After working in Europe in the late 1920s and early 1930s to great critical acclaim and fame, Wong returned to Hollywood. Though years had passed, she was still cast in “dragon lady” roles, which were one-dimensional parts framing Asian women as simultaneously tyrannical and mysterious. Despite these constraints, Wong’s iconic screen presence made such parts unforgettable, particularly in Josef von Sternberg’s Shanghai Express. In this pre-Code classic, she stars alongside Marlene Dietrich as a courtesan, Hui Fei, aboard a train bound for Shanghai hijacked by rebels. 

Introduction by sociologist and pop culture expert Nancy Yuen.

Director: Josef von Sternberg. Cast: Marlene Dietrich, Clive Brook, Anna May Wong. 1932. 80 minutes. USA. B&W. English. 35mm. New print courtesy of the Academy Film Archive.

All film screenings of Beyond the Icon: Anna May Wong are available here.