MGM Star Watching in ‘Weekend at the Waldorf’ 1945

 

Van Johnson, Lana Turner, Ginger Rogers, and Walter Pidgeon head a cast of
MGM favorites in 1945's "Weekend at the Waldorf."

MGM’s all-star confection, Weekend at the Waldorf, was released the fall of 1945, at the end of WWII. But it was filmed nearly a year earlier, when the war was still raging. Weekend is MGM in full dream factory mode. Each storyline is a wish fulfillment for its characters, and by extension, the era’s film fans.

Moviegoers ate up Weekend at the Waldorf like an all you can eat buffet. The remake of 1932’s Grand Hotel was a smash and the biggest movie of Ginger Rogers’ career, and after Peyton Place, Lana Turner’s, too. Weekend was in the top ten grossing movies of 1945.

Metro's 1945 "Weekend at the Waldorf" was a box office smash.

As far as Vicki Baum’s original novel or the ’32 film classic is concerned, Weekend at the Waldorf bears little resemblance to either works. The ’45 remake is set in a luxury hotel and there’s some bare bones character equivalents. Greta Garbo’s ballerina is now a film star—tired, but not suicidal; Joan Crawford’s stenographer is still one, but far softer. The most notable thing is that the film no longer takes place in Germany, and is very Americanized for WWII audiences.

Ginger Rogers as a overworked movie star & Walter Pidgeon as a weary
war correspondent fall for each other in MGM's "Weekend at the Waldorf."

Ginger Rogers is Irene Malvern, an overworked movie star who has a Hepburn/Tracy-style romance with war correspondent Chip Collyer (Walter Pidgeon). This made me wonder why MGM just didn’t cast Metro stars Kate and Spence as the bickering duo—too fluffy for these fine thespians? Or why they borrowed Ginger when they could have re-teamed their top star Greer Garson with Pidgeon. Scheduling issues, I’m sure, as movie-making was hitting its peak.

Lana Turner is the hotel stenographer with a soft spot for soldier Van Johnson in MGM's "Weekend at the Waldorf."

Lana Turner is Bunny Smith, the stenographer who makes injured soldier Jim Hollis’ dreams come true. Though looking for a rich man, this Bunny seems more cuddly than calculating. This ’45 Weekend is sentimentally sanitized in this way throughout. Also, the soldier (Van Johnson) takes a dead soldier buddy’s song to Waldorf’s resident star attraction, Xavier Cugat, who instantly decides to perform it the next night on his radio show.

Phyllis Thaxter is the bride-to-be in Weekend at the Waldorf, who wonders if doctor fiancé Warner Anderson is still stuck on his childhood sweetheart, Ginger’s movie star. Of course not, film fans! But this leads to contrived misunderstandings that drive this movie—and is true of all of the subplots in Weekend.

A young couple wants to honeymoon at the booked Waldorf, when a kindly millionaire who just happens to be at the check-in desk lets the soldier and bride take over his suite for the weekend. It’s that kind of MGM movie!

The honeymooners want a suite in MGM's "Weekend at the Waldorf."

Weekend at the Waldorf boasts a bit of location shooting from NYC, the rest was done deluxe style at MGM. Of course, Metro soon recycled the lavish sets for Hedy Lamarr's Her Highness and the Bellboy.

Ginger Rogers sports some elaborate 'dos in MGM's "Weekend at the Waldorf."

"Weekend at the Waldorf:" Leon Ames, reacting to Ginger Roger's lines or hair 'do?

Sydney Guilaroff and crew must have worked overtime on Ginger's locks and falls. All that hair for a Weekend at the Waldorf! Ginger's a bit grand as the movie star, but for Rogers, relatively restrained. Although Rogers’ overall look is a bit much, it’s toned down compared to what would soon come: blinding platinum blonde and an overdrawn makeup mask. Weekend would also be one of Rogers’ last mega hits. The next one came from MGM as well, taking over for Judy Garland in 1949’s The Barkleys of Broadway, and reuniting her with Fred Astaire.

