The Big Picture
- Marlene Dietrich's iconic roles in films like "A Foreign Affair" and "The Scarlet Empress" showcase her raw allure and legendary screen presence.
- In films like "Stage Fright" and "Touch of Evil," Dietrich's famous allure and elusive persona shine, making her one of the best fit for Alfred Hitchcock's movies.
- Dietrich's performance in films like "Blonde Venus" and "Witness for the Prosecution" demonstrate her commitment and talent as an actress, solidifying her status as an iconic screen legend.
Marlene Dietrich is one of the greatest icons of the silver screen. Known for her impossibly high cheekbones and captivating voice, Dietrick rose to prominence in silent cinema before achieving international fame and acclaim with her performance as Lola-Lola in Josef von Sternberg's dramedy The Blue Angel.
Named the ninth-greatest screen icon from Hollywood's Golden Age by the American Film Institute, Dietrich has a long and revered career that saw her explore numerous genres. In a career spanning 70 years, Dietrich starred in numerous films, many of which have become enduring classics of American cinema.
10 'A Foreign Affair (1948)
Billy Wilder directed Deitrich opposite Jean Arthur and John Lund in the 1948 romantic drama A Foreign Affair. The plot revolves around a US Army captain in post-WWII Berlin torn between a former Nazi café singer and the congresswoman investigating her.
Dietrich is stellar as the quasi-femme fatale Erika von Schlütow, a torch singer with a Nazi past and an ace beneath her sleeve. The actress glides across the scene, avoiding outright villainy by playing Erika as a witty and sassy entertainer seeking the most basic comforts. Still, it's Dietrich's musical numbers that are A Foreign Affair's real stars, with the actress exuding sex appeal and charisma as few others could.
9 'The Scarlet Empress' (1934)
Catherine the Great is the subject of many Hollywood biopics, including Josef von Sternberg's 1934's drama The Scarlet Empress. Dietrich stars as Catherine, with the film chronicling her loveless marriage to Peter III, her many lovers, and her plans to oust her dimwitted husband from the throne.
The Scarlet Empress benefits from Dietrich's raw allure and confident manner. The actress is effortless as Catherine, embodying her greatness with subtle yet striking choices — a hand movement, a knowing smile, or a head tilt. The Scarlet Empress is far from one of the all-time best biopics, but it excels as a showcase for Dietrich's legendary screen presence.
8 'Stage Fright' (1950)
Dietrich's only collaboration with the iconic Alfred Hitchcock came with the 1950 noir thriller Stage Fright. The plot centers on the young ingenue Eve, who believes her ex-boyfriend Jonathan Cooper is innocent of the murder he's being accused of. Assuming different costumes, she'll attempt to uncover the truth. Deitrich plays the deceptive Charlotte Inwood, Jonathan's lover and the victim's wife.
With her famous allure and elusive persona, Dietrich was made to star in Hitchcock movies; thus, it's strange she only made one with the acclaimed director. Stage Fright might not be essential Hitchcock, but it is essential Dietrich; the film utilizes her talents stellarly and provides her with one of her most well-known roles.
7 'Touch of Evil' (1958)
Orson Welles' 1958 film noir Touch of Evil stars Welles opposite Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, and Dietrich in a small but pivotal role. The plot centers on a Mexican policeman investigating an explosion on the US-Mexico border. When he suspects the US Captain in charge of the investigation is planting evidence to frame an innocent man, he must do his best to solve the crime and protect himself and his new bride.
Dietrich plays the enigmatic madam Tanya. Although her role is reduced and limited to delivering cryptic lines, Dietrich makes the most of it, shining despite her character's barely-developed persona. Touch of Evil is a pulpy and twisting mystery that ranks among the Golden Age's best film noirs, although it could use a tad more Dietrich.
6 'Blonde Venus' (1932)
Josef von Sternberg understood Dietrich's strengths as a performer better than any other director. The 1932 classic Blonde Venus might not be the duo's best collaboration, but it is one of Dietrich's finest on-screen works. The film tells the story of Helen Faraday, the Blonde Venus, a nightclub singer forced to become the mistress of a wealthy playboy to support her son and ailing husband.
