It's a shame that the film this grand and well developed in every aspect is so unknown. It makes one wonder if there are dozens or maybe hundreds of films from film-making's infancy that are lost or under-appreciated. Hotel Imperial is not available for purchase, apparently, on Amazon dot com, so perhaps it is a question of availability that keeps films like these from receiving their due credit and appreciation.
The film, briefly, concerns an escaped Hungarian officer who falls behind the advancing Russian forces. While disguised as a waiter at the Hotel Imperial, he befriends and falls in love with a servant girl, and slyly attempts to block the secret plans of the Russian forces, who have occupied the hotel as the headquarters for the Russian general.
The main draw of this film for film aficionados is the main actress, Pola Negri. But all the performances in this movie are first rate, meaning that they are universal. While there is a minor predilection apparent towards the "silent film style" of acting, even though the performances are more grand than we're used to seeing, most every performance is nevertheless just as real as the finest contemporary performances. Indeed most all the performances in this film are of such subtlety and truthfulness that one cannot say any improvements have been made in the last 80 years. That's what I mean what I say a kind of universality, in that of you were watching the film so many decades later can be just as moved.
The only flaw of this picture is that it's not longer. I would like to have seen more development after the departure of the soldier, in order to find out just how he's able to rescue his forces from the invading Russians. But up until that point, we've had such brilliant film-making that it's really a footnote to my response.
I'd like to mention that the cinematography, by Bert Glennon, is first rate. The camera moves, swoops, anticipating Hitchcock, elegantly during the dancing seems. This film is highly cinematic, and makes intelligent use of frightening and subtle montages of war and destruction. The cinematographer allows his actors to go in and out of focus, in near total darkness, such as after the soldier has murdered the spy and is waiting to escape. Pola Negri looks like an icon with Mr. Glennon's photography. The images are less a film and more a kind of memory.
James Hall, who plays the soldier, is beautifully stoic and idealistic. His eyes especially are highlighted by the cinematography, being big sensitive yet brave eyes. But the most brilliant performance of all maybe by George Siegmann, who plays a Stalin-esquire general who attempts to woo Pola Negri's servant girl. A lesser filmmaker would have made the general appear simply tyrannical; and indeed he is, but is also a three dimensional figure, and is likable while being the definite villain.
Finally, the direction, is top notch. Note the brilliant execution of the scene in which the general and a servant girl how a loud and violent argument in front of all the soldiers and officers, in the hotel lobby. The editing and performances are perfect.
The film, briefly, concerns an escaped Hungarian officer who falls behind the advancing Russian forces. While disguised as a waiter at the Hotel Imperial, he befriends and falls in love with a servant girl, and slyly attempts to block the secret plans of the Russian forces, who have occupied the hotel as the headquarters for the Russian general.
The main draw of this film for film aficionados is the main actress, Pola Negri. But all the performances in this movie are first rate, meaning that they are universal. While there is a minor predilection apparent towards the "silent film style" of acting, even though the performances are more grand than we're used to seeing, most every performance is nevertheless just as real as the finest contemporary performances. Indeed most all the performances in this film are of such subtlety and truthfulness that one cannot say any improvements have been made in the last 80 years. That's what I mean what I say a kind of universality, in that of you were watching the film so many decades later can be just as moved.
The only flaw of this picture is that it's not longer. I would like to have seen more development after the departure of the soldier, in order to find out just how he's able to rescue his forces from the invading Russians. But up until that point, we've had such brilliant film-making that it's really a footnote to my response.
I'd like to mention that the cinematography, by Bert Glennon, is first rate. The camera moves, swoops, anticipating Hitchcock, elegantly during the dancing seems. This film is highly cinematic, and makes intelligent use of frightening and subtle montages of war and destruction. The cinematographer allows his actors to go in and out of focus, in near total darkness, such as after the soldier has murdered the spy and is waiting to escape. Pola Negri looks like an icon with Mr. Glennon's photography. The images are less a film and more a kind of memory.
James Hall, who plays the soldier, is beautifully stoic and idealistic. His eyes especially are highlighted by the cinematography, being big sensitive yet brave eyes. But the most brilliant performance of all maybe by George Siegmann, who plays a Stalin-esquire general who attempts to woo Pola Negri's servant girl. A lesser filmmaker would have made the general appear simply tyrannical; and indeed he is, but is also a three dimensional figure, and is likable while being the definite villain.
Finally, the direction, is top notch. Note the brilliant execution of the scene in which the general and a servant girl how a loud and violent argument in front of all the soldiers and officers, in the hotel lobby. The editing and performances are perfect.