Shanghai 1937

1997 film

July 1997 (1997-07) (Moscow)
24 October 1997 (1997-10-24) (Germany)

Running time

180 minutesCountries

Germany
China

Languages

German
English

Shanghai 1937 (also released as Hotel Shanghai) is a 1997 German two-part miniseries directed by Peter Patzak for German Television. It was entered into the 20th Moscow International Film Festival.^[1]

Cast

Agnieszka Wagner as Helen Russell
Nicholas Clay as Bobby
James McCaffrey as Frank Taylor
Zhang Min
Dieter Laser
Robert Giggenbach
Nigel Davenport as Butler
Elliott Gould as Hutchinson
Annie Girardot as Mme. Tissaud
Patrick Ryecart as Sir Kingsdale-Smith

Reception

In a positive review for The Hollywood Reporter, Duane Byrge wrote, "Director Peter Patzak has fashioned a roiling entertainment, nicely transposing this sprawling story to a tight, filmic dimension. Technically, it's marvelous with its teeming visuals and captivating marches through old Shanghai. Highest praise to cinematographer Martin Stingl for the panoramic scopings, and particular praise to art director Qin Baisong for evoking the passions and terrors of the times."^[2]

In a negative review for Variety, Angela Baldassarre wrote, "Considering the large number of subplots, there is little room in Hotel Shanghai for character development; none of the personalities gets beyond mere introduction. The performances, thus, come across as incomplete and mediocre."^[3]

References

^ "20th Moscow International Film Festival (1997)". MIFF. Archived from the original on 22 March 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
^ Byrge, Duane (7 October 1997). "War of the Worldly: Nine diverse characters brace for imminent Japanese attack in Durniok's 'Hotel Shanghai'". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 349, no. 27. p. 19. ProQuest 2469203575.
^ Baldassarre, Angela (11 August 1997). "Hotel Shanghai". Variety. Retrieved 1 March 2023.