How a 1932 train thriller became a masterclass in visual excess and moral agency
In short: Released during the Great Depression, Shanghai Express remains a landmark of pre-Code cinema. Directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Marlene Dietrich, the film blends high-stakes hostage drama with sumptuous, chiaroscuro cinematography. Beyond its visual flair, it offers a surprisingly feminist exploration of moral agency amidst the chaos of war.
Set against the backdrop of the 1931 Chinese Civil War, the film follows a group of passengers on a train from Peking to Shanghai. Among them is Shanghai Lily, a woman labeled a coaster by her peers, who encounters her former lover, Captain Donald Harvey. Their reunion is interrupted when the train is commandeered by a rebel warlord, Henry Chang, who takes Harvey hostage. The narrative draws inspiration from the 1923 Lincheng Incident, where a warlord captured a train and held Westerners for ransom, and echoes Guy de Maupassant’s Boule de Suif in its depiction of a woman forced into intimate relations with a commander.
The film is celebrated for its visual intensity. Critics have described it as a riotous exercise in excess, featuring ornate costumes and masterful black-and-white lighting. While Lee Garmes won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Dietrich attributed much of the film's signature chiaroscuro style to von Sternberg. This aesthetic power is matched by the performances of Dietrich and Anna May Wong, who plays a fellow coaster. Both characters are noted for possessing real moral agency in a world where the respectable white characters are often portrayed as deeply flawed or racist.
Beyond its technical achievements, the film serves as a complex study of character and redemption. Lily’s sacrifice to save Harvey from being blinded by Chang highlights her enduring love, a secret she keeps even after their eventual reconciliation. The film’s legacy persists, with modern filmmakers like Lucile Hadžihalilović citing Dietrich’s performance as a primary influence for contemporary characters. Despite the concerns of the Hays Office regarding its political and religious portrayals, the film was a significant box office success, grossing $1.5 million in worldwide rentals and maintaining a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Shanghai Express (film)
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