Expert: Mel - 7/8/2004

Question
What are his best films

Answer
Hello Kevin,

I can only give you my personal opinion in answer to your question. Other people may have other ideas on what were and were not his best films.

So I will answer you as if you had never seen a Sternberg film before and were looking for a good place to start. My choices will, of course, have to take in his wonderful collaborations with Marlene Deitrich and Emil Jannings:

Underworld (1927)
The Docks of New York (1928)
The Last Command (1928)
The Blue Angel (1930)
Morocco (1930)
Blonde Venus (1932)
Shanghai Express (1932)
The Scarlet Empress (1934)

And, from a later era:
Jet Pilot (1957)

My own favourite would have to be either "Shanghai Express" or "The Scarlet Empress". Sternberg really knew how to make the most of Deitrich.

As I said, these are just my personal choices.

Hope that helps. Cheers......Mel.