- The Shanghai Gesture is an odd little glimpse into Chinese nightlife as imagined by Austrian-American director Josef von Sternberg and based on a play by native Minnesotan John Colton. I don't normally go out of my way to identify creative teams' countries of origin, but nothing about the production suggests extensive familiarity with Asian culture. For example, the film's most prominent Chinese character is named "Mother Gin Sling" and played by the distinctly occidental actress Ona Munson. A rickshaw puller portrayed by Hollywood heavy Mike Mazurki is often asked if he "likee Chinese New Year". And Victor Mature plays an Egyptian(?) named Dr. Omar who was apparently invented to replace a Japanese character as a love interest. I'm all for casting against type, but this is ridiculous.
- The story revolves around young Poppy Smith (Gene Tierney), who visits Mother Gin Sling's nightclub while seeking out Shanghai's seedy underbelly. We're told that this particular nightclub is a den of sin and depravity, although really it is difficult to find much wrong with it outside of a stray gunshot or two. (Characters' constant assertions that the sex slaves are fake are surely aimed at the censors.) Otherwise, the patrons spend their time gambling and drinking under the watchful eye of Mother Gin Sling, whose great wit and business acumen may not be enough to save her nightclub from the stodgy developer Sir Guy Charteris (Walter Huston). That is, unless Mother Gin Sling is lucky enough to have been personally involved with Sir Charteris' one great secret in life.
- There are a few implausible moments of romance between Poppy and Dr. Omar and some surprisingly unconvincing gambling by everyone, but the film's real attraction is its set design. Mother Gin Sling's club may not be especially authentic, but its concentric, multi-tiered expanse provides the audience with an eagle-eyed view of its many interesting patrons. Likewise, the film's dining room features a terrific mural that surrounds its diners on all sides. Aside from these great sets and Mother Gin Sling's increasingly elaborate and cartoonish hair styles, there's probably not much else to recommend this one.
