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Rating: Country: U.S.A. Release Date: May 30, 2006 Distributor: Universal Studios Director: · Tay Garnett Cast: · Marlene Dietrich · John Wayne · Albert Dekker · Broderick Crawford · Mischa Auer Related Sites: · IMDb Grade: B-

Seven Sinners, the first of five films packaged in the John Wayne - An American Icon Collection, features an all-out barroom brawl during the opening credits. The cause of the melee belongs to sexy chanteuse Bijou (Marlene Dietrich), whose very appearance seems to incite riots amid the male population wherever she is performing. This latest fracas lands the lovely Bijou in line to be deported off this particular South Sea island as an undesirable. It's apparent this hasn't been the first time she's found herself in such a predicament -- in fact, we soon learn she's been bouncing around several islands on a wave of deportation. And so, along with self-appointed protector and navy deserter Edward Patrick Finnegan (Broderick Crawford), and riff-raff extraordinaire Sasha Mencken (Mischa Auer), the entourage board a tramp steamer bound for the next lucky island in the East Indies to acquire their distinct talents.

Seven Sinners (1940) is one of five films featured in the new DVD release John Wayne - An American Icon Collection.

While deciding where she might go, Bijou befriends the ship's world-weary, alcoholic Dr. Martin (Albert Dekker). He mentions that Boni Komba's new governor and his daughter Dorothy (Anna Lee) are on board, and Bijou's next destination has been settled. Disembarking, she encounters handsome, broad-shouldered United States Navy lieutenant Dan Brent (John Wayne) who is serving as Dorothy's escort. Some brief mutual ogling transpire, but you know this is only the beginning.

Bijou heads to the Seven Sinners Café and isreunited with owner Tony (Billy Gilbert), who's not exactly thrilled to see her, since visions of his trashed establishment still permeated his memory from their last encounter. However, resident bad guy Antro (Oskar Homolka) demonstrates his knife-wielding talents and insists she be rehired, as well as Finnegan as a bouncer and Sasha as a magician.

A reception party for is thrown for Dorothy, but Dan notices the other navy officers have left prematurely to catch Bijou's performance at the café instead. The angered lieutenant confronts them and begins to give them the business for their lack of respect, when Bijou comes out dressed in full uniform and belts out "The Man's in the Navy". Dietrich looks rather dykish and unappealing, so how her supposed charisma makes the officers positively gush over her is a bit of a mystery to me. Nevertheless, Dan becomes smitten and begins a hopeless romance with her.

The governor forbids the loose-living Bijou from attending a respectable boat party for the navy, and Dan's superior orders him to remove her when she shows up for an impromptu song. Dan decides marrying her will keep her from being disrespected. Other fellow admirers aren't too keen about these upcoming nuptials. Antro uses intimidation to force Bijou to be his, and Finnegan freaks out at the thought of losing her.

The couple sees the destructive nature of their relationship and both of them love the navy enough to realize their union will do more harm than good, so they agree to part ways. Habits are hard to break, though, and Bijou sings one last song for her navy man at the café, provoking a final row involving Antro with his white-suited lackeys. Knowing she's headed for deportation yet again, she preemptively leaves the island and hooks up again with Dr. Martin, perhaps for good this time.

The film is pretty run-of-the-mill, though it has its moments of entertainment. The charm exuded by a young John Wayne is evident, and Marlene Dietrich evokes true screen presence and glamour, with that glint of naughtiness that rocketed her to stardom. Her singing left something to be desired for me, especially while she was hitting low the notes. I rather thought I would sound at least as good after a raging hangover or a few too many cigarettes. I guess it must be the looks.

Mischa Auer steals many of his scenes with his pickpocket antics, and has the funniest lines, as when he presents Bijou with a pearl necklace upon hearing she is engaged to be married: "Look, don't wear 'em right away. Give 'em time to cool off." Billy Gilbert as the befuddled café owner was at times a bit too exuberant in his portrayal, but his performance always sparked a scene. This was the first of three movies co-starring Dietrich and Wayne.

Features include the theatrical trailer, which cashes in big-time on Dietrich's "Destry Rides Again" image. While it's not closed-captioned, there are optional English, Spanish, or French subtitles as well as scene selection. It is presented in full-screen format, and in glorious black-and-white.

Running Time: 87 minutes.