Shanghai Express (1932)'s comments

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Siskoid

I was worried about Shanghai Express' structure. In Act 1 we meet the characters, most prominently a pair of disreputable women. In Act 2, the train is stopped, but the action plot kicks in... and then kicks out. What does that leave for the third act? Resolving the tragic love story that was at the heart of the film all along. Somehow, it works, mostly thanks to one of Marlene Dietrich's better performances (her lover is a little dull, however), and some beautiful cinematography (the shot of Dietrich trembling in the dark is justly famous). The film achieves some exoticism early on, even if its China has an unusually large cast of white characters. No surprise to me, while there's no doubt whose vehicle this is, it made me want to explore Anna May Wong's filmography - I'm aboard and I'm showing my ticket to the conductor.

4 years 3 months ago

Necroyeti

Grade A cinematography.

11 years 2 months ago