Shanghai Express (1932)

In the tumultuous year of 1931, a time of civil unrest in China, an array of diverse individuals find themselves bound together on a perilous journey from Beijing to Shanghai aboard the Shanghai Express. Among them is the stoic British Captain Donald "Doc" Harvey, en route to operate on the Vice-Governor of Shanghai, and the infamous courtesan, Shanghai Lily, known as a "coaster" whose allure bewitches the wealthy patrons of the China coast. Much to Harvey's disbelief, he recognizes the magnetic Shanghai Lily as Magdalen, his long-lost love who once tested his faith and love, leading him to abandon her at the dawn of her notorious career. As the train chugs along through the heart of the civil war, it falls into the hands of Chinese rebels led by the enigmatic Mr. Henry Chang. The rebels are in a ruthless quest to find a hostage worthy of exchange for their arrested comrade. As fate would have it, Captain Harvey becomes their chosen victim. Among the looming threat and chaos, the ember of an old flame begins to glow brighter between Harvey and Lily. The situation escalates as Chang, captivated by Shanghai Lily's enchanting allure, attempts to claim her for his own. In an act of defiant love, Captain Harvey steps in, setting off a chain of events that lead to horrifying consequences. In the face of danger, old feelings resurface, and the once scorned Shanghai Lily finds herself in a position to save the man she never stopped loving. Will she succeed in her attempt to rescue Captain Harvey? Does she still hold the same place in his heart that she once did? As the Shanghai Express continues its perilous journey, secrets unravel, stakes rise, and hearts are put to the ultimate test.

Shanghai Express is a crime movie featuring Marlene Dietrich and directed by Josef von Sternberg.

Shanghai Express is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.