Shanghai Express (1932) ***

Jealousy, betrayal, obsession, passion…and this was only the fourth of the seven films Josef von Sternberg made with Marlene Dietrich. The title of their last film together: The Devil Is a Woman—coincidence? Ah, but this is not a review of the strange co-dependent relationship between director and actress. Instead, let's focus on the slightly less complicated romance between a fallen woman and a stiff-upper-lip Englishman.

As civil war is raging in China, a British surgeon, Captain Donald Harvey (Clive Brook) boards a train traveling from Peking to Shanghai, in order to reach the governor general, for whom he must perform brain surgery. Though the voyage could be perilous, his friends somehow envy him, as it is revealed that the notorious courtesan Shanghai Lily (Dietrich) is on board. Being a proper English gentleman, he’s never heard of her.

As chance would have it, onboard he meets a former lover, Magdalen, whom he hasn’t seen in five years. Things didn’t end well. She played games and tried to measure his love, and he was a jealous man who could only take so much before he left her. In the process of catching up, Magdalen informs Doc (as she affectionately calls him) that she has a new life and name. When asked if she’s married, a black-veiled Dietrich utters the classic line: "It took more than one man to change my name to Shanghai Lily." Um, awkward moment. Yet, it is obvious that they both still have feelings for one another—both good and bad.

Later, Doc learns from Reverend Carmichael (Lawrence Grant), who is troubled beyond measure about prostitutes traveling on the train, that Shanghai Lily had made one of his patients go insane and that there were countless others who’d had their lives ruined by her. I suppose at this moment Doc felt pretty foolish for carrying around a watch with her picture in it.

Meanwhile, there’s still a civil war going on in China. As such, government soldiers search the train and arrest the aide of Henry Chang (Warner Oland—yes, Charlie Chan!), a Eurasian merchant who is also a secret rebel leader. Angered by these actions, Chang sends a coded telegram to his rebels to attack the train at midnight. After securing the train, Chang takes Doc hostage so he can use him in exchange for his aide. He also offers to take Lily to his palace, but she declines, saying she’s out of the business. An eavesdropping Doc hears them, barges in and knocks Chang to the ground. This angers the rebel, but because he needs Doc alive, he does nothing and decides to take out his anger by raping Hui Fei (Anna May Wong), a friend and fellow prostitute of Lily’s.

Once his aide is released, Chang decides to exact revenge on Doc for his insolence by blinding the doctor. In order to save Doc’s eyesight, Lily offers to become Chang’s courtesan—just when she thought she was out, they pull her back in. Oblivious as ever, Doc’s old jealousies are ignited when he learns Lily is to stay with Chang. Fortunately, before this can happen, a revenge-seeking Hui Fei stabs Chang to death. However, this does not lessen the anger and resentment that Doc has toward Lily, whom he believes is still a no-good whore. Oddly enough, it is Reverend Carmichael who gets Lily to admit what she did out of love for Doc. Yet, she asks Carmichael not to reveal her secret, as she feels that without faith there is no love. Upon their arrival in Shanghai, Lily offers Doc a replacement watch and he gives into his love. In one of the more classic closing images in film, von Sternberg tightly moves in on the couple as they embrace and kiss on the station platform.

Nominated for three Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography [winner]), this was the Titanic of its time, with a box office record $3.7 million. Suffice to say, this was the biggest hit of Dietrich’s career as one of Hollywood’s leading ladies.

Dietrich and Brook have amazing chemistry. He fits the reserved Englishman type and she just sizzles as a worldly seductress. The furs, veils, ostrich feathers, and an array of dazzling costumes enable Dietrich to fully absorb the role of the vamp. In addition, with the aid of von Sternberg, Dietrich is able to reveal the softer, more vulnerable side to Lily as well. This is perhaps one of her top performances.

Fans of the Charlie Chan films will be shocked to see Warner Oland playing such a sinister character. It is not always easy to play against type, but Oland does a nice job conveying the menacing nature of Chang. In addition, Anna May Wong is also a delight to watch.
A classic love story about overcoming jealousy and having faith in, well, love.

The Blue Angel (Der blaue Engel) 1930 **

Foreseeing the intellectual laziness of the American population decades before martial art films dubbed theirs, Josef von Sternberg simultaneously shot this film in both English and German (the German is slightly different). Since my understanding of the German language consists of "Juden Verboten" and "Kann ich noch ein Bier", I watched the German version with subtitles. No doubt I have offended the average American filmgoer who would rather watch Tobey "Spiderman" Maguire in the English remake of Brothers than watch the excellent Danish original starring Connie Nielsen. The best way I can think to explain this to these sub-title haters is this: Remember New Coke.

Emil Jannings plays Professor Immanuel Rath, a reserved German schoolteacher who becomes concerned over his students’ fascination with the goings on at the local cabaret, the Blue Angel. When Rath goes to the cabaret to investigate he finds Lola (Marlene Dietrich), an alluring songstress who doesn’t mind changing her clothes in front of men she just met—nor does she mind dropping her panties on them. Somehow Rath ends up taking Lola’s panties home with him, thus the reason he must return the next day to see Lola—no doubt a complex case for Freud.

