Shanghai Surprise (1986)
Synopsis of Shanghai Surprise
Madonna and Sean Penn, who were husband and wife at the time, starred in this notorious box-office bomb that one critic termed "Flop Suey." The film takes place in 1937, during the Japanese occupation of China. Drug runner Walter Faraday (Paul Freeman) is trying to leave the country with a large stash of opium but he is chased by armed guards and killed. A year passes and missionary Gloria Tatlock (Madonna) hires sleazy American con man Glendon Wasey (Sean Penn) to help her find the missing opium. She wants to use the drugs to relieve the suffering of wounded Chinese soldiers -- as she puts it, "Guns cause pain. Opium eases pain." Glendon reluctantly agrees. But unfortunately for the two do-gooders, there are other, more notorious seekers of the opium shipment as well. George Harrison, one of the film's producers, wrote the songs and appears in a cameo role as a nightclub singer. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 93 mins
Complete Cast of Shanghai Surprise
- Sean Penn - Glendon Wasey
- Paul Freeman - Walter Faraday/Father Burns
- Philip Sayer - Justin Kronk
- Sonserai Lee - China Doll
- Michael Aldridge - Mr. Burns
- Won Gam Bor - Rickshaw King
- George She - Wu Ch'En She
- Claire Lutter - Prostitute
- Victor Wong - Ho Chong
- David Li - Doorman at Zig-Zag Club
- Philip Tan - Ship's Officer
- Michael Chow - Street Barker
- Madonna - Gloria Tatlock
- Richard Griffiths - Willie Tuttle
- Clyde Kusatsu - Joe Go
- Prof. Toru Tanaka - Yamagani San
- Sarah Lam - China Doll's maid
- Lim Kay Tong - Mei Gan
- Keith Bonnard - Maitre'D at Zig-Zag Club
- Pamela Yang - Prostitute
- Samuel Tsao - Street Barker
- George Harrison - Nightclub Singer
- To Chee Kan - China Doll's Boatman
- Director(s):
- Jim Goddard
- Writer(s):
- John Kohn, Robert Bentley, Tony Kenrick
- Producer(s):
- John Kohn
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG13(Adult Language, Adult Situations, Brief Nudity, Violence, Questionable for Children, Mild Violence)
- Categories:
- Comedy
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