Grand Hotel Overview:

Grand Hotel (1932) was a Drama - Romance Film directed by Edmund Goulding and produced by Irving Thalberg.

The film was based on the novel Menschen im Hotel (People at a Hotel) written by Vicki Baum published in 1929.

SYNOPSIS

The Best Picture of 1932 established the episodic narrative device of following the diverse stories of various characters who drift through a location. It was to be repeated onboard ships, trains, and planes, in apartment buildings, resorts, anywhere the camera could observe comings and goings and the drama inherent in everyday life. Garbo stands out in an outstanding crowd of the screen's great faces as a world-weary ballerina pinning for her jewel-thief lover (John Barrymore). Other stories found in a Berlin hotel where "people come, people go, nothing ever happens" revolve around Lionel Barrymore's imminent death, Crawford's social climber, and Beery's business traveler. One of the greats.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

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Grand Hotel was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2007.

Academy Awards 1931/32 --- Ceremony Number 5 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best PictureMetro-Goldwyn-MayerWon
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BlogHub Articles:

JOAN CRAWFORD, QUEEN OF THE SILVER SCREEN BLOGATHON: Grand Hotel (1932)

on May 10, 2019 From Caftan Woman

Pale Writer and The Poppity are hosting this blogathon tribute to Joan Crawford on May 11th and 12th. You can share in all the tributes to the amazing actress's career by clicking HERE or HERE. Thank you, Gabriela and Erica D! Vicki Baum's successful 1929 novel Grand Hotel became a popular Broa... Read full article


Grande Hotel (1932) / Grand Hotel (1932)

By L? on Aug 14, 2018 From Critica Retro

Grande Hotel (1932) / Grand Hotel (1932) “Grande Hotel” n?o precisa de propaganda – nem o filme nem o local. O Grande Hotel ? o hotel mais caro da Alemanha, como diz o personagem de Lionel Barrymore. “Grande Hotel”, o filme, ? uma aula magna sobre o star system, ... Read full article


Grand Hotel – Barrymore Trilogy Blogathon

By Rhonda0731 on Aug 17, 2016 From Smitten Kitten Vintage

I am pleased to bring you Grand Hotel , my contribution to the?Barrymore Trilogy Blogathon hosted by the wonderful Crystal over at?IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD. The first time I saw Grand Hotel it was with my dad. He mentioned what a great film it was and since it had so many of my fav... Read full article


Grand Hotel (1932)

By Carol Martinheira on Aug 15, 2016 From The Old Hollywood Garden

Grand Hotel (1932) On August 15, 2016 By CarolIn Uncategorized What?s this? Another blogathon? You bet! I love my blogathons and August seems to be filled with them! So when Crystal of In The Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood announced that she was hosting a Barrymore... Read full article


Pre-Code vs. Post-Code: "Grand Hotel" and "Week-End at the Waldorf"

By David on Mar 26, 2016 From The Man on the Flying Trapeze

Vicki Baum's 1929 novel (and play) "Grand Hotel" was purchased by MGM, and in 1932 the studio released a film version featuring all the big shots on the lot -- Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Lionel Barrymore and Wallace Beery, with Lewis Stone and Jean Hersholt thrown in for good measur... Read full article


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Quotes from

Grusinskaya: I want to be alone. I think I have never been so tired in my life.


Dr. Otternschlag: Believe me, Mr. Kringelein, a man who is not with a woman is a dead man.


Baron Felix von Geigern: [looking down from the sixth-floor balcony over the front desk] You know, I've often wondered what'd happen to that old porter if somebody jumped on him from here.
Flaemmchen: I'm sure I don't know. Why don't you try it and find out?


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Facts about

The theatrical trailer which is commonly shown on behalf of this film was designed for an intended, but unrealized, 1944 re-release, and reflects the promotional style and lettering of the 1940's, not the 1930's. The original 1932 trailer is apparently lost. It would have most likely looked similar in design to the film's opening credit sequence.
There are no scenes where Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford are in the same frame. This was done to eliminate the possibility that one of the two great stars might upstage the other.
Buster Keaton was first choice to play the Lionel Barrymore part.
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Best Picture Oscar 1931/32









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National Film Registry

Grand Hotel

Released 1932
Inducted 2007
(Sound)




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Also directed by Edmund Goulding




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Also produced by Irving Thalberg




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