The Grand Budapest Hotel is a Wes Anderson wonderland of drama, comedy, color and quirky characters. It tells the story of Monsieur Gustave H., the esteemed concierge of a sumptuous mountainside lodge in the Republic of Zubrowka in the 1930s. Gustave continuously seduces outdated, rich, feminine visitors at the lodge. When certainly one of his visitors, a dowager named Madame D., mysteriously dies, Gustave is framed for homicide. He and his protégé, Zero, set out on a quest to end up his innocence.
The movie debuted in 2014 with a star-studded solid, including Saoirse Ronan, Jude Law, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, Adrien Brody and others. It exceeded the expectancies of critics and audiences round the globe, earning $172.9 international. It also gained more than one BAFTA and Academy Awards for best costume design, best unique song ranking and best unique screenplay.
Though the legendary Ralph Fiennes, who played Gustave, did not earn an Oscar for his paintings in The Grand Budapest Hotel, many enthusiasts imagine that he portrayed certainly one of the best Wes Anderson characters to this point. Fiennes is known to be slightly the chameleon in terms of appearing, having performed Voldemort in the Harry Potter series, SS Officer Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List and Hades in Wrath of the Titans.
The Magic of Monsieur Gustave H.
As in any Wes Anderson film, the protagonist of The Grand Budapest Hotel is a robust one. M. Gustave is a curious, advanced, serious, humorous and relatively atypical character. He writes romantic poetry and has a taste for finer issues. He orders the best meals for the resort, together with Mendl’s pastries. The pastries, which are delivered through Agatha (Saoirse Ronan), are beautiful, delicious sweets and believed by Gustave to be the biggest in all of Europe.
Gustave's existence’s work is the lodge. As a perfectionist, he makes certain that each and every worker is doing their upmost to keep the resort in tip-top shape. He needs to make certain that his legacy lives on, so he is taking his new lobby boy, Zero, beneath his wing and trains him in the ways of a concierge.
Yet Gustave himself isn't an excellent person. He "services” his rich, older, female guests. He has been “servicing” Madame D. for nearly two decades. Though he prides himself on his sophistication and professionalism, he sees nothing wrong with his love affairs. In fact, he is quite frank and open about them. This odd quirk makes Gustave an interesting character and allows the audience to see a side of him that isn’t as appealing.
Gustave’s life is turned upside down when Madame D. mysteriously dies and leaves him a priceless Renaissance painting called “Boy with Apple.” Upon hearing this news, Madame’s son, Dmitri, is furious and orders that Gustave be arrested.
Through Gustave’s flight, subsequent arrest and escape from prison, the audience begins to see a new side of his zany character. He is kind and brave, unfazed by the dangers of his missions. He stands up for his protégé Zero, who often finds himself in trouble because of his refugee status. Gustave defends Zero to the very end and eventually makes him his sole heir.
His growth over the course of his journey illustrated how his good qualities outshone his bad qualities. He did not begin his quest to win Madame’s fortune. He wanted to clear his name, claim what was rightfully his, and stop the bad guys.
How Ralph Fiennes Brought the Character to Life
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Ralph Fiennes revealed where he drew a great deal of his inspiration in playing Monsieur Gustave. He didn’t have to look much farther than the director himself.
“Wes [Anderson] isn’t Gustave,” Fiennes began. “But I think a lot of that, that attentiveness, I think a lot of the spirit of Gustave comes from Wes, who’s very, very charming, highly sensitive to other people, and loves to create an atmosphere and an environment that’s not just a good working environment... it’s also just, it’s an energy between various people.”
Fiennes was also drawn to the character from his very first read of the script. “Gustave was a very attractive part on the page,” he explained. “There are people like Gustave. I think it’s about sort of controlling an environment. Creating an environment, because it’s essentially creative. And about control, organization.”
Fiennes then revealed how Wes Anderson encouraged him to get comfortable in the role. “He’s prepared something precisely, but he definitely seems to want the actor to come with whoever they are,” Fiennes said. “And then he wants them to breathe life into it. And then he hears the lines in the mouth of any given actor, and he starts to give you a direction. But it always made sense. He’s a very sensitive man, sensitive to actors. He’s an interesting mix, because he’s tenacious to get to the place where he’s happy, but he does it with sensitivity and patience.”
Through Wes Anderson’s careful direction and Ralph Fiennes’s creative abilities, Monsieur Gustave H. came to life and became quite a magical character.
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