M. Gustave Owes Much to M. Verdoux
Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 2:15 pm
Watched The Grand Budapest Hotel this weekend and enjoyed it thoroughly. I was also struck by the similarities between Wes Anderson's main character, M. Gustave (magnificently played by Ralph Fiennes), and Chaplin's M. Verdoux. Both are a bit fey in their mannerisms, but in a pinch are as tough as nails. Both have a healthy sexual appetite when it comes to rich, older women and both are cheerfully ready to commit a felony when the situation calls for it. Even Anderson's trademark style of composing his actors oddly within the frame looked to me to be somewhat Chaplinesque. in 1947 Chaplin's stylized compositions were derided as Exhibit A for his bad direction. Today Anderson's slightly off-kilter compositions are hailed as Exhibit A for his genius.