Forget the notion of this film as a version of "Grand Hotel." The only similarity is that both films are set in a luxurious hotel with stories about different hotel guests. The 1932 classic was based on a 1929 German novel, "People at a Hotel," by Vicki Baum. The "Week-End at the Waldorf" screenwriters borrowed the idea, but the time, place, culture, people and stories all are different. "The Longest Day" and "Saving Private Ryan" are both set in World War II, but that doesn't make them similar, or one a remake of the other. "Stagecoach" and "High Noon" are both Westerns with good guys, bad guys, horses, shooting and action, but their stories are completely different.
"Grand Hotel" was a classic film of 1932. Instead of comparing apples to oranges, one can see that this film is a classic of its own. It has several very good stories. Some of them intertwine, but not all with one another. The greatest thing about this film is the humor. The earlier film had none, but this one has superb, sophisticated comedy.
The repartee in several scenes between Ginger Rogers and Walter Pidgeon is priceless. She is Irene Malvern, a prominent movie star in New York for her latest film premier and to attend the wedding of a friend. He is Chip Collyer, a renowned war correspondent on a two-week visit to the States before heading back to report on the war in Europe. But, Irene mistakes Chip for the boyfriend of her maid, Anna. Anna has told Irene that her boyfriend plans to steal Irene's jewels. Irene tells her to give him the key to her suite, as planned, and that she, Irene, will confront Anna's lover about going straight.
This is the funniest dialog in any film I know of with a theme of mistaken identity. It is riotously funny. Rogers and Pidgeon must have had a ball filming their scenes. I wonder how many takes were needed. There must have been frequent crack-ups from some of their lines. After Irene finds out who Chip is, they have even more hilarious scenes.
The film has other very good subplots. A tender romance develops between hotel stenographer Bunny Smith (Lana Turner) and Army Air Force pilot Capt. James Hollis (Van Johnson). He has no living relatives and is heading to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC, for a serious operation to remove shrapnel from near his heart. Martin Edley (Edward Arnold) is a wheeler-dealer who plies an Arab potentate, the Bey of Aribajan (George Zucco) for a questionable oil deal at the end of WW II.
Randy Morton (Robert Benchley) is a newspaper columnist who resides at the Waldorf and writes about life there and its interesting guests. Dr. Robert Campbell is an M.D. with an office in the Waldorf. A childhood friend of Irene's, he's getting married in the hotel's grand ballroom the next day. A young newlywed couple - he a naval officer, has come to stay at the Waldorf before he ships off to war. When they find there are no rooms, a longtime resident, Mr. Jessup, lets them use his apartment while he's away on business. Bandleader Xavier Cugat plays himself in a nice subplot, and his orchestra broadcasts live at night from the Starlight Room atop the hotel.
The hotel itself takes center stage with the shining it gets by an army of employees before the morning traffic, and in the myriad services the hotel provides. Other small stories give a glimpse of the culture of the times. Banks of telephone operators busily connect guests with outside calls. Hotel room service, a barbershop, a florist and other shops are reminiscent of large hotels of the past.
It's a wonderful combination of stories, with comedy, romance, drama, music and some skullduggery. A cast of more than 160 includes a number of other well-known actors. All do a superb job in their roles. Among those not already named are Keenan Wynn, Leon Ames, Phyllis Thaxter, Samuel Hinds, Porter Hall, Frank Puglia, Miles Mander, Warner Anderson, Rosemary DeCamp and Charles Wilson.
"Week-End at the Waldorf" is a superb film that should be in any film library. Here's a sample of the funny dialog. For more, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie.
Martin Edley, "You wrote a lot of lies about me. You know very well I was acquitted." Chip Collyer, "Yeah, that's because I went off to war."
Oliver Webson, "Say, could I have a drink? I've had a tough day." Chip Collyer, "You sure it won't dull the keen edge of that razor-like mind of yours?"
Irene Malvern, "You took a mean advantage of a poor, devoted soul." Chip Collyer, "Did I?"
Irene Malvern, "You just can't help taking things, can you?"
Irene Malvern, "Do you want to go to prison?" Chip Collyer, "Uh, that's uh... an experience I've never really had."
Chip Collyer, "They, uh, call me The Baron." Irene Malvern, "Who's they?" Chip Collyer, "The gang." Irene Malvern, "You mean you work with a gang?" Chip Collyer, "Well, a syndicate, if you prefer."
Irene Malvern, "Wait! Will the police know you by sight" Chip Collyer, "There isn't a cop in New York who doesn't." Irene Malvern, "Wait here, then. I'll get rid of the detective."
Chip Collyer, "Oh, you don't think any lawyer in his right mind would have me as his client, anymore than any woman in her right mind would have me as a husband?" Irene Malvern, "Oh, I wouldn't say that."
