Seven Sinners (UK title Cafe of the Seven Sinners) is a 1940 American drama romance film directed by Tay Garnett starring Marlene Dietrich and John Wayne in the first of three films they made together. The film was produced by Universal Pictures in black and white.
Plot
Torch singer Bijou Blanche has been kicked off one South Seas island after another. She is accompanied by naval deserter Edward Patrick 'Little Ned' Finnegan and magician/pickpocket Sasha Mencken. Eventually, she meets a handsome young naval officer, Lt. Dan Brent, and the two fall in love. When Brent vows to marry Bijou, his commander and others plead with him to leave her.
Cast
Marlene Dietrich as Bijou Blanche
John Wayne as Lt. Dan Brent
Albert Dekker as Dr. Martin
Broderick Crawford as Edward Patrick 'Little Ned' Finnegan
Anna Lee as Dorothy Henderson
Mischa Auer as Sasha Mencken
Billy Gilbert as Tony
Richard Carle as District Officer
Samuel S. Hinds as Gov. Harvey Henderson
Oskar Homolka as Antro
Reginald Denny as Capt. Church
Vince Barnett as Bartender
Herbert Rawlinson as First Mate
James Craig as Ensign
William Bakewell as Ens. Judson
Production
Dietrich had just revived her career with Destry Rides Again (1939) and this film featured many of the same elements, including cast members Mischa Auer, Billy Gilbert and Samuel S. Hinds. She was paid $150,000 for her performance.
The film was the second American film for Anna Lee (although the first to be released). She says Marlene Dietrich insisted Lee dye her hair from blonde to brown so she would not clash with Dietrich. She also says Dietrich selected John Wayne as her leading man after spotting him in the commissary and saying to producer Joe Pasternak, "Mommy wants that for Christmas."
Filming took place from July to September 14, 1940. In 1950, the film was remade as South Sea Sinner, starring Macdonald Carey and Shelley Winters.