André Hugon made the first French talkie ("Les Trois Masques"1929).His best effort is perhaps his version of Daudet's "Le Petit Chose" .The main problem with "L'Affaire Du Grand Hôtel" is that it is essentially a thriller ,and the principal ,Henri Alibert ,was a singer :hence the necessity to include a song every fifteen minutes;in this kind of movie,these ditties come at the most awkward moment.The screenplay is not devoid of interest and involves a two-bit Hercule Poirot,smugglers (?),gangsters ,murders ,treasures ,and love between the romantic male lead (Tonin) and a girl who might be part of a gang ("cause my daddy did it and I'm proud of him").All this account for a muddled story sometimes hard to follow.Noel Roquevert plays two parts ,including that of a tramp called 'the philosopher".They are crazy,those Parisians,let 'em get back to where they once belonged!