Shanghai Surprise (1986)

Director:

Jim Goddard

Writers:

John Kohn (screenplay) &
Robert Bentley (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

29 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A romantic adventure for the dangerous at heart.

Plot:

Glendon Wasey is a fortune hunter looking for a fast track out of China. Gloria Tatlock is a missionary...

Plot Keywords:

Opium | Critically Bashed | Adventurer | City Name In Title | Box Office Flop

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Sean Penn	...	Glendon Wasey
Madonna	...	Gloria Tatlock
Paul Freeman	...	Walter Faraday
Richard Griffiths	...	Willie Tuttle
Philip Sayer	...	Justin Kronk
Clyde Kusatsu	...	Joe Go
Kay Tong Lim	...	Mei Gan
Sonserai Lee	...	China Doll
Victor Wong	...	Ho Chong
Professor Toru Tanaka	...	Yamagani San
Michael Aldridge	...	Mr. Burns
Sarah Lam	...	China Doll's Maid
George She	...	Wu Ch'En She
Won Gam Bor	...	Rickshaw King
To Chee Kan	...	China Doll's Boatman
David Li	...	Doorman at Zig-Zag Club
Keith Bonnard	...	Maitre'D at Zig-Zag Club
Claire Lutter	...	Prostitute
Pamela Yang	...	Prostitute
Michael Chow	...	Street Barker
Samuel Tsao	...	Street Barker
Philip Tan	...	Ship's Officer
George Harrison	...	Night Club Singer

Directed by
Jim Goddard

Writing credits
John Kohn		(screenplay) &
Robert Bentley		(screenplay)
Tony Kenrick		(from the novel "Faraday's Flowers")

Produced by
Robin Douet	....	co-producer
George Harrison	....	executive producer
John Kohn	....	producer
Denis O'Brien	....	executive producer
Sara Romilly	....	associate producer

Original Music by
George Harrison
Michael Kamen

Cinematography by
Ernest Vincze		(as Ernie Vincze)

Film Editing by
Ralph Sheldon

Casting by
Judy Dennis
Ann Fielden
Patricia Pao		(as Pat Pao)

Production Design by
Peter Mullins

Art Direction by
David Minty
John Siddall

Costume Design by
Judy Moorcroft

Makeup Department
Christine Beveridge	....	makeup supervisor
Sallie Evans	....	assistant makeup artist: UK
Graham Freeborn	....	assistant makeup artist: Hong Kong
Paolo Mantini	....	hair stylist
Lau Kai Shing	....	assistant makeup artist: Hong Kong
Simon Thompson	....	supervising hair stylist
Julien Young	....	assistant hair stylist: Hong Kong

Production Management
Matthew Binns	....	unit manager: Hong Kong
David Brown	....	production manager
Titus Ho	....	production manager: Hong Kong
Peter Kohn	....	production manager
Virginia Lok	....	production manager: Hong Kong
Wan Pak Nam	....	production manager: Hong Kong

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
To Chee Kan	....	assistant director: Hong Kong
May Leung	....	assistant director: Hong Kong
Gino Marotta	....	assistant director
Patty Chan Morrison	....	first assistant director: Hong Kong (as Patty Chan)
Rupert Ryle-Hodges	....	third assistant director
Gerry Toomey	....	second assistant director
Kevin Westley	....	additional third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Amanda Ackland-Snow	....	assistant set dresser
Frank Adam	....	stand-by painter
Barry Arnold	....	propman
Brian Blues	....	supervising carpenter
Desmond Crowe	....	assistant art director
Derek Dackombe	....	supervising painter
Tony Graysmark	....	construction manager
Lee Tai Hang	....	art department assistant: Hong Kong
Bill Hargreaves	....	stand-by propman
Raymond Hawtree	....	supervising carpenter
Dave Jordan	....	property master
Horace Ma	....	art department assistant: Hong Kong
Brian Mitchell	....	stand-by stagehand
Con Murphy	....	stand-by rigger
John Park	....	construction manager
Lee Tin Pong	....	painter: Hong Kong
Ray Staples	....	supervising plasterer
Jack Stephens	....	set dresser
Ted Stickley	....	propman
Wally Tomlinson	....	property buyer
Tommy Westbrook	....	stand-by carpenter (as Tom Westbrook)

Sound Department
Chris Barnes	....	dialogue editor
Andrew Boulton	....	sound mixer
Rodney Glenn	....	foley editor
Graham Harris	....	sound effects editor
David Pearson	....	boom operator
Clive Pendry	....	assistant dubbing mixer
John Pitt	....	sound maintenance
John Poyner	....	sound editor
Hugh Strain	....	dubbing mixer

Special Effects by
David Beavis	....	special effects technician (as Dave Beavis)
Chan Hau Chung	....	special effects assistant: Hong Kong
Paul Knowles	....	special effects technician
David H. Watkins	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Geoff Axtell	....	opticals

Stunts
Andy Bradford	....	stunts
Terry Cade	....	stunts
Steve Dent	....	stunts (as Stephen Dent)
Tracey Eddon	....	stunts
Alf Joint	....	stunt coordinator
Terence Plummer	....	stunts (as Terry Plumer)

