SHANGHAI EXPRESS (1932)
Saturday, January 11 | 2 pm *NOTE TIME*
Director: JOSEF von STERNBERG
Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Language: English
Runtime: 80
An intoxicating mix of adventure, romance, and pre-Code salaciousness, Shanghai Express marks the commercial (and, some would argue, artistic) peak of the iconic collaboration between the great Marlene Dietrich and director Josef von Sternberg. Dietrich is at her absolute 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, every bit as compelling as La Dietrich, no easy feat), an old flame (Clive Brook), and a rebel leader (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. Cinematographer Lee Garmes won a deserved Oscar for his brilliant work. The result is a triumph of studio filmmaking and a testament to the mythic power of Hollywood glamour.