Hotel (1967)

A historical New Orleans hotel struggles to financially survive while the dramas of its various guests unfold.

Director:

Richard Quine

Writers:

Arthur Hailey (novel), Wendell Mayes (written for the screen by)

Stars:

Rod Taylor, Catherine Spaak, Karl Malden

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rod Taylor	...	Peter McDermott
Catherine Spaak	...	Jeanne Rochefort
Karl Malden	...	Keycase Milne
Melvyn Douglas	...	Warren Trent
Merle Oberon	...	The Duchess Caroline
Richard Conte	...	Detective Dupere
Michael Rennie	...	Geoffrey - Duke of Lanbourne
Kevin McCarthy	...	Curtis O'Keefe
Carmen McRae	...	Christine
Alfred Ryder	...	Capt. Yolles
Roy Roberts	...	Bailey
Al Checco	...	Herbie Chandler
Sheila Bromley	...	Mrs. Grandin
Harry Hickox	...	Sam
William Lanteau	...	Mason

Storyline

This is the story of the clock-like movements of a giant, big city New Orleans hotel. The ambitious yet loyal manager, wrestles with the round-the-clock drama of its guests. A brazen sneak thief, who nightly relieves the guests of their property, is chased though the underground passages of the hotel. The big business power play for control and the thrilling crash of an elevator add to the excitement.

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Plot Keywords:

hotel | hotel employee | hotel detective | hairy chest | bare chested male | 

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Taglines:

Warner Bros. unlocks all the doors of the sensation-filled best-seller!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

GP

Did You Know?

Trivia

The "Hotel St. Gregory" was based on the Hotel Roosevelt in New Orleans, which at the time the novel was written was in the process of being sold by its elderly owner Seymour Weiss (who started his career managing the hotel's barber shop) to the owners of the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. Coincidentally, when the novel was adapted as a TV series, the Fairmont San Francisco was used a film stand-in for the "St. Gregory" (with the show's location changed to San Francisco.)

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Goofs

In a single night, Milne is shown sneaking into and out of different rooms with different occupants, but with the same door number.

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Quotes

Peter McDermott: A sure way to empty a hotel fast: drop an elevator.

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Connections

Referenced in The Mind Blowers (1969)

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Soundtracks

This Year
(uncredited)
Written by Johnny Keating
Performed by Carmen McRae and band

User Reviews

Easy viewing

Very mild account of major New Orleans hotel facing closure and its last days as the owner (Douglas) and general manager (Taylor) attempt to secure its future without compromising its integrity and traditions. A number of story lines intertwine amid the closure backdrop, with Rennie & Oberon as the Duke and Duchess of Landbourne entangled in a police matter, Malden as the hotel's resident kleptomaniac and McCarthy as a potential investor keen to save the grand hotel but with a litany of changes in mind of which Douglas disapproves.

Taylor does a good job as the efficient right hand man, not tempted by McCarthy's graft offer to persuade Douglas to sell, taking Spaak instead as a consolation prize. Malden was a bit too hammy for my liking and the film never quite fulfilled its promise, although I thought Taylor and McCarthy in particular were very engaging. "Hotel" has a pseudo disaster film texture with its diverse characters coming in and out of focus against a common backdrop; it even indulges the genre with a reasonably tense elevator malfunction and a feverish rescue while the lift hangs by a thread.

The decorative touches, lounge music and brassy sets are all fashionable reminders of the mid-to-late sixties and the film itself is old-fashioned in its tone and sentiment, perhaps too dated for younger viewers today. I'd categorise this as a somewhat bittersweet tale, a window into the late sixties social culture, suitable with tea and biscuits moreso than beer and pizza.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

19 January 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hotel

Filming Locations:

New Orleans International Airport - 900 Airline Drive, Kenner, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,651,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1