Grand Hotel (film) - Critical Reception

Critical Reception

Alfred Rushford Greason of Variety said the film "may not entirely please the theatregoers who were fascinated by its deft stage direction and restrained acting, but it will attract and hold the wider public to which it is now addressed." He added, "The drama unfolds with a speed that never loses its grip, even for the extreme length of nearly two hours, and there is a captivating pattern of unexpected comedy that runs through it all, always fresh and always pat."

In later years, Channel 4 said the film "was possibly the first of the portmanteau films and has a place in cinema history as a work that interweaves stories and characters like a tapestry to emerge eventually as a complete picture . . . Goulding, a master of camp, shepherds rather than directs his famous cast through the series of adventures and misadventures." Blake Goble of The Michigan Daily called it "the original Ocean's Eleven for its star power" and compared it to Gosford Park "for its dense structure and stories." He added, "he pacing is quick, the acting is eloquent and the stories are actually interesting. It’s pure theatricality. But Hotel lasted thanks to its simplicity, and the star power doesn't hurt either. This is grand, old Hollywood captured on film."