Directed by Edmund Goulding from the stage production by Vicki Baum, this is one of the MGM's most prestigious projects that star several top performers of the day. Set in the most opulent establishment of post WWI Berlin, the Grand Hotel is where the story unfolds. It is all about life; the good and bad interact, and bad tries to destroy the good and it is the good that win at last. A people-weary prima ballerina named Grusinskaya (Great Garbo) is shy and likes to be alone but starved for love and attention; A conman who presents himself as the Baron Felix Von Greigern (John Barrymore) is desperate to steal precious pearls from Grusinskaya to pay off his debt to his gangster friends; A dying bookkeeper, Otto Kringelein (Lionel Barrymore) is out on a mission to enjoy the last few days of his life, and his greedy boss, Preysing (Wallace Beery) is busy negotiating an important merger of his business empire. His young stenographer, Flaemmchen (Joan Crawford) is trying to make on her own in the real world; the hotel bell captain named Senf (Jean Hersholt) is too absorbed to get the good news from the hospital where his wife is about deliver his baby, and then a wealthy doctor, Otternschlag (Lewis Stone) with scarred face is lonely and too bored.
The ambitious Flaemmchen makes the acquaintance of the handsome Baron and falls in love with him, and she also likes the friendship of the kind-hearted gentleman Kringelein. When Grusinskaya is away, the Baron sneaks into her room and steals her pearls, but he finds himself locked inside the room. When Grusinskaya returns to her room, and tries to commit suicide because of depression, he suddenly appears before her and stops her from taking her own life, and in a change of heart, he also returns her pearls. His charming ways changes her heart and she falls in love instantly and dreams of her life with him. Later the Baron steals money from his friend Otto Kringelein who won a large sum of money in a poker game, and eventually returns his money due to a change of heart. Finally he gets caught red-handed by businessman Preysing when he steals his money and in an outburst of anger, Presying's hit gives a fatal blow to Baron's head and kills him. Preysing ends up in jail, Flaemmchen finds love where she least expected, the kind and gentle soul, Kringelein, Grusinskaya is lost after she couldn't find the Baron. Radiant in love, one can only imagine the despair that awaits her.
This is a fantastic story of a conman who in his last few days of life bring love and happiness in the lives of two women who desperately seek them. He spends his entire life stealing from others. He is miserable and merciless, but one sweet act changes his ways. Sweet old Kringelein is rejuvenated after finding love in young and beautiful Flaemmchen. Greedy and heartless businessman Preysing finds nothing but darkness ahead. This is a story of the good, the bad and ugly; it is the good that finally wins. The movie is brilliantly directed and it is the Barrymore brothers who steal the show, especially John Barrymore who offers a brilliant performance as a conman who goes from being bad to being good. This is also one of the big movies of Great Garbo, but she appears in very few scenes than Joan Crawford.
There are several memorable quotes from this film that reverberated through history. Greta Garbo's words; "I want to be alone" is one of them. She is known to be shy and strongly liked her privacy wherever she went in her personal life. Other memorable dialogue is when Baron changes the heart of beautiful Grusinskaya
Grusinskaya: "Can you imagine a hundred girls in the ballet school, each thinking she would become the most famous dancer in all the world? I was ambitious then. We were drilled like little soldiers. No rest, no stopping. I was little; slim, but hard as a diamond. Then I became famous and.... but why am I telling you all this? Last night, I didn't know you at all. Who are you, really?"
Baron Felix von Geigern: "What?"
Grusinskaya: "I don't even know your name."
Baron Felix von Geigern: [laughs] "I am Felix Benvenuto Freihern von Geigern. My mother called me Flix."
Grusinskaya: [joyously] "No! Flix! Oh, that's sweet. And how do you live? And what kind of a person are you?"
Baron Felix von Geigern: "I'm a prodigal son, the black sheep of a white flock. I shall die on the gallows."
The ambitious Flaemmchen makes the acquaintance of the handsome Baron and falls in love with him, and she also likes the friendship of the kind-hearted gentleman Kringelein. When Grusinskaya is away, the Baron sneaks into her room and steals her pearls, but he finds himself locked inside the room. When Grusinskaya returns to her room, and tries to commit suicide because of depression, he suddenly appears before her and stops her from taking her own life, and in a change of heart, he also returns her pearls. His charming ways changes her heart and she falls in love instantly and dreams of her life with him. Later the Baron steals money from his friend Otto Kringelein who won a large sum of money in a poker game, and eventually returns his money due to a change of heart. Finally he gets caught red-handed by businessman Preysing when he steals his money and in an outburst of anger, Presying's hit gives a fatal blow to Baron's head and kills him. Preysing ends up in jail, Flaemmchen finds love where she least expected, the kind and gentle soul, Kringelein, Grusinskaya is lost after she couldn't find the Baron. Radiant in love, one can only imagine the despair that awaits her.
This is a fantastic story of a conman who in his last few days of life bring love and happiness in the lives of two women who desperately seek them. He spends his entire life stealing from others. He is miserable and merciless, but one sweet act changes his ways. Sweet old Kringelein is rejuvenated after finding love in young and beautiful Flaemmchen. Greedy and heartless businessman Preysing finds nothing but darkness ahead. This is a story of the good, the bad and ugly; it is the good that finally wins. The movie is brilliantly directed and it is the Barrymore brothers who steal the show, especially John Barrymore who offers a brilliant performance as a conman who goes from being bad to being good. This is also one of the big movies of Great Garbo, but she appears in very few scenes than Joan Crawford.
There are several memorable quotes from this film that reverberated through history. Greta Garbo's words; "I want to be alone" is one of them. She is known to be shy and strongly liked her privacy wherever she went in her personal life. Other memorable dialogue is when Baron changes the heart of beautiful Grusinskaya
Grusinskaya: "Can you imagine a hundred girls in the ballet school, each thinking she would become the most famous dancer in all the world? I was ambitious then. We were drilled like little soldiers. No rest, no stopping. I was little; slim, but hard as a diamond. Then I became famous and.... but why am I telling you all this? Last night, I didn't know you at all. Who are you, really?"
Baron Felix von Geigern: "What?"
Grusinskaya: "I don't even know your name."
Baron Felix von Geigern: [laughs] "I am Felix Benvenuto Freihern von Geigern. My mother called me Flix."
Grusinskaya: [joyously] "No! Flix! Oh, that's sweet. And how do you live? And what kind of a person are you?"
Baron Felix von Geigern: "I'm a prodigal son, the black sheep of a white flock. I shall die on the gallows."
Reference: Grand Hotel (DVD), starring Greta Garbo and Lionel Barrymore
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