Shanghai Express is an American 1932 film directed by Josef von Sternberg.
The pre-code era picture stars Marlene Dietrich, Clive Brook, Anna May Wong, and Warner Oland. It was written by Jules Furthman, based on the story by Harry Hervey.
It was American-born director Sternberg's third of seven vehicles he would make with the German Marlene Dietrich.
The film is memorable for its stylistic black and white chiaroscuro cinematography, especially the exquisite north light to profile Dietrch.
Even though Lee Garmes is credited with the cinematography, according to Dietrich, it was Sternberg who directed most of the cinematography.
Many passengers on the Shanghai Express are more concerned that the notorious Shanghai Lil is on board than the fact that a civil war is going on that may make the trip take more than three days. The British Army doctor, Donald Harvey, knew Lil before she became a famous "coaster." A fellow passenger defines a coaster as "a woman who lives by her wits along the China coast." When Chinese guerillas stop the train, Dr. Harvey is selected as the hostage. Lil saves him, but can she make him believe that she really hasn't changed from the woman he loved five years before? Written by Dale O'Connor
