82 mins |
Rated
PG
Directed by Josef von Sternberg
Starring Marlene Dietrich, Gustav von Seyffertitz, Warner Oland, Clive Brook, Anna May Wong
Playing as part of our Spotlight on Marlene Dietrich Film Festival.
'An intoxicating mix of adventure, romance, and pre-Code salaciousness, SHANGHAI EXPRESS marks the commercial peak of an iconic collaboration.
Marlene Dietrich is at her wicked best as Shanghai Lily, a courtesan whose reputation brings a hint of scandal to a three-day train ride through war-torn China. On board, she is surrounded by a motley crew of foreigners and lowlifes, including a fellow fallen woman (Anna May Wong), an old flame (Clive Brook), and a rebel leader wanted by the authorities (Warner Oland). As tensions come to a boil, director Josef von Sternberg delivers one breathtaking image after another, enveloping his star in a decadent profusion of feathers, furs, and cigarette smoke. The result is a triumph of studio filmmaking and a testament to the mythic power of Hollywood glamour.'
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Playing as part of our Spotlight on Marlene Dietrich Film Festival.
'An intoxicating mix of adventure, romance, and pre-Code salaciousness, SHANGHAI EXPRESS marks the commercial peak of an iconic collaboration.
Marlene Dietrich is at her wicked best as Shanghai Lily, a courtesan whose reputation brings a hint of scandal to a three-day train ride through war-torn China. On board, she is surrounded by a motley crew of foreigners and lowlifes, including a fellow fallen woman (Anna May Wong), an old flame (Clive Brook), and a rebel leader wanted by the authorities (Warner Oland). As tensions come to a boil, director Josef von Sternberg delivers one breathtaking image after another, enveloping his star in a decadent profusion of feathers, furs, and cigarette smoke. The result is a triumph of studio filmmaking and a testament to the mythic power of Hollywood glamour.'