Hotel Imperial (1927)(DVD-R) + Hotel Imperial (1939)(DVD-R) + Five Graves to Cairo (1943)(DVD)

Get the original film, Hotel Imperial (1927) + Hotel Imperial (1939) + Five Graves to Cairo (1943) for 20% off their individual prices!

Hotel Imperial (1927)

Starring Pola Negri, James Hall, George Siegmann, Max Davidson, Michael Vavitch
Directed by Mauritz Stiller

Print: black/white
Runtime: 67 min.
Genre: drama

During World War I, an Austrian officer is trapped behind the Russian lines. He tries to sneak through to his own lines, but is forced to take refuge in a small hotel, where he is hidden by the establishment's chambermaid. The two fall in love, but a Russian general makes the hotel his headquarters and sets his sights on the maid. In addition, the Austrian must find out the identity of a spy who is feeding the Russians military information that could lead to the destruction of the Austrian army.

Hotel Imperial (1939)

Starring Isa Miranda, Ray Milland, Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart, J. 
Carrol Naish
Directed by Robert Florey

Print: black/white
Runtime: 67 min.
Genre: Drama
Print Quality: B

In this drama, a vengeful woman searches for the man she blames for her 
sister's suicide. To get at him, the woman masquerades as a mousy maid 
in the tiny hotel where he stays. The story is set in Gallacia during WW I 
and while she enacts her plan, the Russians and Austrians take over the 
town. This does not stop her from getting revenge. This is a remake of a 
1927 film of the same title. In Hollywood it has the legend of being a 
cursed production in that it suffered endless production problems and 
major changes in cast and crew. Originally Marlene Dietrich was to play 
the title role, but she and director Henry Hathaway were constantly at 
loggerheads. With the help of Paramount head Arthur Lubitsch, she got 
Hathaway to rewrite the script with Grover Jones. The new story was 
called I Loved a Soldier and things resumed. Unfortunately, Lubitsch had 
been fired and Dietrich, still miserable, abruptly quit, costing Paramount, 
a fortune. All production ceased, but later they resurrected the original 
script and tried again to make the film with Margaret Sullavan. 
Unfortunately, Sullavan and a co-star were horsing around one day on the 
set and she ended up with a broken arm. The studio heads demanded 
she perform the role in a sling. This was too much for Hathaway who 
immediately quit. Soon after, Dietrich returned with her long-time director 
Josef von Sternberg and said she was now willing to make Hotel Imperial. 
The studio heads refused and eventually the lead was given to Italian 
actress Isa Mira. A major sex symbol in Italy, she made this her U.S. debut. 
Unfortunately, she spoke little English and was forced to recite her lines 
phonetically. Meanwhile her co-star Ray Milland nearly died during a 
scene in which he had to lead a cavalry charge. During the run, he was 
thrown off his horse and tossed head first into a brick pile. Fortunately he 
only suffered a concussion. Later Hotel Imperial was remade as Five 
Graves to Cairo Sometimes, as in this case, the history behind the film is 
more interesting than the film itself, no?

Five Graves To Cairo (1943)

Starring Franchot Tone, Anne Baxter, Akim Tamiroff, Fortunio Bonanova, Peter Van Eyck
Directed by Billy Wilder

Print: black/white
Runtime: 97 min.
Genre: Drama
Print Quality: B

The wartime espionage thriller FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO, starring Franchot Tone and Anne Baxter, marks Billy Wilders second directorial effort. John J. Bramble Tone), the sole survivor of a British tank crew, makes his way to a desolate desert town where he is given refuge by a hotel owner (Akim Tamiroff) and a French hambermaid (Baxter) who prepare to receive General Erwin Rommel (Erich Von Stroheim) and his German staff. Posing as the hotels waiter, Bramble attempts o infiltrate Rommels inner circle and report the generals plans to the Allies.