With his students hiding in a cellar, Rath is treated to a strange seduction at the hands of Lola. Who combs someone’s hair? When Lola is ordered to drink with a drunken sailor who treats her rudely, Rath becomes enraged and chases the sailor out of the cabaret. When the sailor returns with the police, the cabaret’s magician hides Rath in the cellar containing his students. He chases them out of the club and then is given drinks to calm his nerves. While he’s getting loaded, Lola begins to sing the song synonymous with Dietrich: "Falling in Love Again".

The next morning Rath wakes up in Lola’s bed and is treated to breakfast for two. This makes him late for class. When he arrives at class he finds a student-drawn picture of him as Cupid. After he tries to punish the class they become unmanageable, which causes the headmaster to intervene. This leads to the headmaster asking for Rath’s resignation. After packing up his belongings, Rath goes to the Blue Angel to find Lola’s travelling troupe preparing to leave. He asks Lola to marry him. She laughs at him, but somehow they end up married nonetheless. The next time we see Rath, he’s selling girlie postcards at Lola’s shows. He is no longer superior to anyone in the group. As a matter of fact, he’s viewed as the lowest member in the troupe and Lola treats him like a big loser.

Four years pass and Rath has literally become the troupe’s clown. When they return to Rath’s hometown the show is sold out due to him—who wouldn’t want to see a former professor as a clown? Meanwhile, a strongman has become enamored with Lola. When Rath doesn’t want to go on stage Lola has to force him to. While being treated to eggs being broken on his head, Rath watches Lola flirt with the strongman backstage. He begins to crow like a rooster and chases Lola and tries to kill her. The strongman and others prevent this and tie Rath up in straightjacket. Once he calms down Rath is let out. In one of the bitterest endings I can think of, Rath leaves the Blue Angel hearing Lola sing "Falling in Love Again" to another man and returns to his old school. The final shot of the film sees the former professor, in spotlight, grasping his desk as bells are ringing. Depressing enough?

This film is a good example of German expressionism. It is very dark, full of symbolism, and unsentimental. The character of Professor Rath is the epitome of the German male who before the war was a hard-working respectable type, who finds himself completely destroyed in the post WWI era—there’s a reason Hitler came to power. The overall setting of the film looks grimy and depressing, as though everything needs a good cleaning. Perhaps this is why Sternberg opened the film with a woman cleaning a window.

Both Jannings and Dietrich are compelling as this oddball couple. Jannings, who was known for his histrionic performances, does a good job at being both pompous and pathetic. This was just another one of his great performances, like The Last Laugh and The Last Command. For Dietrich, however, this was the role that launched her American film career. She showed that she could be convincing as a femme fatale. Thus, she and Sternberg would go on to make a number of films capitalizing on how well she played the vamp, most notably Morocco, Dishonored, and Shanghai Express. Of course this film isn’t their greatest collaboration, but it is good nonetheless.

The Docks of New York (1928) **1/2

Suicide or marriage… the choice between a quick or slow death—you can quote me.

Josef Von Sternberg directs this 1928 silent classic starring George Bancroft and Betty Compson. Bancroft plays Bill Roberts, a ship stoker on leave and looking for a good time. He meets his good time just in time, as he rescues Sadie (Compson) from trying to drown herself. What’s Sadie’s problem? She’s a waterfront tramp who is disgusted by her life. The two end up at a seedy bar and proceed to get loaded. Self-esteem issues, a horny sailor, and alcohol don’t mix—believe me, I’ve been to Vegas. In a drunken stupor, Bill and Sadie decide to get married—damn you, Vegas and Jose Cuervo! His gift to the bride: a stolen dress, which I suppose is better than a "What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas" t-shirt.

Anyway, the next morning Bill scurries out the door, not saying a word to his "wife"—not even something touching like: merci pour la baise—and returns to his ship. After Bill leaves, the ship‘s engineer puts the moves on Sadie. This is too much for his wife and she kills him. The cops blame Sadie but the murdering wife confesses to her crime. Ah, but the stolen clothes land Sadie in court nonetheless. Once aboard ship, Bill realizes he loves Sadie and he decides to return to shore. He goes to court and confesses to stealing the clothes. He gets 60 days and promises Sadie he’ll see her then. If Sadie knows what’s good for her she’ll use those 60 days to get very, very, very far away.

This film is considered Sternberg’s masterpiece. The story itself is not all that believable, but it is entertaining—especially the rollicking good time at the bar. Bancroft and Compson are superb in their roles. In addition, there is an interesting dichotomy between the night and day shots. The night scenes are sensually and romantically shot. Whereas the day scenes seem cold and menacing. Simply put, the film is visually stunning. A good film to watch.