The Shanghai Gesture (1941): Cast & Plot
The Shanghai Gesture is a 1941 drama directed by Josef von Sternberg, starring Victor Mature as Doctor Omar, Phyllis Brooks and Gene Tierney. It runs 1 hour 39 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 39m (99 min)
- Director
- Josef von Sternberg
- Genre
- Drama
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Arnold Pressburger Films
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Shanghai Gesture About?
The premise of The Shanghai Gesture without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Mystery-lure of the Far East! A gambling queen uses blackmail to stop a British financier from closing her Chinese clip joint.
The Shanghai Gesture Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- bald man
- city name in title
- gambling
- secret
- casino
- long lost daughter
- dinner
- mother daughter reunion
- shanghai china
- attempted suicide
- kiss
- gun
+38 more Show fewer
- party
- rivalry
- damsel in distress
- deception
- 1910s
- 1930s
- revenge seeker
- violence
- avenger
- cigarette smoking
- betrayal
- open city
- reprisal
- retribution
- roulette wheel
- croupier
- gambler
- casino owner
- politics
- resolvement
- resentment
- treachery
- anger
- hostility
- greed
- poker the card game
- tierney and mature
- house
- sex slave auction
- grand piano
- fireworks
- poker game
- woman carries a gun
- lockheed model 10 electra
- basket full of money
- overdrawn bank account
- woman smoker
- rickshaw
The Shanghai Gesture Cast & Characters
Victor Mature leads the cast as Doctor Omar, with Phyllis Brooks as Dixie Pomeroy and Gene Tierney as Victoria Charteris (aka "Poppy Smith"). Directed by Josef von Sternberg; 17 actors are credited in all.
- Director Josef von Sternberg
- Victor Mature as Doctor Omar
- Phyllis Brooks as Dixie Pomeroy
- Gene Tierney as Victoria Charteris (aka "Poppy Smith")
- Ona Munson as 'Mother' Gin Sling
Also Starring in The Shanghai Gesture
· 13 more- Maria Ouspenskaya The Amah
- Walter Huston Sir Guy Charteris
- Clyde Fillmore Percival Montgomery Howe
- Albert Bassermann Van Elst
- John Abbott Poppy's Escort
- Marcel Dalio The Master of the Spinning Wheel
- Eric Blore Caesar Hawkins
- Mike Mazurki The Coolie
- Ivan Lebedeff Boris
- Rex Evans The Counselor
- Mikhail Rasumny The Appraiser
- Grayce Hampton Lady Blessington
- Michael Dalmatoff The Bartender
More from Josef von Sternberg
More films directed by Josef von Sternberg, best-rated first: The Blue Angel, Shanghai Express, Jet Pilot and Anatahan.
The Shanghai Gesture Plot Summary
What happens in The Shanghai Gesture from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 9 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the film, Doctor Omar, a resourceful and somewhat unscrupulous figure, uses his influence to bribe the Shanghai police in order to keep Dixie Pomeroy, a struggling American showgirl played by Gene Tierney, out of jail. Recognizing her dire financial situation, Omar then extends an invitation for her to seek employment at the casino owned by a formidable and legendary figure known as the Mother Gin Sling. This casino, a hub of gambling and intrigue, becomes a central setting for much of the story.
Full summary
The whole story of The Shanghai Gesture, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know The Shanghai Gesture?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is Omar in The Shanghai Gesture?
The Shanghai Gesture Also Known As
15 alternative titles, including “I misteri di Shangai” and “Tensão em Shanghai”.
- Also known as
-
- I misteri di Shangai
- Tensão em Shanghai
- Aconteceu em Shanghai
- I misteri di Shanghai
- El embrujo de Shanghai
- Abrechnung in Shanghai
- Podsvětí Šanghaje
- 上海风光
- Жорстокий Шанхай
- Жестокий Шанхай
- 上海ジェスチャー
- Kasyno w Szanghaju
+3 more Show fewer
- De tusen fröjdernas hus
- Tensão em Xangai
- Aconteceu em Xangai
Seen The Shanghai Gesture?
Movies Like The Shanghai Gesture
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Shanghai Surprise, The Lady from Shanghai and Daughter of Shanghai.
The Shanghai Gesture FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Shanghai Gesture, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Shanghai Gesture?
The Shanghai Gesture runs 1 hour 39 minutes (99 minutes).
When was The Shanghai Gesture released?
The Shanghai Gesture was released on December 25, 1941.
Who directed The Shanghai Gesture?
The Shanghai Gesture was directed by Josef von Sternberg.
More films by Josef von Sternberg Who is in the cast of The Shanghai Gesture?
The Shanghai Gesture stars Victor Mature as Doctor Omar, Phyllis Brooks as Dixie Pomeroy and Gene Tierney as Victoria Charteris (aka "Poppy Smith"), among 17 credited actors.
Does The Shanghai Gesture have a post-credit scene?
No. The Shanghai Gesture has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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