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Shanghai Surprise (1986) 2.8
Glendon Wasey is a fortune hunter looking for a fast track out of China. Gloria Tatlock is a missionary nurse seeking the curing powers of opium for her patients. Fate sets them on a hectic... See full summary » Director:Jim Goddard |
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Title: Shanghai Surprise (1986)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Sean Penn | ... |
Glendon Wasey
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| Madonna | ... |
Gloria Tatlock
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| Paul Freeman | ... |
Walter Faraday
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| Richard Griffiths | ... |
Willie Tuttle
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Philip Sayer | ... |
Justin Kronk
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| Clyde Kusatsu | ... |
Joe Go
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Kay Tong Lim | ... |
Mei Gan
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Sonserai Lee | ... |
China Doll
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| Victor Wong | ... |
Ho Chong
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Professor Toru Tanaka | ... |
Yamagani San
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Michael Aldridge | ... |
Mr. Burns
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Sarah Lam | ... |
China Doll's Maid
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George She | ... |
Wu Ch'En She
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Won Gam Bor | ... |
Rickshaw King
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To Chee Kan | ... |
China Doll's Boatman
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Glendon Wasey is a fortune hunter looking for a fast track out of China. Gloria Tatlock is a missionary nurse seeking the curing powers of opium for her patients. Fate sets them on a hectic, exotic, and even romantic quest for stolen drugs. But they are up against every thug and smuggler in Shangai. Written by Mehmet Karaca <mkaraca@ibm.net>
Plot Keywords:
opium | critically bashed | adventurer | city name in title | box office flop |Taglines:
A romantic adventure for the dangerous at heart.Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
29 August 1986 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Aventuras en Shanghai See more »Box Office
Budget:
$17,000,000 (estimated)Gross:
$2,315,683 (USA)Company Credits
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company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
DolbyColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Title Card: Shanghai 1937
Title Card: The Year of the Japanese Occupation
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Music & Lyrics by George Harrison
Performed by George Harrison
Courtesy of Dark Horse Records & Warner Bros. Records, Inc.
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Did You Know?
Goofs
During the bathhouse scene Justin tells Glendon that the Chinese use tomato juice to remove the stench of skunks. Of course there are no skunks in China. Skunks live only in North America. See more »Quotes
[first title card]Title Card: Shanghai 1937
Title Card: The Year of the Japanese Occupation
See more »
Connections
Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Best of the Worst in Movies - Part 1 (2010) See more »Soundtracks
"Someplace Else"Music & Lyrics by George Harrison
Performed by George Harrison
Courtesy of Dark Horse Records & Warner Bros. Records, Inc.
See more »
"Shanghai Surprise" is an idiotic, out-of-date, poorly-acted, campy action film that wants to be a romantic comedy. Madonna, in her second starring role, had about enough acting talent at this point as a doll. Unfortunately, the doll in this movie comes off looking better than she does.
Madonna, playing a missionary (!) nurse (!!) for a Shanghai mission, is in search of opium (!!!) for medicinal purposes (!!?!!) approaches Sean Penn, an American soldier-of-fortune type who happens to speak Chinese. Penn and Madonna, who were married at the time this film were made, are obviously uncomfortable with the material and do little to justify the film's existence. Penn mugs his way through and attempts to crach a few weak jokes, while Madonna stamps her foot and places her hands on her hips as she squeaks (yes, she squeaks, and you must hear it to believe it) in frustration.
The plot is absolutely ridiculous -- Madonna and Sean Penn chasing after a mysterious cargo of opium known as "Faraday's Flowers" (incidentally, the name of the book this movie is based on) must run from a Chinese gangster with porcelain hands, have a romantic interlude with an Imperial concubine, teach baseball skills to another Chinese gangster, and (boy, aren't we surprised) sleep together to seal a deal.
This movie, like "Mommie Dearest" or "Plan Nine From Outer Space" has immense camp value because it's so deliciously awful. Utterly predictable, insipid, and full of instantly forgettable lines, this movie is the equivalent of the yellow stuff they stick on your nachos at the movie theatres -- it's not really good enough to be real cheese, but it's much cheaper and tastes pretty much the same anyway. This movie isn't even cheesy enough to be cheesy.
Avoid "Shanghai Surprise" unless, like me, you like Madonna WAY too much or if you're just a fan of bad movies.