Seven Sinners (1940)

Banished from various U.S. protectorates in the Pacific, a saloon entertainer uses her femme-fatale charms to woo politicians, navy personnel, gangsters, riff-raff, judges and a ship's doctor in order to achieve her aims.

Director:

Tay Garnett

Writers:

John Meehan (screen play), Harry Tugend (screen play)

Stars:

Marlene Dietrich, John Wayne, Albert Dekker

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marlene Dietrich	...	Bijou
John Wayne	...	Dan
Albert Dekker	...	Dr. Martin
Broderick Crawford	...	Little Ned
Anna Lee	...	Dorothy
Mischa Auer	...	Sasha
Billy Gilbert	...	Tony
Richard Carle	...	District Officer
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Governor
Oskar Homolka	...	Antro (as Oscar Homolka)
Reginald Denny	...	Captain Church
Vince Barnett	...	Bartender
Herbert Rawlinson	...	First Mate
James Craig	...	Ensign
William Bakewell	...	Ensign

Storyline

Bijou, a saloon singer with a reputation for inciting brouhahas, is one of several deportees from a south Pacific island to arrive at another U.S. protectorate, Boni Komba. She becomes very popular with U.S. navy men by performing at the 'Seven Sinners'. A navy Lieutenant is attracted to Bijou despite the Governor's machinations to keep them apart, and the competing affections of local mobster, Antro. Will the Lieutenant give up the navy for Bijou, and will he survive Antro's forces?

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Plot Keywords:

femme fatale | 

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Taglines:

She's Dynamite...Tearing Through A Lawless Pacific Paradise! (1948 rissue poster)

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Composer Hans J. Salter recycled his and Frank Skinner's score for "Son of Dracula."

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Quotes

District Officer: There've been a half a dozen complaints since you came to that cafe.
Bijou: A half-dozen! Why not fifty? I'm surprised.

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Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Hist-o-Rama: John Wayne (1961)

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Soundtracks

I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(1928) (uncredited)
Music by Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics by Dorothy Fields
Sung by Marlene Dietrich

User Reviews

Delicious satire of Sadie Thompson dramas

This rowdy South Seas romp is the high point of Marlene Dietrich's more user-friendly populist period: she plays "Bijou", a "singer" who gets deported from island after island because she innocently enflames both locals and sailors into brawling and destroying the nightclubs. Bijou values handsome guys, diamonds, and good friends, not to mention her wardrobe of feathers, flounces, silks, lace parasols, and even a sailor's uniform. As the object of Bijou's attention, John Wayne is at his freshest and most appealing, sheepishly bringing her armloads of orchids. The supporting cast is unusually deep: dense but loyal Broderick Crawford, sneaky Mischa Auer, menacing Oscar Homolka, perpetually befuddled Billy Gilbert, world-weary Albert Dekker, pretty Anna Lee. The lavish production includes sunny lighting and dynamic camera moves from Rudolph Mate. For once, director Tay Garnett gets it all right: the tropical atmosphere, the teasing romance, the broad comedy, the bittersweet edge [see Bijou's exchanges with the ship's doctor], plus four good musical numbers.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 October 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Seven Sinners

Filming Locations:

Saugus Airfield, Saugus, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$760,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1