published on September 07, 2024 in blog

Week-End at the Waldorf

Production: M-G-M. Director Robert Z. Leonard; Producer Arthur Hornblow Jr; Screenplay Sam Spewack, Bella Spewack; Camera Robert Planck; Editor Robert J. Kern; Music Johnny Green; Art Director Cedric Gibbons, Daniel B. Cathcart
Crew: (B&W) Available on VHS. Extract of a review from 1945. Running time: 130 MIN.
With: Ginger Rogers Lana Turner Walter Pidgeon Van Johnson Edward Arnold Keenan Wynn

The origin of Waldorf in Grand Hotel is apparent from the start. In fact, with tongue-in-cheek one of the characters reprises a scene from the play based on the Vicki Baum novel, and Ginger Rogers recognizes it as being from Grand Hotel - and says so as part of the dialog.

Everything happens during this particular weekend at the famed Park Ave hostelry. Bob Benchley’s scottie has pups; a benevolent tycoon lets a honeymooning couple utilize his apartment while he weekends in the country; Edward Arnold tries to gyp a visiting Egyptian bey; stenographer Lana Turner falls in love with the war-wounded Van Johnson; Phyllis Thaxter solves her own romance; Keenan Wynn, reporter, gets his scoop; and movie star Ginger Rogers and cynical war correspondent Walter Pidgeon find a throbbing romance.

Never a dull moment in this weekend. In between, Van Johnson lands a coast-to-coast plug for a pal’s song from Xavier Cugat. The Starlight Roof puts on a little floor show that would do credit to the Roxy; Cugie acts sage and handles lines as well as his baton.

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