We May Never Get Any Details on the Shanghai Grip

According to the gossip columns in the London papers we might never get to see the long-awaited (or perhaps feared) Madonna-directed biopic of that most famous of Shanghai sojourners Wallis Simpson. And apparently her notorious Shanghai days (and slightly less notorious Peking days) are omitted altogether it seems – so no scene of Wallis learning the infamous Shanghai Grip (and if you don’t know what that is then do try and get out more) in a Kiangse Road knocking shop. And also no mention of those long-rumoured yet never publicly revealed smutty pictures she apparently posed for while in Shanghai.

Still, it seems the film – W.E. – will be premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September if Harvey Weinstein (no less) can finish the edit he himself is reportedly undertaking due to the original cuts total awfulness. Critics in London have been sniping that there is no saving the movie sadly. Especially sad as I thought Andrea Riseborough would make a great Wallis anywhere from Shanghai to Cannes – let’s face it any actress who can make Maggie Thatcher look a bit sexy (which she did as a young Margaret in The Long Walk to Finchley), was brilliant in The Devil’s Whore and was such a superb Rose in the recent Brighton Rock remake should do well as Wallis.

But it looks like the film will get panned and Wallis doing the Shanghai Grip unfilmed. As to when the film will be on at your local Odeon, that’s anyone’s guess.