Blonde Venus
- Director: Josef von Sternberg
- Writer: Jules Furthman; Josef von Sternberg
- Producer: Josef von Sternberg
CGiii Comment
Has to be watched for Marlene's brand of androgyny...
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
American chemist Ned Faraday marries a German entertainer and starts a family. However, he becomes poisoned with Radium and needs an expensive treatment in Germany to have any chance at being cured. Wife Helen returns to night club work to attempt to raise the money and becomes popular as the Blonde Venus. In an effort to get enough money sooner, she prostitutes herself to millionaire Nick Townsend. While Ned is away in Europe, she continues with Nick but when Ned returns cured, he discovers her infidelity. Now Ned despises Helen but she grabs son Johnny and lives on the run, just one step ahead of the Missing Persons Bureau. When they do finally catch her, she loses her son to Ned. Once again she returns to entertaining, this time in Paris, and her fame once again brings her and Townsend together. Helen and Nick return to America engaged, but she is irresistibly drawn back to her son and Ned. In which life does she truly belong?
Cast & Characters
Marlene Dietrich as Helen Faraday, aka Helen Jones;
Herbert Marshall as Edward 'Ned' Faraday;
Cary Grant as Nick Townsend;
Dickie Moore as Johnny Faraday;
Gene Morgan as Ben Smith;
Rita La Roy as Taxi Belle Hooper;
Robert Emmett O'Connor as Dan O'Connor;
Sidney Toler as Detective Wilson;
Morgan Wallace as Dr. Pierce;
Clarence Muse as Charlie, the Bartender;
Eric Alden as Guard;
Harold Berquist as Big Fellow;
Al Bridge as Bouncer;
Glen Cavender as Ship's Officer;
Emile Chautard as Chautard, French Nightclub Manager