Piccadilly (Blu-ray)

E.A. Dupont's stunning London-set silent, starring Anna May Wong

Valentine Wilmot, the owner of the popular Piccadilly Club finds his lead male attraction, Victor Smiles (Cyril Ritchard) has quit and that the public has judged Victor’s partner Mabel as over the hill. Though they are lovers, Valentine must find another dancer to replace Mabel or face an uncertain future. When a customer (Charles Laughton in his first feature film) complains of a dirty dish, Valentine discovers the answer to all his problems down in the club’s scullery…

After many years of supporting roles in Hollywood, Anna May Wong left for Europe in search of better roles. And did she find one. Her electric, sexually-charged performance in Piccadilly is a revelation. The camera adores her, and against Alfred Junge’s astonishing set design, her beauty glows in every frame. Piccadilly was the brilliant apex to Ewald André Dupont’s trilogy of backstage life (Varieté and Moulin Rouge), showcasing the director’s signature mix of great acting, amazing imagery and astonishing camera movements.

"It’s a bold, beautifully crafted, modern picture… one of the truly great films of the silent era"

Martin Scorsese