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Shanghai Gesture Streaming.
Movie Title: Shanghai Gesture Shanghai Gesture is available for streaming or downloading. |
Compared to the earlier LD and VHS releases from Mystic Fire Video, this DVD is a major disappointment. The source print is abysmal, scratchy and spotted throughout, and there are a couple of jarring jumps in the soundtrack. This bizarre film’s best attributes are its atmospheric, moody cinematography; the Oscar-nominated set decorations by Boris Levin; and the sumptuous beauty of the then-20-years-old Gene Tierney. Unfortunately, none of these virtues are adequately presented on the DVD transfer. A pity.
After the critical and box-office disaster of the beautiful and sardonic “The Devil is a Woman”, Josef Von Sternberg had his artistic freedom taken away by the studio and was forced to direct works that were unsuitable to his tastes.He eventually could not even get work in Hollywood and he remains another sad example of genius wasted.He did however manage to work on one project that was worthy of his talent:”The Shanghai Gesture”.”The Shanghai Gesture”was an anomaly when it was released in the 1940’s.Directed in Von Sternberg’s exquisite baroque style,it depicted the decadent goings-ons of characters engaged in vice,drugs and revenge set in a gambling den.At that time pre-war Hollywood films were firmly entrenched in the genteel and “The Shanghai Gesture” was considered too daring to be made.Indeed the film could only be made with heavy censorship and this constitutes the film’s most serious flaw-some of the plot becomes incoherent due to the forced obscuring of some of the character’s motivation. But the film is still remarkable for how perverse it is ,considering the time period,and its subtle yet unmistakeable methods of portraying depravity.Unfortunately,”The Shanghai Gesture” met the same fate as “The Devil is a Woman” and not until it was rediscovered by the French was it appreciated as the masterpiece that it is.The only thing to be added is of the technical-its camerawork and photography are outstanding and it contains a very entertaining and large cast of whom three deserve mention.Victor Mature,very amusing as the sly and mysterious Dr. Omar;Gene Tierney,so breathtakingly gorgeous as the eager to be corrupted Poppy,and best of all -Ona Munson giving the performance of her career as Mother Gin Sling -a Machiavellian revenger whose serpentine coiffure and mocking nonchalance conceal a heart consumed by pain.”The Shanghai Gesture” is Josef Von Sternberg’s last memorable Hollywood film and though not as well known as the great Marlene Dietrich collaborations certainly merits to be ranked with them.
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