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In its time, this was an award-winning encounter between Polish and Czechoslovak cinema. It wasn't the first time these cinemas met, but the outcome is unfortunately typically uncertain. Post-synchronization is the biggest detractor, with Czech and Polish actors mixing equally in lead and supporting roles, and therefore lesser-known voices would have done the dubbing a better service, so as not to detract from the Polish faces. The music and production design are also unconvincing, which is why Hotel Pacific has so little resemblance to similarly-themed films of Western provenance, and only recalls the domestic black-and-white world that was so often meant to remind us of the gap between today and yesterday. Exceptional examples of those from the better class are over-eating alcoholics or unpleasant homosexuals, or those who merely elevate themselves above the working class. On the other hand, we can find only pure intentions and quality people bound by the inexorable system of the times. The traditional leftist critique of pre-World War II class distinctions revels in depicting the process of apprenticeship and the contrasting moral failings of the served elite. That is why it's somewhat strange that such a film hasn't become a constant among the hits on reruns, especially when its absence has created a significant pause in the review filmographies. (2012.01.02)