Movie Review: 'Always at the Carlyle'

There is, in my heart, a Robin Hood streak, angry at the opulence of the rich and envious of great wealth. This streak carries with it a duality, a high level of nuance that can be difficult for anyone who wants their philosophies bite size and of only two sides: right or wrong. I'm not interested in stealing from the rich, per se, but the ways in which our system of rich and poor has been rigged for years and years drives this Robin Hood impulse, and likely always will.

That's a long way to go to get to a review of a documentary that celebrates the opulence and decadence of the super-rich while also maintaining a streak of funky, underground, achievable elegance. Most will never have the resources needed to stay at New York's Carlysle Hotel and this will engender an undeniable envy, one that borders on anger at how the rich have so much and the poor so little. The documentary Always at the Carlysle rides the line perfectly of glorifying what is a rather wonderful institution of style and elegance while not spending much time dwelling on how different lives of the rich and famous are from everyday folks.

Always at the Carlyle comes from the mind and talent of writer-director Matthew Miele, who strikes a remarkable tone that doesn't shy away from how ridiculously exclusive The Carlyle is, but smartly finds ways into the experience that allows The Carlyle to become one of the trappings of wealth we should strive for rather than merely be jealous or resentful towards. It's a smart piece of direction that boils The Carlyle experience down to a human level while venerating it as an institution.

The Carlyle has been a New York City institution for 88 years. Named for the famed Scottish wit, Thomas Carlyle, the The Carlyle had no actual association with anyone named Carlyle. The Hotel was founded by Moses Ginsberg who allowed his youngest daughter to name the Hotel for her favorite writer, a rather charming story, even as it carries the privilege of naming a hotel which, at the time, was what was known as a residential hotel with some of most lavish and expensive rooms in an already expensive city.

Not much time is spent telling that story, and smartly so, as it works better as an anecdote. Rather, after establishing The Carlyle via its high end clientele—everyone from Jack Nicholson to George Clooney to Princess Diana was once a resident of The Carlyle—the documentary shifts focus to the real reasons why the hotel is so rightly beloved: the charming staff and the clever, fashionable employment of art and music.

In interviews, we meet the men who helped shape The Carlyle into the most fashionable and elegant establishment in New York City. Leading the way is legendary concierge Dwight Owsley whose charming stutter and remarkable means for attaining anything guests might desire earned him genuine friendships with people like Tommy Lee Jones who shows up in the documentary not to talk about his experience at The Carlyle but rather about his friend, Dwight.

Several scenes are devoted to trying to pry stories from the staff of The Carlyle, but the famously secretive group remains, for the most part, tight lipped, sharing only a few stories. One of the most memorable was bartender Tommy, who worked more than 50 years in The Carlyle, recalling how he was nearly fired several weeks into his tenure when he referred to former President Harry Truman as Harry. It's a charming story, and one you imagine Tommy has told before, especially when he keeps other stories far closer to the vest.

What happens at The Carlyle stays at The Carlyle, but that doesn't mean Always at the Carlyle is devoid of dish. There are a few pretty good stories that do get told, but the care and discretion of the staff is part of what makes The Carlyle, The Carlyle. It also allows our imaginations to fill in some of the stories with fan fiction, an irresistible part of the appeal of the kinds of legends that create places like The Carlyle.

The biggest chunk of Always at the Carlyle introduces a new generation to the work of Jazz legend Bobby Short, who was famous for his nightly performances at The Cafe Carlyle from 1968 until his death in 2004. Short released albums of his performances at The Carlyle, but was mostly a legend among the New York City elite who witnessed his incredible performances of Cole Porter songs in person.

The Cafe Carlyle remains a hot spot today with Jazz performances now joined by a unique array of performers who light up stage, including actor Jeff Goldblum, a funky piano player if you didn't know, and Woody Allen, who loves playing clarinet with his long time jazz band. Allen made The Carlyle movie famous by using Short and the cafe as a backdrop in his Hannah and Her Sisters.

The art in The Cafe Carlyle was created by French artist and Academy Award winner Marcel Vertes. Painted in the 1940s, Vertes's murals have faded over time, but remain a unique and beautiful masterwork and an essential part of the Cafe Carlyle. The paint has leeched into the walls over the years making it more and more difficult to maintain and yet still remarkable to see.

I haven't even touched on Bemelmens Bar, the other Carlyle hotspot, but that you will need to fully discover in this remarkable documentary. Always at the Carlyle defeated my cynicism about the grandiloquent, opulent excess that remains an inextricable part of The Carlyle. As much as I want to hate a place so ridiculously expensive and ever out the reach of someone of my means, I can't help but admire what it represents; truly aspirational aspects like a dedication to kindness, service, discretion, and the kind of high standards that would be nice to see more of in everyday life.

A Day at the Carlyle is opening in limited release May 11th and will be expanding to the few places that get documentaries. The rest of the country will have to wait for it to arrive on streaming services later this year.