Piccadilly (1929)

A young Chinese woman, working in the kitchen at a London dance club, is given the chance to become the club's main act which soon leads to a plot of betrayal, forbidden love and murder.

Director:

Ewald André Dupont

Writer:

Arnold Bennett (original screenplay)

Stars:

Gilda Gray, Anna May Wong, Jameson Thomas

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gilda Gray	...	Mabel Greenfield
Anna May Wong	...	Shosho
Jameson Thomas	...	Valentine Wilmot
Cyril Ritchard	...	Victor Smiles (as Cyrill Ritchard)
King Hou Chang	...	Jim (as King Ho Chang)
Hannah Jones	...	Bessie
Gordon Begg	...	Coroner
Harry Terry	...	Publican
Debroy Somers and His Band	...	Band at the Piccadilly Club

Storyline

The star attraction of the Piccadilly Club is the dancing team of Mabel and Vic. Victor is infatuated with Mabel, but she rejects his advances, since she is in love with Valentine Wilmot, the club's owner. One night, as Mabel and Vic perform their act, there is a disruption caused by a customer who is unhappy about a dirty plate. When Wilmot goes back to the kitchen to investigate, he finds several employees in the scullery watching Shosho, one of the dishwashers, dancing on a table. That night, Wilmot fires both Shosho and Victor. But the club's sagging fortunes soon lead him to re-evaluate Shosho's talent.

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Plot Keywords:

murder of an asian woman | shooting a woman | dancing | dishwasher | chinese | 

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Taglines:

JUST AS GOD MADE HER She Loved, and Loving She Gave-Her Heart, Her Soul, to a Man Who Played, and Laughed, and Loved Another. A SOUND PICTURE (Print Ad-Free Lance-Star, ((Fredericksburg, Va.)) 24 August 1929)

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Genres:

Drama | Crime

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Anna May Wong performed the role of Tiger Lily in the 1924 silent production of Peter Pan (1924). Also in the cast was Cyril Ritchard who performed the role of Captain Hook on stage and in the television production of Peter Pan (1955) with Mary Martin.

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Goofs

When Valentine Wilmot is talking to the costume shop owner; his right hand is leaning against the door frame. But on the next immediate cut; Wilmot's right hand is now off the door frame and in the process of moving toward the door frame to lean on it.

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Quotes

Mabel Greenfield: [VIc walks up to Mabel from behind and kisses her bare shoulder] I wish you wouldn't behave like that, Victor - I don't like it, and I've told you before.

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits appear on the sides of London buses.

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Connections

Featured in Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood (1995)

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Soundtracks

When Love Comes Stealing
(1928) (uncredited)
Written by Erno Rapee, Lew Pollack and Walter Hirsch
The sheet music is shown onscreen; possibly used in the score

User Reviews

Piccadilly, quite a dilly..

PICCADILLY (1929), a fun-to-watch account of a sexual triangle which unfolds, to fatal effect, in a London nightclub - all pencil thin moustaches, louche owners and jazz dancing. As directed by Dupont it is a film which showcases its lurid (if ultimately unconvincing) storyline very well and entertainingly enough, even if one can imagine a Von Sternberg version using the same elements, which included orientalism in the form of Anna May Wong as an exotic temptress, much more effectively. Dupont's career went off the boil at the end of the silent era, previously however he had notable successes with this sort of thriller-esquire showbiz material as VARIETE. PICCADILLY also features a notable cameo from Charles Laughton as a drunk man with a dirty plate.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 June 1929 (USA)

Also Known As:

Piccadilly

Filming Locations:

British International Pictures Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British International Pictures (BIP)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min 109 min (restored)

Sound Mix:

Mono Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1