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IMDbPro

Shanghai Express

  • 19321932
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 22m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
8.9K
YOUR RATING
Shanghai Express (1932)
  • Adventure
  • Drama
  • Film-Noir
A notorious woman rides a train through a dangerous situation with a British captain she loved.A notorious woman rides a train through a dangerous situation with a British captain she loved.A notorious woman rides a train through a dangerous situation with a British captain she loved.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
8.9K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Josef von Sternberg
  • Writers
    • Jules Furthman(screen play)
    • Harry Hervey(based on the story by)
  • Stars
    • Marlene Dietrich
    • Clive Brook
    • Anna May Wong
Top credits
  • Director
    • Josef von Sternberg
  • Writers
    • Jules Furthman(screen play)
    • Harry Hervey(based on the story by)
  • Stars
    • Marlene Dietrich
    • Clive Brook
    • Anna May Wong
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 74User reviews
    • 57Critic reviews
    • 83Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 3 nominations total

    Photos113

    "Shanghai Express" Marlene Dietrich 1932 Paramount **I.V.
    "Shanghai Express" Marlene Dietrich, Anna May Wong 1932 Paramount / **I.V.
    "Shanghai Express" Marlene Dietrich 1932 Paramount / **I.V.
    Photo for "Shanghai Express" Marlene Dietrich. 1932/Paramount
    "Shanghai Express" 1931. Marlene Dietrich.
    Marlene Dietrich, portrait for "Shanghai Express,' 1932. Silver gelatin, printed later, 11x14, matted on 16x20 board. $700 © 1978 Don English MPTV
    "Shanghai Express" Marlene Dietrich 1932 Paramount **I.V.
    "Shanghai Express" Marlene Dietrich 1932 Paramount / **I.V.
    "Shanghai Express" Marlene Dietrich 1932 Paramount / **I.V.
    "Shanghai Express," Marlene Dietrich. 1932/Paramount
    Marlene Dietrich in Shanghai Express (1932)
    Marlene Dietrich in Shanghai Express (1932)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Marlene Dietrich
    Marlene Dietrich
    • Shanghai Lilyas Shanghai Lily
    Clive Brook
    Clive Brook
    • Captain Donald Harveyas Captain Donald Harvey
    Anna May Wong
    Anna May Wong
    • Hui Feias Hui Fei
    Warner Oland
    Warner Oland
    • Henry Changas Henry Chang
    Eugene Pallette
    Eugene Pallette
    • Sam Saltas Sam Salt
    Lawrence Grant
    Lawrence Grant
    • Mr. Carmichaelas Mr. Carmichael
    Louise Closser Hale
    Louise Closser Hale
    • Mrs. Haggertyas Mrs. Haggerty
    Gustav von Seyffertitz
    Gustav von Seyffertitz
    • Eric Baumas Eric Baum
    Emile Chautard
    Emile Chautard
    • Major Lenardas Major Lenard
    George Blagoi
    George Blagoi
    • Minor Roleas Minor Role
    • (uncredited)
    Leonard Carey
    Leonard Carey
    • Careyas Carey
    • (uncredited)
    George Chung
    • Chinese Soldieras Chinese Soldier
    • (uncredited)
    Wong Chung
    Wong Chung
    • Chinese Officer Checking Passportsas Chinese Officer Checking Passports
    • (uncredited)
    Jack Deery
    • British Officer at Shanghaias British Officer at Shanghai
    • (uncredited)
    Herbert Evans
    Herbert Evans
    • British Railway Officeras British Railway Officer
    • (uncredited)
    Willie Fung
    Willie Fung
    • Train Engineeras Train Engineer
    • (uncredited)
    Tom Gubbins
    • Chinese Officeras Chinese Officer
    • (uncredited)
    Forrester Harvey
    Forrester Harvey
    • Peiping Ticket Agentas Peiping Ticket Agent
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Josef von Sternberg
    • Writers
      • Jules Furthman(screen play)
      • Harry Hervey(based on the story by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The extras in the film mostly speak Cantonese - a Chinese dialect used mainly in southern China. If the film were to be more accurate, the extras would speak Mandarin, but most Chinese residents in the Los Angeles area (who worked as film extras) spoke Cantonese, necessitating Josef von Sternberg use Cantonese.
    • Goofs
      The film is set in northern China (Peking to Shanghai). The government and warlord soldiers are speaking Taishanese, which is a southern Chinese dialect not generally spoken in northern China. The northern dialects of Mandarin Chinese (a Beijing dialect) and/or Shanghainese would be spoken instead.
    • Quotes

      Captain Donald 'Doc' Harvey: [Shanghai Lily reads a telegram] From one of your lovers?

