The actress Joan Crawford

“NO WIRE HANGERS EVER!” Ok, I got that out of my system, I think. This is what kept running through my mind the whole time I was watching this week’s film, Grand Hotel (1932, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). And, here’s a wee bit of trivia: What movie is that quote from? Better yet, what book is the quote’s movie based on? (Hint: It’s not Grand Hotel. Trivia answer below.)

In the mess of all the paper writing, presentation prepping, tax filing, etc. that has exploded in my household these last couple of weeks, a brief sit-down with this film for my second viewing of it still leaves me with questions about how in the world it took home the Oscar for Outstanding Production. Honestly, I am not a fan. Apparently, the Academy wasn’t either, for Grand Hotel was only nominated for Outstanding Production. How it pulled off that win in particular without being nominated for anything else is pretty bizarre. That makes it the second film we’ve studied to win only the Academy Award for Best Picture. Anyone remember the other film?

It’s not that Grand Hotel is completely uninteresting; its motif of money—people’s obsession with and desperation for it—is an issue that is relevant for all times, but especially interesting considering the film’s release during the Great Depression. Also worth noting is the film’s commentary on social status and how people from different walks of life interact and try to understand or relate to each other.

However, I feel that for its time, the biggest draw of the film was definitely its cast, featuring names like Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford (yes, she of anti-wire hanger fame), Wallace Beery (who won the Best Actor Oscar that same year for The Champ), Lionel Barrymore (who won the Best Actor Oscar the previous year for A Free Soul and who would go on to infamously play Mr. Potter in It’s a Wonderful Life), and John Barrymore (Lionel’s brother, known as the greatest actor of his time, and, yes, Drew Barrymore’s grandfather).

In a way, this star-studded cast list is reminiscent of more recent films like Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve that, rather than aim for rich content or superb acting, merely try to bulk up their revenues with the apparent supposition that all of us love movie stars and the more movie stars in a movie, the more money we will all pay to see it. Hmmmm, I’m not a fan of those movies either.

But regardless of my reticence to grant affection to any films based on big names instead of big meaning, Grand Hotel holds a place on my Best Picture shelf and so also a spot in movie history (because of the award, not the shelf, of course). And speaking of movies, to assuage any trivia anxiety I caused at the beginning of this post, the movie with the famous hanger quote is Mommie Dearest, based on the book of the same name, a memoir of sorts by Christina Crawford, the adopted daughter of Joan Crawford. It’s an interesting read and a cult classic in its own right; so for those who have more time this week than I do, go for it!

And, for more detailed thoughts on Grand Hotel and its significance, please check out the full post this weekend, that is, if I survive this paper I’m writing for Medieval Lit!