Date:1941 Type: Crime / Drama Rating: 4/5 Colour: Black and White Director: Josef Von Sternberg Producer: Arnold Pressburger - uncredited
Comment/Synopsis
A young woman (Gene Tierney) arrives in a gamling house in Shanghai run by a powerful Chinese lady (Ona Munson), but an American business man (Wlater Huston) wants to take over the area that she runs. However things become complicated when past relationships and unknown family ties come to light. The plot is basically a revenge scenario, but it is done with plenty of style. Director Josef Von Sternberg creates a styalised version of Shanghai, that has stereotyped characters and somewhat exagerated styles of acting, but it does all come together very effectively.
Gene Tierny is very good in one of her very early roles as the innocent but precocious woman caught up in a bigger plot. There is good support from Victor Mature again in an early performance as the slightly smarmy arab and Phyllis Brooks who steals the scenes she is in, as the chorus girl, who is essentially there to move the plot along, but gives an engaing performance. The film is visually impressive with great sets, and stylish outfits for the ladies, with Josef Von Sternberg bringing late 1930's German cinema to Hollywood in a film noir style.
4/5 
Gene Tierney
Walter Huston
Victor Mature
Maria Ouspenskaya
Eric Blore
