From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

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This early noir drama explores the decadent lives and secret pasts of all the main characters, following many stories in an almost-surreal gambling house owned by "Mother" Gin Sling (played by Munson).

A young woman, Victoria Charteris, also known as Poppy Smith (played by Tierney), is out for some excitement in Shanghai, and enters Gin Sling's establishment.

Dragon-lady Gin Sling worked herself up from poverty to buy the casino, only to now see it in danger of being taken over by Sir Guy Charteris (played by Huston), a wealthy entrepreneur who has purchased a large area of Shanghai, and is forcing Gin Sling to vacate by the coming Chinese New Year.

Under orders from Gin Sling, who has found out Poppy is Charteris's daughter, a fez-wearing Doctor Omar (played by Mature) leads Poppy deeper and deeper into an addiction to gambling and alcohol.

Gin Sling, realizing that Charteris was her long-ago husband, who she thinks abandoned her, plans her revenge by inviting Charteris to a Chinese New Year dinner party to expose his past indiscretions. Charteris, however, has a surprise of his own to spring on Gin Sling.

Quotes

• Poppy Smith: "You said Doctor Omar. Doctor of what?"
• Doctor Omar: "Doctor of nothing, Miss Smith. It sounds important and hurts no one. Unlike most doctors."