace that had already been stolen. Both fall in love and want to go to the Riviera together the next day. The baron refuses Grusinskaya's offer to give him the urgently needed money and instead tries to break into Preysing's house. Preysing catches the intruder and during a scuffle he kills the baron. Desperate, Preysing tries either to blackmail or bribe Kringelein as a witness, but he remains correct and reports the incident. The next morning, Grusinskaya, whose people around her have not told her about the murder of the baron, travels with renewed courage to her next appearance in Vienna, hoping to meet the baron at the train station. Flammchen and Kringelein travel together to Paris, where there is reportedly a new treatment method for Kringelein's disease.

The film ends as it began with the words of Dr. Otternschlag

“People come, people go. Nothing ever happens. "

background

Vicki Baum's novel People in the Hotel , published a few years earlier, had become an international success. A stage version was also very successful and MGM bought the film rights for just under $ 35,000. From mid-1931 the planning for the filming began and Irving Thalberg decided, in a departure from the previously usual strategies, to cast all roles in the film with well-known stars. If Greta Garbo was set from the start, the rest of the cast was rather volatile. First John Gilbert and then Clark Gable were to play the Baron von Gaigern. Buster Keaton was under discussion for the role of Kringelein . Joan Crawford was initially not thrilled to play a supporting role in a Greta Garbo flick, but in the end she was convinced and gave one of the best portrayals of her career as an ambitious woman who wants to escape the adverse circumstances by all means.

In the course of the plot, Greta Garbo speaks one of the most famous film sentences of all several times:

"I want to be alone."

Her portrayal of a desperate artist plagued by Weltschmerz and melancholy was celebrated as the epitome of the art of acting. The scenes in which she tenderly caresses her jewelry, ballet shoes and other objects and philosophizes about the transience of fame and time became famous. She later did some sequences with John Barrymore , which are also often quoted to document the secret of Greta Garbo's acting.

The author Rachel Gallagher writes about the scenes in her novel The Girl Who Loved Garbo (quoted in Barry Paris Garbo , p. 314):

“Who clings to whom? Who has the upper hand? The two people she and Barrymore portray seem to meet on the same level. It is a reflection of true love, great passion and a thing that goes far beyond equality: complete mutual devotion. "

The success drew a whole series of follow-up productions with star cast who tried to integrate as many top stars as possible into one plot. Well-known examples were If I had a million , a night flight and dinner at eight .

Theatrical release

People in the hotel cost little more than a slightly more expensive production of MGM at $ 700,000. At the box office, the film became the biggest box office success of the year thanks to a real publicity battle. In the USA he brought in the high sum of 1,235,000 US dollars and outside the US he brought in a further 1,359,000 US dollars, which corresponded to a cumulative gross profit of 2,594,000 US dollars. With a profit of 947,000 US dollars, Menschen im Hotel made a decisive contribution to MGM's profit of over 8 million US dollars in 1932 despite the global economic crisis.

Awards

The film won the award at the 1932 Academy Awards in the category:

In 2007 the film was entered into the National Film Registry .

criticism

New York Times critic Mordaunt Hall was enthusiastic about his review:

“It's a production that is well worth all the media hype and the several great film stars involved can be proud of their achievements, especially Greta Garbo and Lionel Barrymore. […] Garbo, of course, plays the dancer Grusinskaya, portrayed on stage by Eugénie Leontovich. Garbo, certainly satisfied to finally be surrounded by talented actors, tries everything to shine. And it convinces in the best way. She is overwhelming in her early scenes and charming in the love scenes with Baron Gaigern, portrayed by John Barrymore [...] And later, wearing a chinchilla coat, she is happy and carefree because the spirited dancer has discovered love. "

A few decades later, the lexicon of international film said:

“Thanks to its great acting achievements, the Greta Garbo film has hardly lost any of its gripping effect. The superficial construction of the fate of the novel is disturbing. "

When the film was shown again in the cinema 22 years after its premiere, the Protestant film observer came to the following conclusion:

“The film, based on Vicky Baum's successful novel of the same name, looks outdated on the whole. In particular, seeing Greta Garbo again arouses interest. "

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ It is a production thoroughly worthy of all the talk it has created and the several motion-picture luminaries deserve to feel very proud of their performances, particularly Greta Garbo and Lionel Barrymore. [...] Miss Garbo, of course, impersonates the dancer, Grusinskaya, played on the stage by Eugénie Leontovich. Miss Garbo, possibly appreciating that she was supported by a galaxy of efficient performers, decided that she would do her utmost to make her role shine. And she succeeds admirably. She is stunning in her early scenes and charming in the love scene with Baron Gaigern. [...] And later, wearing a chinchilla coat, she is gay and lighthearted, for love has beckoned to the temperamental dancer.
  2. ↑ People in the hotel. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  3. ↑ Evangelical Press Association, Munich, Review No. 190/1954.