The softer side of Lana Turner, as Bunny Smith in MGM's "Weekend at the Waldorf."

Lana's very sweet and warm as Bunny; Turner’s early roles like this show what made audiences originally fall in love with her. Aside from perfect hair and makeup, Lana’s simply dressed and performs simply and believably, as well. There’s a genuinely touching scene, where Van Johnson’s soldier comes to Bunny’s stenographer to help him write a will. Lana’s responses to Van’s subtly played soldier, who has few family or friends, are most affecting.

Lana Turner's stenographer helps soldier Van Johnson write his will in a
touching scene from MGM's "Weekend at the Waldorf."

Like Ginger, Lana's hair-do looks like it was constructed! The hair-don’t ages her overall look, as she was just 24 at the time. Thankfully, the bright, soft lighting tones the ‘do down a bit.

The young stars of "Weekend at the Waldorf" look more appealing in the film than this p.r. photo. Van Johnson's freckles have all been airbrushed. Lana Turner's
hair and makeup is so matronly here, she was only 24!

MGM had a history of pedaling Metro’s female stars backstories into their personas: Joan, Lana, and Judy on the working class side, and also their British lasses, Greer, Deborah, and Liz. Like Joan before her, Lana’s working class roots are blended into her character’s desire to move upwardly in life.

Lana Turner as Bunny Smith & Van Johnson as Jimmy Hollis in "Weekend at the Waldorf."

Van Johnson, as the soldier with both shrapnel and Lana close to his heart, is very appealing in his boyish youth—and I'm not even a Van fan. Johnson was one of Metro’s many all-round talented players: Van could sing and dance decently, had a flair for comedy, and could be a very natural dramatic actor. Here, as Jimmy Hollis, Van’s fatalistic soldier is sympathetic, not maudlin.

Walter Pidgeon, Ginger Rogers, a stellar view in 1945's "Weekend at the Waldorf."

Walter Pidgeon is livelier than usual, as a seen-it-all war journalist. Pidgeon has an amused rapport with Ginger’s brittle movie star. I didn't recognize Warner Anderson’s doc at first, but the minute I heard him speak—Matthew Swain from TV’s Peyton Place! Anderson is a solid screen presence, offering advice to childhood pal Ginger, offering a second opinion to soldier Van, and a steady Eddy to his insecure bride-to-be.

On the debit side were these following actors, just my personal tastes, folks. Edward Arnold plays the glad-handing villain once again, but never seems as threatening, just smarmy. Keenan Wynn always gives me the creeps, like he’s trying to hide that he’s crazy. When Wynn plays comedy, he’s very heavy-handed, as in his “drunk” scene in The Clock. Here, as the cub reporter, Wynn’s borderline obnoxious. Xavier Cugat is an acquired taste as well—if you enjoy bombastic, you’ll love him. And Robert Benchley's one of those great personalities of the era whose appeal I have never understood, much like Oscar Levant, Monty Woolley, or Hoagy Carmichael. Their charms are lost on me.

MGM's all-star cast aren't just phoning it in with MGM's "Weekend at the Waldorf."

If you are in the mood for great escapism and star watching, this is perhaps MGM's biggest and best example from the WWII era. There’s also nostalgia for New York City, the Waldorf Astoria, and the sense of a rapidly changing era. If any of these reasons appeal to you, Weekend at the Waldorf is a great place to check in.

Here’s my look at one of four 1941 movies that cemented the stardom of Lana Turner, Ziegfeld Girl:

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2021/02/ziegfeld-girl-1941.html

Here’s my take on a dramatic musical that was a huge wartime hit for Ginger Rogers, Lady in the Dark:

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2019/05/lady-in-dark-is-over-top-style-over.html

This gown's sash make Ginger Rogers look like Rapunzel in 1945's "Weekend at the Waldorf!"