Piccadilly (1929) is a British film directed by Ewald André Dupont, written by Arnold Bennett and starring Gilda Gray, Anna May Wong, and Jameson Thomas. The film was produced by British International Pictures and released by Wardour Films Ltd. in the UK, and distributed in the US by Sono Art-World Wide Pictures.

In 2004, the film was re-released by Milestone Films after an extensive restoration, with music scored by Neil Brand. It appeared in theatres in 2004 at film festivals nationwide, and in 2005 it was released on DVD.

Plot[link]

Valentine Wilmot's London nightclub and restaurant, Piccadilly Circus, is a great success due to his star attraction, dancing partners Mabel (Gilda Gray) and Vic (Cyril Ritchard). One night, a dissatisfied diner (Charles Laughton) disrupts Mabel's solo with his loud complaint about a dirty plate. When Wilmot investigates, he finds Shosho (Anna May Wong) distracting the other dishwashers with her dancing. He fires her on the spot.

After the performance, Vic tries to persuade Mabel to become his partner offstage as well as on, and to go to Hollywood with him. She coldly rebuffs him, as she is romantically involved with Wilmot. That night, Wilmot summons Vic to his office. Before Wilmot can fire him, Vic quits.

That turns out to be disastrous for the nightclub. The customers had come to see Vic, not Mabel. Business drops off dramatically. In desperation, Wilmot hires Shosho to perform a Chinese dance. She insists that her boyfriend Jim play the accompanying music. Shosho is an instant sensation, earning a standing ovation after her first performance.

Both Mabel and Jim become jealous of the evident attraction between Shosho and Wilmot. Mabel breaks off her relationship with Wilmot.

One night, Shosho invites Wilmot to be the first to see her new rooms. Mabel has followed the couple and waits outside. After Wilmot leaves, she persuades Jim to let her in. She pleads with her romantic rival to give Wilmot up, saying he is too old for her, but Shosho replies that it is Mabel who is too old, and that she will keep him. When Mabel reaches into her purse for a handkerchief, Shosho sees a pistol inside and grabs a dagger used as a wall decoration. Frightened, Mabel picks up the gun, then faints.

The next day, the newspapers report that Shosho has been murdered. Wilmot is charged with the crime. During the ensuing trial, he admits that the pistol is his, but refuses to divulge what happened that night. Jim testifies that Wilmot was Shosho's only visitor. Things look bad. Then Mabel insists on telling her story. However, she can recall nothing after fainting until she found herself running in the streets. Realizing that either Mabel or Jim must be lying, the judge summons Jim. By then, however, Jim has shot himself at Shosho's mausoleum. As he lays dying, he confesses he killed Shosho.

Trivia[link]

• Anna May Wong (as Shosho) signs her contract with the characters 黃柳霜, which is actually her real Chinese name Huáng Liǔshuāng.

Cast[link]

• Gilda Gray as Mabel Greenfield
• Anna May Wong as Shosho
• Jameson Thomas as Valentine Wilmot
• Charles Laughton as A Nightclub Diner
• Cyril Ritchard as Victor Smiles (as Cyrill Ritchard)
• King Hou Chang as Jim (as King Ho Chang)
• Hannah Jones as Bessie, Shosho's friend and dishwashing supervisor

External links[link]

• Piccadilly at the Internet Movie Database
• Piccadilly at AllRovi
• Sweet, Matthew (6 February 2008). "Snakes, slaves and seduction". London: The Guardian. http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,2253167,00.html. Retrieved 2008-02-09.