Screen Test of Time, Ep. 22: Shanghai Express

Screen Test of Time is a podcast where Suzan Eraslan and David Daw set out to watch every movie ever nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, in order, from the first awards season to, eventually, the present day. Each week, they watch and review a different movie, and when they've watched everything nominated in a particular year, they tell you whether the Oscar went to the right one! 

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CONTENT WARNING: This week's episode briefly refers to a scene of sexual assault and extensively discusses issues of racism and representation in Hollywood. 

Shanghai Express has so much going for it: Marlene Dietrich smolders, the cinematography is gorgeous, the cast is funny, the costumes ravishing, the dialogue smart. So why aren't Suzan and David in raptures and awarding it their first 10? Can a film that indicts its racist characters still be a racist film? Find out on this week's Screen Test of Time! 

SHOW NOTES

Year Eligible: 1931/1932  (nominated)

Music: Clip from Shanghai Express