Blonde Venus is uneven and occasionally overly dramatic. However, Dietrich keeps things afloat with a raw and committed performance that makes up for any flaws in the screenplay. Dietrich's appeal leaps out of the screen, making Helen feel like a real, nuanced character. Like many of her famous roles, Helen could easily be a tragic victim, but Dietrich outright refuses to succumb to that thankless fate.
5 'Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
-10.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Billy Wilder reunited with Dietrich in the 1957 courtroom mystery drama Witness for the Prosecution. Based on Agatha Christie's eponymous play, the film revolves around a mild-mannered man accused of murdering a wealthy woman. To his lawyer Sir Wilfrid Robarts' surprise, the man's duplicitous wife, Christine, chooses to testify against him, leading to a series of secrets and lies emerging.
Dietrich is in her element as the brilliant and manipulative Christine, engaging in a twisting and entertaining battle of wits against Tyrone Powers and Charles Laughton. Witness for the Prosecution is among the all-time best courtroom dramas and one of Wilder's most celebrated efforts, a genre-bending mystery that brings the best out of the iconic Dietrich.
4 'Shanghai Express (1932)
_by_Don_English.png?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Josef von Sternberg's seminal classic Shanghai Express stars Dietrich alongside Clive Brook, Anna May Wong, and Warner Oland. The plot follows several passengers held hostage in a train by a ruthless warlord during the Chinese Civil War. In one of her most iconic roles, Dietrich plays the courtesan known as Shanghai Lily.
In more ways than one, Shanghai Express is a star vehicle for Dietrich. The actress confidently anchors the film, crafting a strong and domineering character matched in wit and purpose by Wong's imperious Hui Fei. Shanghai Express indulges in some questionable depictions of Asian culture, but the film remains visually stunning and narratively rich enough to make it a worthwhile and vital watch.
3 'Judgment At Nuremberg' (1961)
Stanley Kramer's star-studded courtroom drama Judgment at Nuremberg is among the best films from the 1960s. The film dramatizes the infamous Judges' Trial of 1947 and stars an ensemble cast including Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Maximilian Schell, Judy Garland, and Dietrich.
A three hour epic, Judgment at Nuremberg is a grueling yet thought-provoking experience. Dietrich is outstanding as Frau Bertholt, the widow of a German general executed by the Allies. Shining in a supporting role and making full use of her celebrated magnetism, Dietrich makes a meal out of her scenes opposite Spencer Tracy. Tragic but never weak, Dietrich's Bertholt is among her finest creations.
2 'Morocco' (1932)
Few cinematic images are more iconic than that of Marlene Dietrich wearing a tuxedo and top hat and smoking a cigarette in Josef von Sternberg's 1932 classic Morocco. Set during the Rif War in Morocco, the pre-Code romantic drama stars Dietrich as Mademoiselle Amy Jolly, a cabaret singer who falls in love with a womanizing Legionaire played by Gary Cooper.
Dietrich is a vision in Morocco. Embodying the raw sexual magnetism that would turn her into a screen legend, Dietrich dominates every frame in the film, assuming the traditionally masculine role and reaffirming von Sternberg's efforts to subvert traditional gender roles. Morocco gave Dietrich her only Oscar nomination for Best Actress, an honor she probably should've won.
1 'The Blue Angel' (1930)
Dietrich became a household name with von Sternberg's 1930 pre-code romantic drama The Blue Angel. Emil Jannings stars as Immanuel Rath, a respected professor whose obsession with the beautiful cabaret headliner Lola Lola leads him down a path of self-destruction and mental illness.
Dietrich is fascinating as Lola Lola, delivering arguably her best on-screen performance. Cruel and self-serving, Lola Lola is one of cinema's most infamous deathly women, with Dietrich playing her with raw and fiery conviction. Lola Lola is an overwhelming creature of sheer desire, to the point where it isn't hard to believe Rath would give everything for her. The Blue Angel is a classic tale of perdition and obsession, powered by Dietrich's spectacular performance.