Sorry about the tardiness of this review. I had a frustrating word-processing screw-up that resulted in my deletion of the original draft which led to me having to re-write it.
Its a good good film, Im actually getting the Warner Region Free Steelbook with the original and better art....why they do it in the UK and not in the US is beyond me..costs I guess
Steve, I saw the musical during its original Broadway run with its original cast intact, before the premature death of the actor playing the Baron. I also saw a touring,slightly sanitized production in Dallas, and another in Fort Worth (with Cyd Charisse playing the Garbo role). I also saw the movie in the big screen and enjoyed it very much. I even liked Crawford in it! She looked so young, almost vulnerable... Grand Hotel may not be the best movie of its year but it remains a film worth seeing for its craft, story and acting.
I would like to have seen Michael Jeter on Broadway. I saw the run in Dallas. It was an impressive production...after the first act, I went out to the lobby of the Music Hall and bought a ticket for a second performance. Looking forward to watching the blu soon!
Jeter and Karen Akers were great. The Dallas run was sanitized because at the end of the introduction the good doctor injects himself with morphine, not appropriate for the family-friendly production in Dallas. The drug addiction was retained in the FW run. I've often wondered why Fort Worth is more progressive than Dallas...
I saw the original Broadway run, too, though Brent Barrett had replaced David Carroll by the time I saw it the summer of its Tony wins. What an amazing, inventive production! Thanks for the review of the film, Ken. Looking forward to watching the movie on Blu after many years away from it.