Directed: Josef von Sternberg

Year: 1932

Nominated: Best Film, Best Director – Josef von Sternberg

Plot in 25 Words: A train carrying urgently required medical staff and the infamous Shanghai Lily is stopped by Chinese soldiers. Messy murders and a very complicated love story.

In My Opinion: Well I think that this was the film that really secured my position on Marlene Dietrich! I just don’t get it! Everything I’ve seen so far has her coming across as a simpering character, in need of a man to fully live her life. She’s a talented actress but the wow factor is missing.

Here, she had some great lines and performed them admirably but you could replace her with any actress of the time and still have the same end result. I’ve seen a few other actresses who would’ve played the temptress ‘Shanghai Lily’ much better!

The rest of the film was pretty blah. I watched it less than a week ago and already I can’t picture half the cast or storyline.

I think more knowledge of the era would help. The incidents which occurred are clearly based somewhat in reality.

Yet again, a very racist and sexist film.

Star Performer: Anna May Wong as Hui Fei. A much vilified and abused character, she takes it stoically before turning into a total bad-ass and going all ‘Crouching Tiger’ on the bad guys.

Overall: Not a terrible story but the really bigoted films rarely leave me happy. Score one for racism and sexism.