Banished from various U.S. protectorates in the Pacific, a saloon entertainer uses her femme-fatale charms to woo politicians, navy personnel, gangsters, riff-raff, judges and a ship's doctor in order to achieve her aims.
Acting
Dietrich's controlled chaos—every glance is a calculated siege.
Costume
That sailor suit became iconic for a reason. Hubba.
Direction
Garnett keeps the tone just this side of parody.
Director
Tay Garnett
Marlene Dietrich
Bijou
John Wayne
Dan
Albert Dekker
Dr. Martin
Broderick Crawford
Little Ned
Anna Lee
Dorothy
Mischa Auer
Sasha
Billy Gilbert
Tony
Richard Carle
District Officer
Samuel S. Hinds
Governor
Oskar Homolka
Antro
Reginald Denny
Captain Church
Vince Barnett
Bartender
Herbert Rawlinson
First Mate
James Craig
Ensign
William Bakewell
Ensign
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Dietrich demanded top billing over Wayne and got it—this was her seventh film with director Tay Garnett.
The 'South Seas' exoticism here is pure Hollywood fabrication, filmed entirely in California with white actors in brownface.
US
