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30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exotic Marlene in her most breathtaking role, March 4, 2003
"Shanghai Express", is one of those films that very aptly fits into the category of "they sure dont make them like this anymore". Boasting hauntingly beautiful camera work and photography, the film being very much a product of the glamourous 1930's treats its leading ladies face as if it was a rare icon throughout the films running time. These haunting images are the work of Joseph Von Sternberg, the genius who was responsible for creating so much of the mystic around Marlene Dietrich in classic roles like "Morocco", "Blonde Venus", and "The Scarlet Empress". Exotica is the one word that constantly comes to mind when viewing "Shanghai Express". It's not so much the storyline (which in actual fact while entertaining is rather trite) that holds your attention so much as the ever more amazing series of "photographic images" that are made of Marlene Dietrich throughout the film wrapped up as she is in exotic furs, black feathers or shrouded in cigarette smoke or partial shadows. They truly are what Hollywood glamour at this time was all about and they were responsible for creating some unforgettable visual images of Dietrich that have gone down in Hollywood folklore. "Shanghai Express" tells the story of a disparate group of passengers on the express train travelling to Shanghai during the Chinese civil war. Along the way we get to findout abit more about each of the passengers before the train is hijacked by a warlord who is travelling on the train. Dietrich plays one of her most famous characters in Shanghai Lily, a lady of ill repute who makes the memorable statement that "it took more than one man to change my name to Shanghai Lily". On board the train she encounters her great love from 5 years previous Capt. Donald Harvey (Clive Brook) a man who has never got over his great passion for her. Brook as other reviewers have mentioned is a strange choice as the romantic lead here as he is obviously too old for the role while still being a capable actor. Despite the lack of real chemistry between them they nevertheless work well and make the scenario of them rekindling their love and Shanghai Lily being willing to sacrifice herself to ensure Donald's safety when he is in the hands of the warlord that bit more believable. The film is peppered with other great performances. Anna May Wong plays the spunky partisan Hui Fei and since very little of her work is available for viewing these days her presence in "Shanghai Express" is a reat treat. She was a wonderfully gifted actress and here her presence is vital to the plot development which finds her being raped by Warlord Chang and then seeking her own revenge for the injustice done to her by fair means or foul. Warner Oland, famous as one of the actors to play Charlie Chan here plays the devious Henry Chang a man of mystery on the journey who turns out to be a vicious warlord who hijacks the train when one of his supporters is arrested. There has been criticism of a westerner playing the role of Chang however Oland is wonderful in the role and really gets his teeth into the character of the ruthless warlord. The memorable Louise Closser Hale, a veteran of so many 1930's melodramas scores here as the elderly busybody Mrs. Haggerty who's main concern is looking after her little dog and who strongly disapproves of everyone and everything on the train. Her bossy nature contrasts beautifully in her scenes with Warner Oland and she is definately a match for him in the bossy stakes. Eugene Pallette is also memorable in his usual gruff way playing Sam Salt the compulsive gambler on board who tries to continually place bets on anything that is occuring. Working in collaboration with Joseph Von Sternberg Marlene Dietrich had a dream run at Paramount in the early 1930's. Her work with Von Sternberg is certainly what she is most remembered for but it's easy to forget that all the expertise at Paramount was responsible for creating the "Dietrich look". Camera work is the vital selling point in this film as I have mentioned creating so many unforgettable images of the Dietrich glamour. Costumes are also a stand out here as Marlene, dressed unforgettably by Travis Banton wears a series of exotic gowns that no other actress of this time, with the possible exception of Garbo could have worn. The overall look of the film is a beautiful feast for the eyes and the scenes of the Chinese markets, and the station were the passengers are held at are filled with atmosphere and are first rate in their execution. A huge success on its release in 1932 "Shanghai Express" is still a movie treat and clearly illustrates how the mystic of Marlene Dietrich was born. She is perfect in the role, mesmerizing in actual fact, and is the main reason for enjoying repeated screenings of this classic. It is my favourite Dietrich film and really points out what Hollywood glamour was all about. Enjoy.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Dietrich/Sternberg Collaboration., March 13, 2001
A remarkable and mystically exotic story of love and destruction - the kind of film for which both star and director became legends. As "the White Flower of Chinese coast" Marlene speaks her most famous line in the film: "It took more than one man to change my name to Shanghai Lily"! Dietrich, as always gave Von Sternberg the exact performance he envisioned while Clive Brook is pretty good as Captain Harvey, the object of Marlene's affection. Anna May Wong had probably her best Hollywood role as Hui Fei, the prostitute in search of redemption; she had been raped by insatiable rebel leader Oland. The story on which this movie is based is clearly drawn from Guy de Maupassant's classic short story of a French prostitute - "Boule de Suif". The photography of this film is in every respect excellent (Lee Garmes). Dietrich was dressed by Travis Banton for this and she looks truly ravishing throughout the movie (the film made 3 million dollars in the depressed year of 1932).
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It took more than one man..., March 24, 2002
Here is the legendary film that spawned hundreds of imitators, starring the one and only Marlene Dietrich in her early Hollywood signature role of Shanghai Lily. Actually, anybody else in this role would have been silly. Only a mysterious creature like Dietrich could carry this off. More of an ensemble picture than one would think, the film has a pretty straight-forward plot, which is unusual for a Von Sternberg film. Dietrich plays a coaster, which is a polite term for a hooker, in China. she and group of other strangers board the Shanghai Express enroute to Shanghai. On board, she encounters former love Captain Harvey, who is about as warm as ice water. During the trip, the train is hijacked by Chinese rebels, and Lily must choose to sacrifice herself for her former(and still) love to save his life. As I said, it all sounds hackneyed, but when watching, one can't help but be mesmerized. Dietrich is at her most exotic and alluring in this role, and you really can't take your eyes off of her. She carries the entire film in her hands, and the ending is the only one you can accept. Pure Hollywood hokum, but pure magic as well. Get this film and see for yourself. I highly recommend it!
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