The Foreign Legion marches in to Mogador with booze and women in mind just as singer Amy Jolly arrives from Paris to work at Lo Tinto's cabaret. That night, insouciant legionnaire Tom Brown catches her inimitably seductive, tuxedo-clad act. Both bruised by their past lives, the two edge cautiously into a no-strings relationship while being pursued by others. But Tom must leave on a perilous mission: is it too late for them?
Gary Cooper
Légionnaire Tom Brown
Marlene Dietrich
Mademoiselle Amy Jolly
Adolphe Menjou
Monsieur La Bessiere
Ullrich Haupt
Adjudant Caesar
Eve Southern
Madame Caesar
Francis McDonald
Sergeant Tatoche
Paul Porcasi
Lo Tinto
Émile Chautard
French General (uncredited)
Juliette Compton
Anna Dolores (uncredited)
Albert Conti
Col. Quinnovieres (uncredited)
Thomas A. Curran
Minor Role (uncredited)
Theresa Harris
Camp Follower (uncredited)
Lillian Savin
Moroccan Tart (uncredited)
Harry Schultz
German Sergeant (uncredited)
Philip Sleeman
Cafe Customer (uncredited)
Michael Visaroff
Colonel Alexandre Barratière (uncredited)
Director
Josef von Sternberg
Theatre Play, Writer
Benno Vigny
Writer
Jules Furthman
March 2, 2024
7
Before there was Mogadon, there was Mogador - a town in Morocco in which the wealthy "La Bessiere" (Adolphe Menjou) might have wished for more of the former! His problems all stem from his infatuation with the recently arrived cabaret dancer "Amy" (Marlene Dietrich) who is wowing the crowds in her elegant tuxedo, top hat and stilettos. Also amongst her audience is the roguish legionnaire "Brown" (Gary Cooper) who takes a shine to her and even pays 20F for one of her apples! What now ensues is a lightly comedic love-triangle enterprise peppered with two full length numbers from Dietrich and a little naughtiness from Cooper that sends him deep into the treacherous desert. To be fair, Cooper is not the most impactful here - his performance is just a little too undercooked, but she is on great form as she mischievously plays both men and I did feel a little sorry for Menjou's lovestruck character used to buying everything he wanted. The production is gently tempered with a little sexual fluidity. That's not especially new for European audiences, but I reckon those across the pond might not have been quite so used to a woman so demonstrably fully equipped to function and thrive in a man's world! The scene at the end really did make wonder if "Amy" had really thought things through, though...
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$0.00