Back to trending
The Shanghai Gesture

The Shanghai Gesture

Drama · Crime · Mystery · 1941

A gambling queen uses blackmail to stop a British financier from closing her Chinese clip joint.

Movie details

The Shanghai Gesture

“Mystery-lure of the Far East!”

1941 Drama · Crime · Mystery 1h 39m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.2 / 10

Community rating

A gambling queen uses blackmail to stop a British financier from closing her Chinese clip joint.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Shanghai Gesture?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Fallen Angel

Fallen Angel

Crime · 1945

An unemployed drifter, Eric Stanton wanders into a small California town and begins hanging around the local diner. While Eric falls for the lovely waitress Stella, he also begins romancing a quiet and well-to-do woman named June Mills. Since Stella isn't interested in Eric unless he has money, the lovelorn guy comes up with a scheme to win her over, and it involves June. Before long, murder works its way into this passionate love triangle.

The Paradine Case

The Paradine Case

Drama · 1947

In London, barrister Anthony Keane takes the case of Maddalena Paradine, a beautiful woman accused of poisoning her blind husband. Though happily married, Keane becomes infatuated with his enigmatic client and convinced of her innocence. His obsession clouds his judgment as he builds a defense implicating her servant, André Latour—an act that leads to devastating consequences both in court and at home.

Winter's Tale

Winter's Tale

Drama · 2014

A burglar falls for an heiress as she dies in his arms. When he learns that he has the gift of reincarnation, he sets out to save her.

Fedora

Fedora

Drama · 1978

Down-on-his-luck Hollywood producer Barry 'Dutch' Detweiler attempts to lure Fedora, a famous but reclusive film actress, out of retirement, only to discover the horrifying truth behind her success.

Atlantic City

Atlantic City

Crime · 1980

In a corrupt city, a small-time gangster and the estranged wife of a pot dealer find themselves thrown together in an escapade of love, money, drugs and danger.

Gourmet Detective: A Healthy Place to Die

Gourmet Detective: A Healthy Place to Die

Drama · 2015

When Henry is invited as a guest speaker at a luxury resort spa, he quickly finds himself at the center of another murder. With Maggie at his side, our favorite duo must not only find the killer but be careful they don't become his latest victim.

Disappearing Acts

Disappearing Acts

TV Movie · 2000

A struggling construction worker and an aspiring musician find themselves falling in love.

Reap What You Sew: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery

Reap What You Sew: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery

Mystery · 2018

Internet sensation and old family friend of Aurora Teagarden, Poppy Wilson, has returned to Lawrenceton to start her new embroidery business. But not everyone is happy with Poppy's success when she turns up dead. To find the killer, Roe must follow the unsettling truths that lead her—into the path of the killer.

Dead Over Heels: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery

Dead Over Heels: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery

Mystery · 2017

Librarian and real crime buff Aurora “Roe” Teagarden never liked Detective Sergeant Jack Burns, but she also never wanted to see him dead. When his body is found outside of Aurora’s home, she then becomes the main suspect. Determined to find the killer and clear her name, Aurora can't help but to get involved once again.

The Mask of Dimitrios

The Mask of Dimitrios

Crime · 1944

A mystery writer is intrigued by the tale of notorious criminal Dimitrios Makropolous, whose dead body was found washed up on the shore in Istanbul. He decides to follow the career of Dimitrios around Europe, in order to learn more about the man. Along the way he is joined by the mysterious Mr. Peters, who has his own motivation.

Where it lives

Watch in your region.

Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.

Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.

Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Josef von Sternberg

Written by

Josef von Sternberg · Geza Herczeg · Jules Furthman · James M. Cain

Victor Mature

Victor Mature

Doctor Omar

Ona Munson

Ona Munson

'Mother' Gin Sling

Gene Tierney

Gene Tierney

Victoria Charteris (aka "Poppy Smith")

Walter Huston

Walter Huston

Sir Guy Charteris

Phyllis Brooks

Phyllis Brooks

Dixie Pomeroy

Albert Bassermann

Albert Bassermann

Van Elst

Maria Ouspenskaya

Maria Ouspenskaya

The Amah

Court is in session

Put The Shanghai Gesture on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.