Page 18 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 26, 2014 Anderson directs saga of loyalty in bygone era by Dennis Seuling “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is the newest film from Wes Anderson (“Rushmore,” “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “Moonrise Kingdom”), a director who marches to his own cinematic drummer. Set in the fictional former European republic of Zubrowka, the film is narrated by an author (Tom Wilkinson) as he recalls 1968, when his younger self (Jude Law) encounters mysterious multi- millionaire Zero Moustafa (F. Murray Abraham), who tells him the unusual story of the run-down title estab- lishment. Moustafa, who now owns the hotel, tells of its glory days in 1932 when he was a lobby boy and the hotel was run by his mentor, legendary concierge Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes). Gustave is the perfect man for the job. Impeccably mannered and deferential to the guests, he nonetheless uses vulgar language and makes a habit of seducing the richest, and oldest, female clientele. That is how he became involved with Madame D. (Tilda Swinton), whose demise sets him on a quest for her considerable fortune, which includes a priceless painting entitled “Boy with Apple.” This sets the determined concierge on a collision course with the old woman’s son, Dmitri (Adrien Brody), and his thug underling (Willem Dafoe). “The Grand Budapest Hotel” has a surreal quality that underscores the fantastic tale. Establishing shots of the Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) instructs lobby boy Zero in the intricacies of serving the clientele in ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel.’ Alpine hotel and the funicular traveling up the steep hill are artful collages rather than traditional photography, a decision that doubtless was made to emphasize that this is no typical film with standard narrative. Anderson is great with visual composition. His images do not merely fur- ther the story; they become part of it. When the interiors of the hotel are shown in long shot, the magnificence of this legendary place is instantly realized. Fiennes, not known for comedy, is absolutely on target with his performance. His Gustave H. spouts florid lan- guage, says outlandish things with matter-of-fact non- chalance, and mentors his new lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori), in far more than the niceties of luxury hotel management. To say that Gustave is colorful would be an understatement; he is an original, but with touches of those pompous butlers in 1930s screwball comedies and a smattering of Groucho Marx for good measure. Gustave H. is an anachronism. Courtly and genteel, he harks back to an era well before he was born, and caters faultlessly to the desires of the rich. As the lobby boy, Revolori employs a deadpan expres- sion and quick, bird-like movements as he learns the ropes from his eccentric, prone-to-invective superior. The role does not have much dialogue, so he relies on these attri- butes and a silly penciled-on mustache to elicit giggles. The lobby boy follows Gustave on his rounds as he greets guests, reprimands employees, and accommodates his wealthy clientele. One of the joys of the movie is seeing well-known actors pop up. Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Gold- blum, Harvey Keitel, Saoirse Ronan, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, and Bob Balaban are all on hand in small roles as the tale of Gustave H. and his lobby boy unfolds. Many of these actors have worked with Anderson before. With “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” Anderson has crafted his most accessible movie. Though it is definitely quirky, it is very funny and has a solid plot revolving around the suspicious death of a rich old woman. The story within a story is reminiscent of “The Life of Pi” in that an older narrator describing events of an earlier time gives the picture a storybook feel. The audience is imme- diately drawn in. Viewers want to know Zero Moustafa’s background, and become an eager audience of a master- ful storyteller. Filled with Anderson’s tics and peculiari- ties, the movie is entertaining and enchanting. Rated R, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is a richly detailed film that pays homage to such classic movies as “Grand Hotel” and the melodramas of Ernst Lubitsch, while offering an enjoyable excursion through Ander- son’s unique cinematic landscape.