      Shanghai Lily: No.

      Captain Donald 'Doc' Harvey: I wish I could believe you.

      Shanghai Lily: Don't you?

      Captain Donald 'Doc' Harvey: No.

      Shanghai Lily: Will you never learn to believe without proof?

      Captain Donald 'Doc' Harvey: I believe you, Madeline.

      Shanghai Lily: [She hands him the telegram] When I needed your faith, you withheld it. And now when I don't need it, and don't deserve it, you give it to me.

    • Alternate versions
      Comments in the AFI Catalogue suggest the credits were changed when re-released in 1935. According to the Catalogue, the original print referred to Harry Herveys work as a novel. In the viewed print on TCM, the onscreen credit was "story." The print was clearly a re-released print because of the PCA certificate number listed onscreen; such numbers were not issued until 1934. It is not known what other changes were made, if any, but the print ran only 82 minutes, suggesting some additional editing had been done.
    • Connections
      Featured in Without Regret (1935)
    • Soundtracks
      Shanghai Express Prelude
      (uncredited)

      Music by Rudolph G. Kopp

      Played during the opening credits

    User reviews74

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Pretty exciting stuff--and among Marlene Dietrich's best
    SHANGHAI EXPRESS is an excellent film from 1932 that stars Marlene Dietrich but also benefits from a strong ensemble cast. In other words, while Dietrich is an important part of the film, she isn't THE film and supporting actors also help to make this a good film. I like this because too often in her early films all the weight of the movie rested on how sexy and alluring Dietrich's characters were supposed to be--and to me, this got very old after a while. It helped here, though, that Dietrich's usual angular and severe looks are a bit less pronounced (as was the case in her very early Hollywood films). Here, she plays "a woman of ill-repute" (a prostitute) but there are many others that give the film life as well--making this film a bit like GRAND HOTEL on the rails! This film has the distinct honor of being one of the only films in which Warner Oland plays an Asian yet this isn't necessarily insulting to real Asian actors. That's because Oland was Swedish-born and often played Asians (such as Charlie Chan)--while qualified Asians were relegated to supporting roles! However, in this film, his character is supposed to be half-Chinese and half-Western--so the casting wasn't a bad idea at all.

    Apart from Oland and Dietrich, Anna May Wong, Clive Brook, Lawrence Grant and Eugene Palette, among others, are on hand to provide some color. Ms. Wong, in particular, had some excellent scenes playing a Chinese prostitute and defender of the Chinese Republic (a strange combination, I know).

    As far as Grant goes, his was a truly unusual character. His Reverend Mr. Carmichael was odd because initially he came off as such a prudish and self-righteous jerk--so much so that the studio was forced to re-write his character and soften him up some as to avoid offending religious sensibilities of the audiences. However, by changing a few scenes, they made him one of the most unusual and three-dimensional minsters portrayed in film during the era. How he came to actually like and respect Dietrich (the prostitute) may seem a bit silly to some, but I actually liked the way they re-wrote the film. As a result, of all the passengers, Grant's came off as perhaps the most interesting.

    As far as the film goes, in addition to good performances, the writing, direction and cinematography were all exceptional. A top-notch film that sure will keep your interest as you follow this train through rebel territory in China.

    About the only negative about the film might be that it promotes the old film cliché of "the prostitute with a heart of gold"--in fact, it has this times two! Just once, I'd like to see a film where the prostitute isn't so glamorous (perhaps with a few herpes scabs) and isn't a nice person after all!! Imagine if PRETTY WOMAN had followed THAT formula!!
    helpful•27
    3
    • planktonrules
    • Jun 7, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 12, 1932 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • Cantonese
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Shanghai-Express
    • Filming locations
      • Santa Fe Railroad Depot - 1170 W. 3rd Street, San Bernardino, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $8,066,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 22 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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