Irene Malvern, "Chip, darling?" Chip Collyer, looking up from a breakfast tray, "Huh?" Irene Malvern, "Precious. Cynthia, this is my husband. (Chip drops toast in his coffee.) Precious, this is Cynthia Drew. She's marrying Bobby Campbell this afternoon." Chip Collyer, "Huh?"
"Grand Hotel" was a classic film of 1932. Instead of comparing apples to oranges, one can see that this film is a classic of its own. It has several very good stories. Some of them intertwine, but not all with one another. The greatest thing about this film is the humor. The earlier film had none, but this one has superb, sophisticated comedy.
The repartee in several scenes between Ginger Rogers and Walter Pidgeon is priceless. She is Irene Malvern, a prominent movie star in New York for her latest film premier and to attend the wedding of a friend. He is Chip Collyer, a renowned war correspondent on a two-week visit to the States before heading back to report on the war in Europe. But, Irene mistakes Chip for the boyfriend of her maid, Anna. Anna has told Irene that her boyfriend plans to steal Irene's jewels. Irene tells her to give him the key to her suite, as planned, and that she, Irene, will confront Anna's lover about going straight.
This is the funniest dialog in any film I know of with a theme of mistaken identity. It is riotously funny. Rogers and Pidgeon must have had a ball filming their scenes. I wonder how many takes were needed. There must have been frequent crack-ups from some of their lines. After Irene finds out who Chip is, they have even more hilarious scenes.
The film has other very good subplots. A tender romance develops between hotel stenographer Bunny Smith (Lana Turner) and Army Air Force pilot Capt. James Hollis (Van Johnson). He has no living relatives and is heading to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC, for a serious operation to remove shrapnel from near his heart. Martin Edley (Edward Arnold) is a wheeler-dealer who plies an Arab potentate, the Bey of Aribajan (George Zucco) for a questionable oil deal at the end of WW II.
Randy Morton (Robert Benchley) is a newspaper columnist who resides at the Waldorf and writes about life there and its interesting guests. Dr. Robert Campbell is an M.D. with an office in the Waldorf. A childhood friend of Irene's, he's getting married in the hotel's grand ballroom the next day. A young newlywed couple - he a naval officer, has come to stay at the Waldorf before he ships off to war. When they find there are no rooms, a longtime resident, Mr. Jessup, lets them use his apartment while he's away on business. Bandleader Xavier Cugat plays himself in a nice subplot, and his orchestra broadcasts live at night from the Starlight Room atop the hotel.
The hotel itself takes center stage with the shining it gets by an army of employees before the morning traffic, and in the myriad services the hotel provides. Other small stories give a glimpse of the culture of the times. Banks of telephone operators busily connect guests with outside calls. Hotel room service, a barbershop, a florist and other shops are reminiscent of large hotels of the past.
It's a wonderful combination of stories, with comedy, romance, drama, music and some skullduggery. A cast of more than 160 includes a number of other well-known actors. All do a superb job in their roles. Among those not already named are Keenan Wynn, Leon Ames, Phyllis Thaxter, Samuel Hinds, Porter Hall, Frank Puglia, Miles Mander, Warner Anderson, Rosemary DeCamp and Charles Wilson.
"Week-End at the Waldorf" is a superb film that should be in any film library. Here's a sample of the funny dialog. For more, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie.
Martin Edley, "You wrote a lot of lies about me. You know very well I was acquitted." Chip Collyer, "Yeah, that's because I went off to war."
Oliver Webson, "Say, could I have a drink? I've had a tough day." Chip Collyer, "You sure it won't dull the keen edge of that razor-like mind of yours?"
Irene Malvern, "You took a mean advantage of a poor, devoted soul." Chip Collyer, "Did I?"
Irene Malvern, "You just can't help taking things, can you?"
Irene Malvern, "Do you want to go to prison?" Chip Collyer, "Uh, that's uh... an experience I've never really had."
Chip Collyer, "They, uh, call me The Baron." Irene Malvern, "Who's they?" Chip Collyer, "The gang." Irene Malvern, "You mean you work with a gang?" Chip Collyer, "Well, a syndicate, if you prefer."
Irene Malvern, "Wait! Will the police know you by sight" Chip Collyer, "There isn't a cop in New York who doesn't." Irene Malvern, "Wait here, then. I'll get rid of the detective."
Chip Collyer, "Oh, you don't think any lawyer in his right mind would have me as his client, anymore than any woman in her right mind would have me as a husband?" Irene Malvern, "Oh, I wouldn't say that."
Irene Malvern, "Chip, darling?" Chip Collyer, looking up from a breakfast tray, "Huh?" Irene Malvern, "Precious. Cynthia, this is my husband. (Chip drops toast in his coffee.) Precious, this is Cynthia Drew. She's marrying Bobby Campbell this afternoon." Chip Collyer, "Huh?"