Tag Archives: Josef von Sternberg

“In America, sex is an obsession, in other parts of the world it’s a fact.” — Marlene Dietrich

Posted on December 27, 2024 by sheila

It’s her birthday today. When I interviewed Dan Callahan about his book The Art of American Screen Acting, we discussed Marlene Dietrich. He has been obsessed since college, and also obsessed with trying to put her into words. What exactly … Continue reading →

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March 2022 Viewing Diary

Posted on April 3, 2022 by sheila

I’m going along my own viewing way, and then I get a gig, and everything changes. You can tell when it happens. Not announcing this gig yet, and will not be confirming or denying anything. The viewing diary is what … Continue reading →

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Ringing in the new year like …

Posted on December 31, 2021 by sheila

… Phyllis Brooks in Shanghai Express. It’s such a great character because Shanghai Express is a super weird very dark noir … but SHE thinks she’s in a screwball comedy. … Which is a pretty healthy attitude, if you think … Continue reading →

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July 2018 Viewing Diary

Posted on August 1, 2018 by sheila

Supernatural, Season 4, episode 5 “Monster Movie” (2008; d. Robert Singer) A movie-mad feast. Plus, my favorite one-night-stand-girl. (Piper is a close tie.) Supernatural, Season 4, episode 6 “Yellow Fever” (2008; d. Philip Sgriccia) An example of what the show … Continue reading →

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From Lillian Gish to James Dean: My Interview with Dan Callahan

Posted on May 9, 2018 by sheila

I had a lot of fun interviewing Dan Callahan about his new book The Art of American Screen Acting, 1912-1960. It’s now up at Slant Magazine: Mystery of Screen Acting: An Interview with Dan Callahan.

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April 2015 Viewing Diary

Posted on May 1, 2015 by sheila

About Elly (2009; d. Asghar Farhadi). At long last. Wrote it up here. Misery Loves Comedy (2015; d. Kevin Pollak). Navel-gazing documentary about comedians and how they think about what they do. A cast of thousands. Lots of great anecdotes. … Continue reading →

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Iron Ladies, Hollywood-Style

Posted on December 28, 2011 by sheila

This article originally appeared on Capital New York. It’s still up there, although it’s now part of Politico, and so I have reprinted the piece here, because I fear all of the dead links in my future. In lieu of … Continue reading →

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Brooksie Remembers

Posted on September 7, 2010 by sheila

Phyllis Brooks and Cary Grant, 1938 (photo from the personal collection of Phyllis Brooks) Katharine Hepburn recalled: Cary was linked with many women in those days. He knew all the girls and introduced many of them to Howard Hughes, whom … Continue reading →

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Noir of the Week: The Shanghai Gesture (1941)

Posted on September 6, 2010 by sheila

My piece on Josef von Sternberg’s truly bizarre film The Shanghai Gesture is now live at Noir of the Week. Go check it out! And definitely check the film out. It is unlike any other.

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Shanghai Gesture (1941); Dir. Josef von Sternberg

Posted on May 28, 2010 by sheila

A very strange movie, corrupt and bleak and fantastical, with a glacial pace, and phenomenal crowd scenes in a giant Shanghai casino (with the awesome Marcel Dalio again playing a croupier, as he did in Casablanca), Shanghai Gesture features Ona … Continue reading →

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