[Tony] what was your preparation for this as your first feature, with Wes Anderson no less?
So, there was that preparation.
Can you name some of the movies you were shown?
I think a bit of thathis middle-European fastidiousness or something thatWes wanted me to think about for Gustave.
RF:You would want to see Cary Grant in a Wes Anderson film, I think.
You would want to see that.
Actually, youd want to see Charlie Chaplin in a Wes Anderson film.
Thatd be amazing…I [would love to work with] Gary Cooper.
If were talking about ladies?
RF:Thats an interesting response!
Theres a sort of Hmmm in there [Laughs].
This is an incredible tour de force for you.
Can you talk a little about M. Gustave and how you see him developing?
He just has this ferocity you dont expect.
[Some reviews] describe him as a Noel Coward bang out.
But you dont imagine Noel Coward sitting there, saying, Shit!
And having this furious temper that [Gustave] has.
And Ive heard stories that Laurence Oliviers favorite word was the C word off and offstage.
The thing is it was a great part on the page.
Theres someone that Wes and I know, whos a part model for this character.
Also, I started thinking of people I know.
The agent who first represented me, who has sadly now passed on, he was sort of Gustave-like.
Larry was known as one of the gentlemen agents in London.
Everyone thought he was incredibly charming, honorable, always did business very honorably.
Hes from a past era.
Did you take any of that as a basis on your character?
RF:Oh, thats a good question.
I think Gustave, in his head, he doesnt feel out of time.
But he sees things changing, doesnt he?
But I think those forces have always been there.
Theres a whole culture in service, what it is to be a servant?
And that extends into the world of hotels and concierges.
So, theres a whole culture of how households create refinement.
It is making everyone feel at home.
Nothing is too much.
Nothings a problem for your guests in the private home and even in a paying establishment.
Thats taken to a point of almost philosophy, the philosophy of service.
And I think it still exists.
I think its there in the film, in the scenes on the train.
It seems as if he may want to be more ambitious.
And its kind of great, because hes learned everything he knows at that point from M. Gustave.
And [to Ralph] what do you think your character learned?
Suddenly, were ambushed through a wrong-footing of our own narrow view and our own ego.
Where do you come from again?
TR:Ahksi Juliabar.
RF:What do you live under a tent-flap and feed on scarabs and wild goats?
[Laughs]
TR:Why do I train you?
Wes seems to have this whole movie set-up in his head before he arrives on the set.
Does it change at all?
Do you actors change his vision as you go through it?
When you see the final film is it kind of what you expected when you first read that script?
RF:No, not from the script.
RF: And helped along by good editing.
I think on the day, we all saw what he was trying to achieve.
RF:Oh, someone is going to do it, arent they?
A video game ofThe Grand Budapest Hotel?
[Laughs]
That chase scene at the end is pretty amazing.
I think he undercutshe takes a genre, the hotel movie, the hotel caper, and undercuts it.
And also fun shock stuff…I mean I loved these sort of macabre elements coming in.
Its always a surprise; no one knows where its really going to go.
Thank you and congratulations.
RF:Thank you.
TR:Thank you very much.
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