Customer Reviews

Shanghai Gesture

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Compared to the earlier LD and VHS releases from Mystic Fire Video, this DVD is a major disappointment. The source print is abysmal, scratchy and spotted throughout, and there are a couple of jarring jumps in the soundtrack. This bizarre film's best attributes are its atmospheric, moody cinematography; the Oscar-nominated set decorations by Boris Levin; and the sumptuous beauty of the then-20-years-old Gene Tierney. Unfortunately, none of these virtues are adequately presented on the DVD transfer. A pity.

After the critical and box-office disaster of the beautiful and sardonic "The Devil is a Woman", Josef Von Sternberg had his artistic freedom taken away by the studio and was forced to direct works that were unsuitable to his tastes.He eventually could not even get work in Hollywood and he remains another sad example of genius wasted.He did however manage to work on one project that was worthy of his talent:"The Shanghai Gesture"."The Shanghai Gesture"was an anomaly when it was released in the 1940's.Directed in Von Sternberg's exquisite baroque style,it depicted the decadent goings-ons of characters engaged in vice,drugs and revenge set in a gambling den.At that time pre-war Hollywood films were firmly entrenched in the genteel and "The Shanghai Gesture" was considered too daring to be made.Indeed the film could only be made with heavy censorship and this constitutes the film's most serious flaw-some of the plot becomes incoherent due to the forced obscuring of some of the character's motivation. But the film is still remarkable for how perverse it is ,considering the time period,and its subtle yet unmistakeable methods of portraying depravity.Unfortunately,"The Shanghai Gesture" met the same fate as "The Devil is a Woman" and not until it was rediscovered by the French was it appreciated as the masterpiece that it is.The only thing to be added is of the technical-its camerawork and photography are outstanding and it contains a very entertaining and large cast of whom three deserve mention.Victor Mature,very amusing as the sly and mysterious Dr. Omar;Gene Tierney,so breathtakingly gorgeous as the eager to be corrupted Poppy,and best of all -Ona Munson giving the performance of her career as Mother Gin Sling -a Machiavellian revenger whose serpentine coiffure and mocking nonchalance conceal a heart consumed by pain."The Shanghai Gesture" is Josef Von Sternberg's last memorable Hollywood film and though not as well known as the great Marlene Dietrich collaborations certainly merits to be ranked with them.

Although the plot may present some "holes" (I think maybe due to censorship "cuts") and some of it might strike some as "uneven", it is nevertheless an attractive, visually stunning, sumptuous, bizarre, baroque, "decadent" Von Sternberg film, with a great cast.

I will start with Ona Munson, `cos she really steals the film from everyone, including one of my favourite actresses and beauties, lovely Gene Tierney glamorously dressed by her then husband Oleg Cassini. Munson's performance is a-la-par with any of the exotic characters played by Marlene Dietrich in her `30s Paramount Extravaganzas. As Mother Gin Sling, she's simply superb, wearing heavy Chinese-make-up, and all kinds of exotic hairstyles and clothes. I only recall Ona Munson, as Belle Watling in "Gone With the Wind", and you'd never tell they're the same person. She seems to have been really a "chameleon", because she IS the embittered Mother Gin Sling. I think she gave an Academy Award winning performance (IMHO).

On the other hand, Walter Huston, one of America's greatest actors ever ("Dodsworth", "Treasure of Sierra Madre", etc.) is his usual best as Sir Guy Charteris, the man who wants to take control of Shanghai, thus affecting Mother Gin Sling's business (she owns a Casino located in an "important zone" of the city). I won't tell more.

I saw this one on TCM (they borrowed it , because it does not belong to their catalog) with a Robert Osborne introduction, excellent as always, and he tells that no one could had filmed this story, because of the restrictions of the Production Code, until Von Sternberg did it, using the "innuendo" and making changes on the original story here and there, to have the "approval" seal. Anyway, the films is charged with sexual tension, double-entendre, amorality and decadence, as I stated before. It is a Shanghai that can only exist within the mind of the "Master of Style" that was Von Sternberg, I just love his films.

And we have too a lovely, young Gene Tierney as the spoiled Victoria Charteris (Huston's daughter), Victor Mature as "gigoloyish" character, Phyllis Brooks, as a beautiful, wise-cracking chorus girl (she reminded me of Jean Harlow's wise-cracking roles), Ivan Lebedeff as a "Casino-Roulette-addict", the funny Eric Blore as an employee of Mother Gin Sling, Mike Mazurki (as one of Mother Gin-Sling's thugs) and Madame Maria Ouspenskaya, in a small role (The "Amah").

In all, a worthwhile film, which I enjoyed completely. Sadly, it seems there are not "restored" copies available.

I think I'll buy the DVD, in spite of what's stated about its quality, because I don't think that there is any better edition around (Both the VHS and the DVD were edited by Image).

