With Maurice Chevalier and Gary Cooper
In this entertaining show, journalist and writer Terry Sanderson explores the many aspects of Marlene Dietrich’s complex personality, as a movie star, war hero, cabaret artiste, atheist – and a woman with an ambiguous sexuality. She defied pigeonholes and would constantly reinvent herself throughout her extraordinary life.
With James Stewart in Destry Rides Again
This evening’s event showcases Marlene’s legendary movie career using generous film clips. She began her career as a stage actress in 1920s Berlin and then moved into silent films. Her performance as Lola-Lola in The Blue Angel (1930), directed by Josef von Sternberg, brought her international fame and a contract with Paramount Pictures in Hollywood, where she became one of the highest paid actresses of the era. Dietrich starred in six films directed by von Sternberg at Paramount between 1930 and 1935, including Shanghai Express, Blonde Venus and The Devil is a Woman. She went on to star opposite James Stewart in Destry Rides Again, and to work with such distinguished directors as Billy Wilder, Fritz Lang, Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles.
Performing in the 1960s
With the approach of war, Marlene renounced her German nationality and took up American citizenship. Terry Sanderson draws upon rare archive footage to give a moving tribute to her phenomenal work as an anti-Nazi during World War II, which resulted in a Medal of Freedom from the Americans and the Legion d’Honneur from France – the highest civilian honours of both countries. She not only gave morale-boosting performances for Allied troops, but was also involved in propaganda work to undermine the German army, and helped Jewish artists fleeing Nazi oppression.
After the war came another incarnation – as a celebrated cabaret performer, touring the world with her one-woman show. Our evening culminates with a screening of a complete show recorded live in Sweden in 1963. Accompanied by Burt Bacharach and his orchestra, Dietrich is captured here in sparkling form!
This event is expected to end around 22.00.
Tickets & Pricing
Spring Season 2011 ticketing applies.
