Grand Hotel (DVD, 2005)

An all star cast from the glory days of Metro Goldwyn Mayer .
Brilliant production, great cast , story, and a chance to see a great ensemble cast unlike you'll ever see the likes of again. The extras on the dvd
will be of great interest to any movie buff. If you've never seen this classic, you're in for a treat. If you have, then it will be like seeing
an old friend.

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Maybe the first talking ensemble of Hollywood elite in 1932, "Grand Hotel" has the slogan "where nothing ever happens." But don't we know better!

Greta Garbo is the frustrated touring ballerina Grusinskaya who has lost her self-esteem. She wails her famous "I vant to be alone" speech several times--not just once. Lionel Barrymore is Otto Kringelein, living it up because he has some money to spend before he dies of a terminal illness. John Barrymore, the Baron Felix von Geigom, is desperate as a penniless nobleman in need of some money, and thus he resorts to thievery. Joan Crawford is Miss Flaemmchen, the "stenographer" in my very favorite role that she ever played. She is a good, simple person for a change and shows sympathy to Mr. Kringelein while falling in love with the baron. Miss Flaemmchen is in the hotel to work for Mr. Preysing (Wallace Berry), who is a ruthless businessman trying to consummate a merger. Around all this, we have a story with a hotel employee, whose wife is having a baby. We also see the activity of telephone operators, bellboys, the hotel manager, and the desk clerk.

The intermingling of all these people creates a great story with a very shocking ending. Although it takes place in Berlin in between the great wars, there is no mention of Nazis or goverment overthrowing. Even Berlin had normal problems then.