The film opens with a depiction of life at the Grand Hotel as remarkably uneventful—or seemingly so. It's presented like an image of effortless grace concealing frantic effort underneath, a collection of genuinely rich people alongside those who aspire to be, or merely appear to be, wealthy, plus a few individuals displaying unpleasantness. Among them is Kringelein (Lionel Barrymore), a kindly older man recently info…