The Shanghai Gesture (1941)

Director:

Josef von Sternberg

Writers:

Josef von Sternberg (adaptation)
Geza Herczeg (collaborator for adaptation) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 January 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir

Tagline:

"POPPY"...the Victim of Vengeance! Her love of life and laughter led her to a most amazing doom!

Plot:

A young woman, Poppy, out for excitement in Shanghai, enters a gambling house owned by "Mother" Gin Sling...

Plot Keywords:

Chinese New Year | Gambling | Shanghai | Dinner Party | Casino

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Gene Tierney	...	Victoria Charteris
Walter Huston	...	Sir Guy Charteris
Victor Mature	...	Doctor Omar
Ona Munson	...	'Mother' Gin Sling
Phyllis Brooks	...	Dixie Pomeroy
Albert Bassermann	...	Van Elst
Maria Ouspenskaya	...	The Amah
Eric Blore	...	Caesar Hawkins
Ivan Lebedeff	...	Boris
Mike Mazurki	...	The Coolie
Clyde Fillmore	...	Percival Montgomery Hower
Grayce Hampton	...	Lady Blessington
Rex Evans	...	Mr. Jackson
Mikhail Rasumny	...	Mischa Vaginisky (as Mikhail Rasumni)
Michael Dalmatoff	...	The Bartender (as Michael Delmatoff)
Marcel Dalio	...	Marcel, the Master of the Spinning Wheel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Abbott	...	Poppy's Escort (uncredited)
Enrique Acosta	...	Casino Gambler (uncredited)
Mimi Aguglia	...	Casino Patron (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict	...	Casino Patron (uncredited)
Jean De Briac	...	De Micheaux (uncredited)
Steven Geray	...	Man in Casino Helping Boris (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Casino Gambler (uncredited)
Leyland Hodgson	...	Ryerson (uncredited)
Roland Lui	...	Kim Chee (uncredited)
Allen Marlow	...	Casino Gambler (uncredited)
Eric Mayne	...	Casino Patron (uncredited)
Moy Ming	...	Elderly Chinese Man (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Casino Patron (uncredited)
Manuel París	...	Gambler with Cigar (uncredited)
Albert Pollet	...	Gambler with Monocle (uncredited)
Emil Rameau	...	Roulette Player (uncredited)

Directed by
Josef von Sternberg

Writing credits
Josef von Sternberg		(adaptation)
Geza Herczeg		(collaborator for adaptation) and
Jules Furthman		(collaborator for adaptation)
John Colton		(play)
Karl Vollmöller		collaborator for adaptation (uncredited)

Produced by
Theo. W. Baumfeld	....	assistant producer
Albert de Courville	....	associate producer
Arnold Pressburger	....	producer

Original Music by
Richard Hageman

Cinematography by
Paul Ivano

Film Editing by
Sam Winston

Art Direction by
Boris Leven

Makeup Department
Hazel Rogers	....	wig maker
Robert Stephanoff	....	makeup artist (as Bob Stephanoff)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Kerr	....	assistant director
Fred Pressburger	....	assistant director

Art Department
Howard Bristol	....	interior decorator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jack Noyes	....	sound (as C.A. Noyes)

Special Effects by
Harry Redmond Jr.	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ned Scott	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Oleg Cassini	....	costumes: Miss Tierney
Royer	....	costumes: Miss Munson
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Richard Hageman	....	conductor

Other crew
Tom Gubbins	....	technical advisor
Aline Sholes	....	technical advisor
Robert Blair	....	stand-in: Victor Mature (uncredited)
Keye Luke	....	mural: Mother Gin Sling's apartment (uncredited)
Arnold Pressburger	....	presenter (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Arnold Pressburger Films (as Arnold Productions Inc.)

Distributors

• United Artists (1941) (USA) (theatrical)
• Kleber Film (1947) (France) (theatrical)
• Films Around the World (I) (1981) (USA) (TV) (restored version)
• Image Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Monde Interactive, Le (2005) (France) (DVD) (as Collection Le Cinéma du Monde)
• Films sans Frontières (2005) (France) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Film Rights (194?) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)

Other Companies

• Hypercube  restoration (1981)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

99 min (copyright length) | USA:98 min (restored version) (1981) | West Germany:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Chinese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #7972)

Filming Locations:

Chinatown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Arnold Pressburger Films

Trivia:

In the play, the setting was a brothel run by "Mother Goddam", who was once sold into prostitution, and it dealt with drug addition and nymphomania as well. Many initial adaptations of the original play were rejected by the Hays office, and they discouraged studios from making the film. The Chinese consulate also voiced objections to the portrayal of the Chinese in the play.

Quotes:

Poppy:The other places are like kindergardens compared with this. It smells so incredibly evil! I didn't think such a place existed except in my own imagination. It has a ghastly familiarity like a half-remembered dream. *Anything* could happen here... any moment...

Movie Connections:

Featured in La société du spectacle (1973)

Soundtrack:

I'm Always Chasing Rainbows

Amazing...

It was more than I had hoped for. Hollywood forties film noir glamour...yet everyone is rotten to the core and no one wins. Great performances from a time when stars could act and made the most of a script...and what script! They sure don´t make them like that anymore. Such ideas...the characters...so unusual but people like them have probably existed...

Lovely Gene Tierney transcending her enchanting beauty showing that looks aren´t enough. Victor Mature also playing someone of great charm and little character. I like how the beautiful leads aren´t the heroes. No one is! Ona Munson - so amazing and otherwordly! Where are the strong character parts for women like that today??

The sumptuous sets, everything steeped in mystery. What an atmosphere von Sternberg created...! I loved it! I want so see more films like this and I could see it again. Is it available on video?

Thank you Hollywood!