A young woman, Poppy (Gene Tierney), out for excitement in Shanghai, enters a gambling house owned by "Mother" Gin Sling (Ona Munson), a dragon-lady who worked herself up from poverty to buy the casino. Sir Guy Charteris (Walter Huston), wealthy entrepreneur, has purchased a large area of Shanghai, forcing Gin Sling to vacate by the coming Chinese New Year. Under orders from Gin Sling, who has found out Poppy is Charteris' daughter, the smarmy Doctor Omar (Victor Mature) leads Poppy deeper and deeper into an addiction to gambling and alcohol. Gin Sling, realizing that Charteris was her long-ago husband who she thinks abandoned her, plans her revenge by inviting Charteris to a Chinese New Year dinner party to expose his past indiscretions. Charteris, however, has a surprise of his own to spring on Gin Sling.

****

An intriguing and at times surprisingly subversive film which stars Huston as the tycoon whose business involvement in buying a property in Shanghai attracts the wrath of Munson, the owner of a casino in the area. When he comes face to face with his daughter (Tierney), who has been manipulated by an Arab (Mature), his world falls apart and he is forced to re-examine his relationship with money as well as with his family. Sublimely conveyed by von Sternberg, The Shanghai Gesture is proof of what Hollywood can do if it allows its talent the room to manoeuvre.

 Excerpt from Channel 4 located HERE