"The Shanghai Gesture" is often regarded as an early film noir. I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call it noir. Maybe proto-noir. It embodies some noir conventions and defies others. "The Shanghai Gesture" is a dark story of revenge and greed among seedy underworld characters. But the underworld is in Shanghai, not in the urban jungle of World War II-era America. The story takes place when Shanghai was an international city, part of the British Empire, "a refuge for people who wished to live between the lines of laws and customs", as we're told in the introduction to the film.

The film's first scene shows us a street in Shanghai populated by colorful characters from every corner of the globe. Then we enter "Mother Gin Sling's Casino", an opulent gambling house where Asian, European, Indian, American, and Arab patrons come to be entertained and where no one likes to talk about his nationality. Most of the film takes place in this exotic casino where shootings are commonplace and no law exists except for that of the proprietor, Mother Gin Sling (Ona Munson). One evening, Mother Gin Sling is informed that she must close her establishment and move to another part of town. This district of the city has been purchased by a conglomerate that intends to renovate it. Not too concerned about the problem, Mother Gin sets about finding a way to bribe or threaten the new owner, Sir Guy Charteris (Walter Huston) into letting her stay. That same evening a beautiful young woman calling herself Poppy Smith (Gene Tierney) visits the casino. A pampered and overprotected rich girl straight from finishing school, Poppy is looking for adventure and danger in the "wicked city". With the encouragement of Doctor Omar (Victor Mature), a slick, poetic ladies' man who works for Mother Gin Sling, she finds too much of it. But everything that goes on in Mother Gin Sling's casino is to her purposes, which will be revealed at a dinner party on the Chinese New Year, attended by Sir Guy and Shanghai's powerful people.

"The Shanghai Gesture" was originally a play by John Colton, and sometimes it feels stagy. Written for Broadway in 1925, the story tries to bring together all manner of vice in an irresistibly exotic location, which is nothing if not entertaining. The most enjoyable performance in the film is probably that of Phyllis Brooks as tough chorus girl Dixie Pomeroy, who has landed in Shanghai and has to make the best of it. She's got spunk and most of the film's best lines, although she's a minor character. Gene Tierney is generally convincing as a spoiled rich girl who is transformed into a raving junkie. And she radiates star power. Ona Munson is always upstaged by her outrageous coiffure.

"The Shanghai Gesture" hasn't fared well with critics, but it was never intended to be great writing. This is salacious popular entertainment, the stuff of pulp fiction. We have a pretty young woman in an exotic environment who jettisons all propriety and succumbs to a lifestyle of debauchery. In a grand style. And to her own ruin, of course. Shanghai? International intrigue? Gene Tierney? I can't help but be entertained, even if the film is a bit ridiculous.

The DVD (Image Entertainment disc): This isn't a pristine print of the film. It has some white specks, although not enough to be distracting. The sound needs to be cleaned up, but the only major problems are during the dinner sequence. It's very watchable, but it needs some work. The only bonus features are text filmographies for director Josef von Sternberg and four members of the cast.

Strangely enough, Gene Tierney isn't the main character of Von Sternberg's THE SHANGHAI GESTURE, neither Victor Mature alias Dr. Omar, nor Walter Huston. No, the picture is haunted by the Sternbergian character of "Mother" Gin Sling who steals the show whenever it appears. Ona Munson and Von Sternberg have created here a figure worthy to stay in the annals of cinema if not in the cinematographic harem of this director, in the company of Marlene Dietrich.

Too bad that the quality of the DVD presented by Image isn't at the level of the movie. Bad images, bad sound and extra poor bonus features. This shows how highly this company thinks of the movie lovers.

"The Shanghai Gesture" is one of the finest films of all time. The incredible and surreal acting, production design, dialogue and photography are a must-see. Unfortunately, the previous laserdisc release was a far superior transfer than the DVD currently available (which is watchable, but not nearly adequate for Josef von Sternberg's best film). Hopefully, the source material used for that laserdisc will be used to create a new DVD transfer.

THE SHANGHAI GESTURE (based on the controversial play by John Colton) is a stylish noir drama which reeks with all the hallmarks of director Josef von Sternberg. In one of the early loan-outs from her Fox contract, Gene Tierney is a luminous heroine, and Ona Munson provides a fun villainess.

Into the shady streets of Shanghai arrives Victoria "Poppy" Charteris (Gene Tierney), the daughter of an influential financier. She quickly falls under the spell of immoral Doctor Omar (Victor Mature) and becomes a regular at the glamorous casino belonging to Mother Gin Sling (Ona Munson), a dangerous woman not to be trifled with, as Poppy and her father (Walter Huston) will soon discover...

Josef von Sternberg paints a lush picture of Shanghai at the very height of it's excess and debauchery. Just like Poppy, the audience is slowly seduced into this gilded world; and it's a very heady cocktail. THE SHANGHAI GESTURE also features the moody and shadow-heavy lighting effects which von Sternberg was famous for.

