WES ANDERSON’s HOTEL CHAVELIER
Natalie Portman + Jason Schwartzman Get Steamy
Hotel Chevalier is a Wes Anderson short film from 2007. It’s about a former couple who reunite in Paris, starring Natalie Portman and Jason Schwartzman. They reconnect and spend an erotic night together at his hotel.
The steamy film begins with Schwartzman’s character ordering dinner. He gets a call from Portman, who is on her way from the airport to see him. After quickly cleaning his room and preparing a bath, Schwartzman’s character awaits Portman’s arrival. She arrives and greets him with the question, “What’s this music?” throwing him off and taking control of the evening.
The pair catch up, and she asks how long he’s had the room. He says he’s lived there for more than a month and set to leave in the morning. An intimate scene in an enchanting setting unfolds.
The plot focuses on their mysterious connection, creating another unique and distinctive Anderson tale with sexy visuals and a charming narrative. It is hot, calm, and intense all at once. The biting dialogue delivered by Portman adds to the encounter’s depth. The movie is a harsh critique of relationships and how differently they operate from one another.
Anderson’s movie creates a mirror through which we can see relationships clearly in Schwartzman and Portman’s surrogates. Many of us have had late nights with an old lover–good, bad, or just worth remaining a memory. Although intended as a stand-alone project, the 13-minute movie was a prologue to Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited and part of “Darjeeling’s” 2007 world premiere at the 64th annual Venice International Film Festival.
