THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

US, 2014, 100 minutes, Colour.
Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, F. Murray Abraham, Edward Norton, Jude Law, Soairse Ronan, Tom Wilkinson, Harvey Keitel, Jeff Goldblum, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Matthieu Amalric, Lea Seydoux, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Bob Baliban.
Directed by Wes Anderson.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is quite an entertainment. It is the work of writer-director, Wes Anderson, who has developed a strong reputation since the 1990s and his initial films, Bottle Rocket and Rushmore. This reviewer has not found his films in recent years quite to his liking, especially The Darjeeling Limited. A past favourite has been The Royal Tenenbaums.

But, here is a film which should entertain most audiences. Specialists will enjoy the Wes Anderson imagination. Audiences coming in unawares may well be taken up by its humour and its quirkiness. The quirkiness can be seen even in the construction of the film: starting with a young woman going into a cemetery and sitting by the monument to a famous author and reading the book which is the title of the film; the narrative then recedes to the 1980s with the famous author doing an interview straight to camera but interrupted by his little boy; there is a further receding in time, a younger version of the author going to the Grand Budapest Hotel in 1968 for his health and meeting the owner and spending time listening to his telling the story of the hotel and his own involvement; further receding to 1932 where most of the action takes place, the vitality of the hotel in its time, the clientele, and, particularly, the concierge, Gustave H.

Anderson also uses different cameras and different ratios to present these different times, the 1932 stories using the traditional box screen.

There is quite an eclectic cast for the film, many of whom have work with Anderson in his previous films. But the centre is Ralph Fiennes as Gustave H. It one of his best performances, tightly controlled, a concierge who knows all the rules and all the manners – but also knows how to manipulate the rules for the whims of the guests while keeping his dignity (except when he surprisingly bursts into some swearing).

The other central character is young refugee from the Middle East, Tony Revelori in a very fine performance, as Zero Moustafa who becomes an apprentice to the concierge. He also shares in many of the adventures – which include getting mixed up with the rapacious son of an elderly woman who was devoted to Gustave, as well as the son’s murderous assistant, and the stealing of a painting which was bequeathed to him. This leads to police chases, arrests, and Gustave’s time in jail as well as arranging an escape.

Part of the entertainment is that the audience has no idea where all this is leading, entertaining episodes building on each other without predictability.

It is difficult, sometimes, even to recognise some of the cast, especially Tilda Swinton made up to be the 84 year old benefactress, Jeff Goldblum as the lawyer, Harvey Keitel as the prison leader. Other actors are easier to recognise and more quickly, sometimes with very brief appearances like those of Bill Murray, Owen Wilson. And Willem Dafoe proves that he can be one of the most sinister villains on screen. On the more gentle side is Saiorse Ronan is young chocolate maker who falls in love with Zero. Tom Wilkinson is the older author, Jude Law the younger. And F.Murray Abraham is excellent as the older Zero who is narrating the story.

It all takes place in a fictional central European country, reminiscent of The Prisoner of Zenda. It also has a fictitious parallels to the Nazis and the SS, led by Edward Norton, which gives some sinister tones to the proceedings.

Come to think of it, it might be well worth sitting through The Grand Budapest Hotel again.

1. An entertainment? Imagination? Europe of the 20th century? The early half? Fantasy and reality?

2. The director, his career, his assembled cast, performances, make-up, accents, comic style?

3. The visual style, in the hotel and its facade, animation, for the ski-lifts…? The realism with the different ratios for the cameras for the different periods? The early 30s and the traditional framing? Colour, light and dark, moods?

4. The mythical country, the city of Lutz, its look, the streets? The variety of tones and pieces of the musical score?

5. The 21st century, the girl in the cemetery, the monument to the author, hanging the keys, sitting and reading the book of The Grand Budapest Hotel?

6. The 1980s, the author, speaking to camera, his interview, the interruptions, the little boy? His telling the story?

7. The return to 1968, the younger author, there for his health, going to the hotel, the concierge, the gossip with him, the interest in the owner? Meeting the owner, F. Murray Abraham and his screen presence, narrating the story? Age, look, his voice, the upper room for his memories, inviting the author to dinner, telling his story? The flashbacks to 1932, Zero’s voice-over, the hotel, its lavish look, the clientele, their wealth, the kind of service?

8. The introduction to Gustav H.? Ralph Fiennes and his screen presence, his look, speech, the sudden surprise of his vulgarities, his elegance, efficiency, service, in charge of the staff, the sermon to them and reading poetry – and their hurrying to eat? His devotion to women, the elderly, blonde, sexuality, bisexuality, his camp manner? Zero and his being the lobby boy, his age, Gustav interviewing him, little experience, no family and the later revelation about their murders? His helping Gustav, an apprentice?

9. The interludes with Zero telling the story to the author, stopping, being moved, weeping?

10. Zero and his work, following Gustav, his own love of poetry? The chocolates, Agatha, the birth mark like Mexico on her face, falling in love with her? Sharing with her, Gustav approving, and Zero warning him not to flirt? Her help with the stealing of the painting? Dmitri and his coming to attack her, the threats, over the wall, hanging on, Zero to the rescue, the jumping, finding the alternate will? Marriage? Short-lived, the suddenness with her illness which could have been cured in later decades?

11. Madame, being pandered to by Gustav, sexual attitudes, nervousness, his reassuring her, seeing her on her way? The news of her death, Gustav and Zero travelling, getting to the border, the rough treatment by the military, the commander and his gratitude towards Gustav, giving the document to Zero, later encounters at the border and the document torn up and Zero bashed?

12. The introduction to the war, the annexation of the small European countries, the alternate Nazis and their emblems, treatment of people?

13. Gustav and Zero, arriving, the encounter with the butler and his warning? The reading of the will, the many relations to hear the will, Dmitri in the front row, sinister, his attitude towards his debt mother? Jopling and his knuckledusters, his teeth, sinister look? The three sisters and her and their entering it once?

14. Kovacs, his visits to the hotel to consider the books? His presiding at the reading of the wheel? The painting, bequeathed to Gustav? Dmitri and his angers, and to Gustav, ridiculing him, and his sexuality? Zero’s idea, the taking the picture, wrapping the painting, the maid and the butler? The butler disappearing? The return home, hiding the painting, Zero warning that the police had arrived?

15. Gustav’s arrest, going to jail, his fight and the message about Pinky and his becoming his friend? Serving the mash, the big prisoner and his gratitude? Ludwig and the group, meetings, planned to escape? Agatha and her help, concealing the weapons in the chocolates and their being allowed through security? The digging, getting out, the murders, the big prisoner helping, the sewer, the ladder, the jump? The local bus and the killing the driver? Zero and Gustav talking, Zero forgetting the perfume, the talk, hurried leaving, on the train?

16. The butler, Jopling and the warning to the sister, later killing her and sending her head in a box to the police? The rendezvous, the ski lifts and the two meeting, the monks and their continually checking on the identity, going to the chapel, the confessional, hearing the true story, Jopling killing the butler and exiting disguised as a monk?

17. Gustav and his phoning his network of managers, the variety of hotels, the calls, the guest stars? The safe passage? And the deodorant?

18. The return, the handover of the hotel to Zero, Gustav in his element, surrounded by the women – and the information that he was later shot?

19. The new manager, and the guests, Zero and the painting above the concierge desk? HIs inheriting the hotel, keeping it for Agatha’s sake? Even into the drab Communist times?

20. The excitement of the visuals, the humour and the verbal wit, the inventiveness and imagination, a comic achievement?