One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Monday July 9, 7pm, The Paramount, Seattle"Just imagine the whole place being upset by one little Chinese girl in the scullery." A failing nightclub owner abandons his star for a beautiful Chinese dishwasher, who becomes an exotic sensation. Shosho leaves her old life behind and blossoms in the spotlight, while bitter, jilted Mabel withers on the vine, setting the stage for a tragic confrontation.Directed by a cornerstone of Weimar cinema, the great E. A. Dupont, and exquisitely photographed by Werner Brandes, Piccadillly was British International Pictures "…most expensive and prestigious production at the time." Featured performers include Thomas Jameson as Valentine the amoral boss, Gilda Gray as his faded star, Cyril Ritchard as her fawning partner and Anna May Wong in a dazzling role as the drudge turned star who saves the Piccadilly Club. Charles Laughton's cameo as a drunken, temperamental patron is memorable.In spectacular fashion, Piccadilly exposes the seedy underbelly of nineteen-twenties nightclub life, from the box-office to the scullery, and the fish rots from the head down.

I don't know who the clothing designer was but Anna May Wong looked simply fabulous as the sinuous Oriental dancer, Shosho. It was ironic that Anna had to travel to England to be given a flesh and blood role that allowed her to give an in-depth characterization. Of course after this it was back to America where, apart from the title role in "Daughter of the Dragon", it was back to stereo typical Oriental temptress roles - and she even had to compete with Myrna Loy for a time. She was literally given the role of a lifetime in this superb film. Art direction by Alfred Junge has a very decadent 20s Art Nouveau look and the photography by Werner Brandes captures the high society of London's West End ("This Year of Grace" is playing) to the seedy cabaret life of "my Piccadilly" as Valentine says. Director E.A. Dupont can point to this as a career highlight in a mostly unsatisfactory career. Eventually ending up in Hollywood, the director of the magnificent "Varietie" and "Atlantic" was given directorial assignments of the calibre of "Ladies Must Love" and even "Hell's Kitchen" featuring the Dead End Kids. Initially going to Hollywood in 1927 after his triumph with "Varietie", he left in disappointment after being given a sentimental melodrama to direct. He went to England and set up his own distribution company - World Wide Pictures - "Photoplays Made Where the Story's Laid" and the first movie made was "Moulin Rouge". Even though it was filmed mostly at Elstree, it was a great success and for his next movie Dupont turned to an actual locale in London with Piccadilly. The film was based on a novel by Arnold Bennett and the author also supplied his own scenario.Vic and Mabel (Cyril Richard and Gilda Gray), the top dance act, are the talk of the town - so say the patrons of the Piccadilly Club. And what a club, with an inhouse orchestra of the DeBroy Somers Band (they were one of Britain's premier dance bands of the 20s, it was a pity some of their music couldn't have been incorporated into the soundtrack instead of the rather cheesy score). With a curved balcony and arched staircase overlooking a magnificent ballroom, the setting is super. Valentine Wilmot (Jameson Thomas) is the jaded manager (is there any other kind)??? - as one diner says he started the club and he made it!!!An incident involving a dirty plate (Charles Laughton has a cameo as a disgruntled customer) leads Valentine to the scullery where he discovers Shosho (Wong). Her tantalizing dancing on the tabletop distracts the dishwashers from their work so when Victor departs for America, hoping to leave the club in the lurch, Valentine brings in Shosho as his new dancing star. Mabel (who has a secret yen for Valentine) is horrified - "She can't dance, they'll laugh at her - and you!!" Of course Shosho is a sensation, her shimmering dance leaves the audience spellbound and Mabel distraught as she knows she will no longer be the toast of London!!!Valentine now begins an affair with Shosho - her "intended", Jim, is unhappy, he accidentally sees the mascot he gave her, a tiny Buddha, in Valentine's office - she said she lost it, but someone else is not quite pleased about it either!!! The sensational ending is soon yesterday's news as an excited tipster in more concerned with his race winnings than the sordid headlines and as the new variety show says "Life Goes On"!!!Jameson Thomas was dissatisfied with his career in British movies so went to Hollywood where he was continually cast as a villain or lounge lizard ("Extravagance", "It Happened One Night"). Gilda Gray had a patchy career - her private life was far more exciting but all her movies gave her a chance to dance the shimmy - the dance she made famous!!!

"Piccadilly" features some Hitchcockian touches, and I was taken aback by the talent and allure of Anna May Wong as "Sho Sho"...Hollywood has always loved the curvaceous blonde, from Harlow to Monroe. No wonder brunettes Louise Brooks and Anna May Wong were passed over by Hollywood. Brooks by her own independent attitude...Ms. Wong, simply from prejudice....she was 'non-white'. She is lovely in this film. Unlike some, I was not put off by the 'modern' soundtrack. I am quite put off by the fact that we did not see Ms. Wong in more starring roles...I think of all of the terrible vehicles that Garbo and Dietrich starred in. Yes, they were lovely creatures, but Ms. Wong, without the prejudice, without World War II (doesn't matter if she was Chinese, she was perceived only as an oriental 'dragon lady'), had the beauty and talent to have been recognized as a true 'star' of her time.

2004 was a very good year for fans of the actress Anna May Wong. It saw a Wong retrospective here in NYC's Museum of Modern Art, the first biography about Ms. Wong, by Graham Russell Gao Hodges, AND the rerelease of 1929's "Piccadilly," shown for the first time in decades. I so enjoyed this film when I saw it on the big screen that year that I decided to have another look at it on this fresh DVD, and my, how good it does look! A fascinating story of the rise of a young Chinese woman from scullery maid to feature dancer at a posh London nightclub, "Piccadilly" is a good introduction to Ms. Wong's many charms for those who have not had the pleasure before, or for those many who enjoyed her work in 1932's "Shanghai Express" and have found it hard to see her elsewhere. "Piccadilly," though a late silent, somehow feels strangely modern, and is beautifully shot and marvelously acted by all. The only disappointment for me regarding this DVD rental was with one of the many extras: a panel discussion about Anna May, hosted by B. Ruby Rich in 3/04 at San Francisco's Castro Theatre and including author Hodges AND another legendary Chinese actress, Nancy Kwan. The sound quality of this extra was so extremely echoed and garbled that it was impossible for me to decipher more than a few words of what I'm sure was a fascinating discussion. Doesn't anybody do a quality check on these DVDs before they're released? Whotta disappointment, indeed!