Camera and Electrical Department
David Atkinson	....	clapper loader
Neil Binney	....	camera operator
Peter Butler	....	grip
John Clark	....	best boy
George Cole	....	gaffer
Clive Coote	....	still photographer
Frederick Crawford	....	chargehand rigger
Alfie Emmins	....	electrician (as Alfred Emmins)
Terry Fu	....	assistant camera: Hong Kong
Timothy Hoh	....	assistant camera: Hong Kong
Graham Holley	....	generator operator
Robert Huke	....	camera operator (as Bob Huke)
Cheuk Man Ko	....	gaffer: Hong Kong
Ron Lenoir	....	chargehand rigger
Raymond Mills	....	electrician
Brian Smith	....	electrician
Martin Testar	....	focus puller
Nigel Seal	....	clapper loader (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Colette Koo	....	wardrobe assistant: Hong Kong
Keith Morton	....	wardrobe master
Elsa Soustre	....	wardrobe assistant: Hong Kong
Sue Wain	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
Peter Baldock	....	assistant editor
Roy Benson	....	assistant editor
Clive Hartley	....	assistant editor
Stefan Henrix	....	assistant editor
Michael Redfern	....	assistant editor (as Mike Redfern)
John Stanborough	....	color timer
Bettina Woolgar	....	assistant editor

Music Department
William Diver	....	music editor
Richard Dodd	....	music engineer
Eric Tomlinson	....	music engineer
Ray Cooper	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
John Hollywood	....	unit driver

Other crew
Maurice Binder	....	title designer
Bobby Blues	....	production accountant (as Bob Blues)
Laurie Borg	....	location manager: UK
Lesley Broderick	....	assistant accountant
Wai-Chung Chan	....	location manager: Hong Kong (as Alice Chan)
Diane Chittell	....	production coordinator
Marina Choi	....	liaison: Macau
Gordon Davis	....	assistant accountant
Wong Tai Ho Dickie	....	assistant accountant: Hong Kong
Jacky Holding	....	accounting secretary
Mark Layton	....	production assistant
Ringo Lee	....	traffic captain: Hong Kong
Peter Leung	....	marine coordinator
Shek Sui Lun	....	location assistant: Hong Kong
Andy Ma	....	location manager: Hong Kong
Bruce Osborne	....	vintage cars supplier
Pang Shing	....	location assistant: Hong Kong
Guy Tannahill	....	security consultant
Ann Tasker	....	unit publicist
Moon Yiu Wah	....	location assistant: Hong Kong
Angela Wharton	....	script supervisor (as Angela Noakes)
Wong Yiu	....	location assistant: Hong Kong
Kathy Sykes	....	production coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• HandMade Films
• Vista Organisation, The

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• América Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Artisan Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Lionsgate (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Manga Films (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (DVD)
• Video Film Express (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Abbey Road Studios  orchestral music recorded at
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  sound re-recording
• Friar Park Studios  music recorded at
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Stephen Wong Catering  catering

Also Known As:

Shanghai Express (Australia)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:12 (DVD rating) | UK:15 (original rating) | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-16 | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company:

HandMade Films

Trivia:

The original soundtrack was never officially released. In 2004, all the songs written for the movie appeared in the re-mastered version of George Harrison's album "Cloud Nine".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Wasey and Miss Tatlock catch up with Faraday in the ship's cabin, the amount of shaving-foam on Faraday's face varies between shots.

Quotes:

[first title card]
Title Card: Shanghai 1937
Title Card: The Year of the Japanese Occupation

Movie Connections:

Referenced in American Pie Presents Beta House (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Someplace Else

'Swept Away' syndrome first made its appearance 16 years earlier...

... "Lets vilify a film out of all proportion just because it's a project of Madonna and her beau"... "Shanghai Surprise" is a better film than "Swept Away", and even (whisper it) 'quite good'...

Yes, you read me right...

Had it been decided to make it without a married couple, this would've been released to little fanfare and been the quaint favourite of a select few. As it was; in 1986 everyone and their dog seemed desperate to put a spanner in the works of the 'Poison Penns' nuptials, and their intended target was starkly visible... If one is actually intelligent enough to assess it sans 'scandal mag' hysteria, it's an innocuous enough concoction. Interesting sets, a quirky character or two, 'screwball' situations... Sean Penn should've been intelligent enough to pass on what's essentially "Raiders of The Lost Ark"'s more 'insipid' step-child; but hey, he was *in love* at the time, so cut 'im some slack... ! 'Love' - the same sickness that prompted most of Madonna's other career mis-steps, as well; (Unless she fell in love with a crew-member, there's NO excuse for "Who's That Girl"... ) and she's out of her depth, here. Sean knows it too, which is why he looks uncomfortable most of the time, but he's still professional enough to wring one or two chuckles from his unscrupulous character - that's as staple in this genre as an 'ill-timed avalanche', BTW - albeit in a manner that still allows the likes of Michael Douglas to sleep safe in his bed.

The awkward pairing we're given though even adds to the fun, although presumably that WASN'T part of the producers' 'grand plan'... Remember how, in 'Temple of Doom', lots of people said the Kate Capshaw character was annoying? Well, so is Madonna here, I guess; it's just this time I don't think it was scripted that way... ! Still, it works effectively enough, as each time Sean gets exasperated with her, so do we the viewers... !

Apparently all that's needed to draw the ire of millions is one main star who's better than the material, and one who's worse... Which is which in the case of "Gigli"... ?! I haven't seen that one yet; but if it gets attacked for the same mean-spirited motives as this, then I'm actually quite looking forward to it... ! When movie stars get hitched, it's been proved that all they're doing is doubling the amount of criticism that gets thrown their way.

EDIT - It must be said, some two months later, that "Gigli" IS almost as bad as reputed... There's still nothing of the like to be wary of here, though... !