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Shanghai Surprise

Play trailer Poster for Shanghai Surprise PG-13 1986 1h 37m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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20% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 16% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Glendon Wasey (Sean Penn) is a sleazy, down-on-his-luck con man struggling to sell glow-in-the-dark neckties in Shanghai. When he encounters the lovely Gloria Tatlock (Madonna), a nurse who wants to obtain a supply of opium to ease the suffering of her patients, he decides to help her get hold of a stolen supply of the valuable drug. The only problem is that a lot of other people want to secure the stolen opium as well -- gangsters, smugglers, thugs and a host of dangerous lowlifes.
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Shanghai Surprise

Critics Reviews

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Jason Bailey Flavorwire 09/03/2016
It feels, more than anything, like the duo went looking for a movie they could co-star in, and this was the only script that was lying around. Go to Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 09/13/2022
3/5
…a silly screwball farce, short on stunts or visceral action and clearly missing some scenes, but as a retro star vehicle, it’s out-of-stepness with the 80’s provides added value today… Go to Full Review Phil Hall EDGE Boston 04/10/2007
0/5
Madonna's incompetent performance secured her reputation as a no-talent actress...and, to date, she still hasn't been able to shake that reputation. Go to Full Review Betsy Bozdech DVDJournal.com 11/06/2006
.5/4
The sight of the Material Girl in bobby socks and a prim blue suit is one of the few funny things in the movie; too bad the laughs are unintentional. Go to Full Review Boyd van Hoeij european-films.net 06/10/2006
3/5
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 09/04/2005
2/5
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Audience Reviews

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alan g @agenser Mar 15 One of the worst movies ever made. Soundly panned universally. Madonna as a missionary? Please. Sean Panned as a sleezy con man? Absolutely. See more John S 09/24/2024 It really is a bad movie. But not nearly the worst I've ever seen. I don't need to watch it again though. (Ever.) See more Steve D 03/05/2023 No Surprise here. It is really bad. See more sean g 09/29/2022 I was surprised I really like this movie, only the second Madonna movie I have seen from start to finish. The movie is great from the get go, like a indian Jones movie, Madonna and Sean Penn act their socks off and make this movie great, the rest of the cast are great too, action drama and surprise 10/10 See more 04/18/2021 A remake of "Macao" would have served them better and displayed fewer embarrassing Asian stereotypes. See more 06/23/2020 Bubble Gum love with both in their Prime. See more Read all reviews
Shanghai Surprise

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Cast & Crew

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Jim Goddard

Director

Sean Penn

Glendon Wasey

Madonna

Gloria Tatlock

Paul Freeman

Walter Faraday

Richard Griffiths

Willite Tuttle

Philip Sayer

Justin Kronk

Movie Clips

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Shanghai Surprise

Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Fish Food Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Fish Food 2:35 Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Rickshaw Chase Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Rickshaw Chase 2:14 Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Drunk With the Ducks Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Drunk With the Ducks 2:05 Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Under Obligation Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Under Obligation 2:21 Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Someplace Else Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Someplace Else 2:14 Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Shanghai Surprise Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Shanghai Surprise 1:43 Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - The Whip and the Horse Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - The Whip and the Horse 1:53 Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - A Man Can Always Use Luck Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - A Man Can Always Use Luck 2:28 Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Sorely Lacking in Moral Fiber Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - Sorely Lacking in Moral Fiber 1:34 Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - The Devil Himself Shanghai Surprise: Official Clip - The Devil Himself 2:40 View more videos

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Shanghai Surprise

Shanghai Surprise (1986) Shanghai Surprise (1986) Shanghai Surprise (1986) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Glendon Wasey (Sean Penn) is a sleazy, down-on-his-luck con man struggling to sell glow-in-the-dark neckties in Shanghai. When he encounters the lovely Gloria Tatlock (Madonna), a nurse who wants to obtain a supply of opium to ease the suffering of her patients, he decides to help her get hold of a stolen supply of the valuable drug. The only problem is that a lot of other people want to secure the stolen opium as well -- gangsters, smugglers, thugs and a host of dangerous lowlifes.
Director
Jim Goddard
Producer
John Kohn
Screenwriter
John Kohn
Production Co
Handmade Films, The Vista Organisation
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 2, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$2.2M
Runtime
1h 37m
Sound Mix
Surround
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