Original interpretation — not a still from the production
A comedy about hospitality, and a genuine elegy for a vanished Europe.
The Continental Verdict
Highly Recommended
Beneath the symmetry and the pink façade, Anderson made a film about a concierge who believes that standards are a form of resistance. M. Gustave's insistence on service as civilisation is played for laughs until, quite suddenly, it is not.
The hotel itself is a Görlitz department store and a series of models, which somehow makes the nostalgia more honest: the place never existed, and that is the point.
Why Watch It
The Gentleman Factor
Gustave's creed — courtesy, scent, and a poem before dinner — is only half a joke.
Look Out For
- The concierge network sequence
- Mendl's boxes
- The funicular
The Locations
Görlitz, Saxony; the Zwinger; various Czech-Bohemian spa exteriors.
More from the travel pages →The Cars
Period taxis and a magnificent funicular railway.
More from motoring →The Wardrobe
Milena Canonero's purple bellboy livery, still the most photographed uniform of the decade.
More on style →The Soundtrack
Alexandre Desplat's balalaika score.
Into the music room →Watch Next
Where to Watch
Disney+ and Prime Video.
For the Collection
Also in Hotels, Villas & Locations
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