SimonJack
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?"
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As everyone agrees, WEEKEND AT THE WALDORF follows the outline of GRAND HOTEL while radically lightening its tone. It's structured by three parallel and occasionally intertwining stories connected mostly by its setting, the famous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. The fraudulent schemes of Edward Arnold are so woefully underwritten that they hardly count. The heart of the movie lies in the other two plot-lines, a romantic comedy verging on screwball between lonely, overworked actress Ginger Rogers and burned-out war correspondent Walter Pidgeon, and a sentimental romance between wounded war veteran Van Johnson and gold- digging stenographer Lana Turner. The former is pretty funny and the latter rather touching, but the inter-cutting between them does neither any favors. They might have done better as separate, and considerably shorter, movies in their own right. As it stands, the film is way too long. Heck, around the two hour mark we stop everything cold for a couple of mediocre musical numbers!Which is not to say that there are not considerable virtues in WALDORF. The interior sets are amazing, you would think that you really were at the hotel, and we are given a good idea of the immense effort that goes into running such a magnificent establishment. It's the Waldorf itself that is (quite intentionally) the movie's true main character. And the human performances ain't bad, either. Walter Pidgeon, normally rather stodgy to my eyes, is charming and clever and witty to a degree that I've never seen from him elsewhere. He shows surprising chemistry with Ginger Rogers, who gives a cool and amusing performance as the kind of character she would often portray (I'm tempted to say, would be saddled with) for much of her later career, a successful yet unhappy actress. Lana Turner is okay in a role that could have used considerable expansion. Van Johnson's performance seems problematic to me. In and of himself he presents us with an immensely likable character who is a pleasure to watch, but what sense does this make of the character? He appears remarkably healthy for someone who has only a 50/50 chance of making it till next Wednesday. And why would his soldier have no friends? We see a guy who's handsome, charming, articulate, friendly, respectful, and while rather subdued does not come across as intensely shy. Actually, he comes across as pretty much perfect. It makes his story pleasant but shallow. One might say the same for the entire film.
dougdoepke
The movie's best part, to me, is seeing the actual army of hotel workers required to keep a high-rise like the Waldorf operating. It's impressive, and sure a lot of free advertising. Anyway, despite the attractive cast, the various light comedy threads fail to gel, making the screen time seem longer than its actual 130 minutes. The movie adds up to bland entertainment, at best. The one sparkling scene is when Johnson's flight captain and Turner's working girl meet, some winsome chemistry there. The screenplay, however, comes across as a rather clumsy patchwork, at best. For example, shady tycoon Edward Arnold is apparently up to no good (and with oil sheiks, no less), but we never find out more. And what's with Thaxter's role. It comes across like a half-digested morsel, maybe serving as a screen test for a younger MGM performer. Nor does Robert Leonard's uninspired direction help. In fact, it seems odd that the studio didn't assign a top- flight director to what would appear a prestige project.The biggest disappointment, however, is with the Pigeon-Rogers romance. Now they're both highly capable, charming actors. The problem again is with the screenplay. Pigeon's impersonation of a jewel thief is, I gather, supposed to be zany and out of character. Instead, it comes across as not just implausible but also downright silly despite the pair's best comedic efforts. However, there is one compensation for Rogers— she gets to model an array of 1945's best high fashion, and lovely she is. Anyway, the script looks to me like a rush job, comparing poorly with Grand Hotel's first-rate screenplay. Unfortunately, this version amounts to a general waste of superior talent, though I must admit coming away with a new appreciation of the boyish Johnson's acting talent. Too bad, some of that didn't better inspire the writers or at least give them more time.
Neil Doyle
MGM updated its "Grand Hotel" storyline, gave the four principal roles to Walter Pigeon, Ginger Rogers, Lana Turner and Van Johnson, set them in some plush hotel surroundings amid a not too involving weekend situation and just let things coast along merrily. When the story sags a little, they even bring in Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra for a Starlight Roof floor show. None of it seems real, not for a moment, but it's all as light as the frosting on a cake and no one expects you to shed any tears as they did with the original story.The ladies have the camera in love with them most of the time. Rogers and Turner are both seen at their photogenic best and give assured performances in roles that require a modicum of thespian talent.Rogers gives the more effortless portrayal, clearly having a good time when she finds herself in a situation not far removed from those she shared with Fred Astaire in many an RKO romantic comedy. Turner is there for eye candy and little else. Van Johnson is enthusiastically boyish as the Army man concerned about his health and Walter Pigeon is as debonair as always as a pipe smoking war correspondent who has marriage on his mind with Rogers as his prospective bride.It's all photographed in dreamy MGM style, everything smoothly crisp with the story shifting back and forth between a couple of minor sub-plots involving Edward Arnold, Phyllis Thaxter and Keenan Wynn.Ginger Rogers has never looked more glamorous as the worldly movie star who is not quite sure whether she yearns to be alone and Walter Pigeon is excellent as the man who eventually wins her heart.Pleasant fluff, but easily forgotten. A nice cast does what it can with stock characters and that's about it.A warning: The ending is unbelievably theatrical and corny.