Gene Tierney (dressed in an exclusive wardrobe by Oleg Cassini) glows as Poppy, and it's really fun watching her playing drunk and disorderly! Ona Munson is the true star here, and provides a chilling and controlled performance as the ultimate dragon lady, Mother Gin Sling. Munson is best-remembered for playing Belle Watling, the tart with a heart in "Gone with the Wind". She was one of the most fascinating yet cruelly-ignored actresses of the period; it's great seeing her in a meaty role like Gin Sling. Her incredible clothes were provided by Royer.

Victor Mature and Walter Huston barely register (you're meant to be watching Tierney and Munson). Phyllis Brooks is also memorable, playing a wisecracking chorus girl on the make.

I really enjoyed THE SHANGHAI GESTURE, even though the current DVD release from Image Entertainment/Mystic Fire Video suffers from just about every example of print damage you can imagine (ghosting, watermarks, vertical scratches); and the audio is almost as bad. But, in a strange way, it all adds to the character of the movie.

(Single-sided, single-layer disc).

this film was originally a play written in the mid 1920's by john colton. there are only three copies of the play in circulation, of which i own two. the watered down version of this play is what you see in this film. by the 1940's standards, this film is outrageous, but by todays standards it is rather tame. from my information, there were over one hundred versions of the film script that were submitted to the censors.
the original name of one of the leading characters was NOT madame gin sling but "mother god damn". the original setting for the piece was a brothel, not a gambling den.
the original shanghai gesture, according to john colton was thus, extend the hand to its extreme and place the tip of one's thumb to the edge of one's nose with the pinky facing outwards. this is never mentioned in the film.
kind of loses the point, doesn't it?
but this film, despite its shortcomings is most worthwhile.

This movie has been written about so often and so well, and in such detail, there is no need to re-hash all that here. The play from which it is taken is deadly dull and pretensious. It amazes me von Sternberg was able to transform it into stimulating adult entertainment.

Nevertheless, from my point of view, the movie ends as a demonstration of the betrayal and infamy and moral depravity of Anglo-colonials, not only in the Orient -- and not only Englishmen either -- but all over the world. At the time the movie was made, the notion of such a thing was absolutely scandalous, and that's why the show was hidden by clouds of hippocritical critic-babel, and touted as a kind of von Sternberg freak show of Asiatic, drug-soaked depravity. The Japanese hadn't thrown the English out of Asia yet, and English-speakers and readers lived pretty much in a land described by W. Somorset Maugham. Colonialism was far from dead, even in the cosmopolitan metropolis Shanghai; the first and greatest Open Trading City, where anything you could think of and pay for was available. It's interesting to recollect that Wallace Simpson, who married the King of England and became the Dutchess of Windsor, served her sexual apprenticeship in a Shanghai social club for batchelors, perhaps not too unlike this one of Madame Gin Sling's.

And, it is curious, particularly, that von Sternberg chose to introduce a theme of homoeroticism through the very big, dark handsome and masculine, Victor Mature. In a burnoose and fez and with smoldering sensuality in every un-blinking black-eyed look, he is/was a challenge to every "straight" man. Today's equivalent would be a muscle-bound actor naked, or in a thong. Interestingly enough, at about the same time, in THE MALTESE FALCON, the director does much he same thing, in the same way, with the introduction of a character called Joel Cairo, played by, of all people, Peter Lorre. In that film, the forbidden sin was of Syrian origin, had curly hair, wore a tux, smelled of Chypre and got bitch-slapped by Mary Astor. What is so remarkable is that the existence of Gay men as sexually secure and formidable, integral figures in a modern story, was a very dangerous thing to propose, let alone to show.

How far we have come in only about half a century. In SHANGHAI GESTURE, all the so-called vices are on parade, as characters and types in a gambling den (with rooms upstairs.) It's like an automated wax-works of Protestant sin. But, looking at those characters today, and that situation now in the age of legalized gambling -- and the rebirth of Shanghai -- we see nothing or nearly nothing out of the ordinary. Except, of course, the astonishing beauty of the very young Jean Tierny who, under von Sternberg's lens, writhes and pouts like a little kitten being teased just as she enters her first heat.

This has to be, without a doubt, the most bizarre film I have seen in years. How it ever made it past the Hays Office beggars the mind. It makes Caligula look normal. It is easily the sleaziest film in ages. Now having said that, it has a wonderful cast, great direction and excellent photography. But the atmosphere; it's sort of like Casablanca on drugs! And Ona Munson is the icing on the cake - if she was beautiful, sensuous and kind as Belle Wattling in Gone With The Wind, she is the ultimate dragon lady here. Don't miss this one if you want to see Hollywood In Extremis!