The Shanghai Gesture

12/25/19411h 39m

Theatrical (limited) Release (US)

~ Mystery-lure of the Far East! ~

Overview:

A gambling queen uses blackmail to stop a British financier from closing her Chinese clip joint.

Director:

Josef von Sternberg

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

casino
shanghai, china
gambling
gigolo
film noir
showgirl

Cast

Victor Mature

~ as ~

Doctor Omar

Ona Munson

~ as ~

'Mother' Gin Sling

Gene Tierney

~ as ~

Victoria Charteris (aka "Poppy Smith")

Walter Huston

~ as ~

Sir Guy Charteris

Phyllis Brooks

~ as ~

Dixie Pomeroy

Albert Bassermann

~ as ~

Van Elst

Maria Ouspenskaya

~ as ~

The Amah

Eric Blore

~ as ~

Caesar Hawkins

Ivan Lebedeff

~ as ~

Boris

Mike Mazurki

~ as ~

The Coolie

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

CinemaSerf
Written 2 year(s) ago
6
"Sir Guy Charteris" (Walter Huston) is an entrepreneurial British developer who has his eyes on the gin-palace of "Mother Gin Sling" (Ona Munson). The latter woman is running her successful den of iniquity and has no intention of acquiescing to the venal aspirations of her new nemesis. Determined to fight back, she enlists the help of the rather unscrupulous "Dr. Omar" (a rather mis-cast Victor Mature) to ensure that "Poppy" (Gene Tierney) - the daughter of "Charteris" - is introduced to the delightful effects of opium! The story becomes further complicated when it transpires that there is a personal history between the millionaire and the casino owner - and soon a plan is afoot to bring down retribution on his head. This has the look of an older "Charlie Chan" film to it, one without the charisma of Warner Oland or Sydney Toler. The scenarios are all very predictable and there is far too much dialogue as the tale meanders along for an over-long ninety minutes before a rather underwhelming, melodramatic, conclusion. Despite her relatively lowly billing, the films belongs to Munson when she appears, otherwise it's all pretty procedural daytime fayre.