She had a strange effect on a cinema audience.
An aloof sexuality which could easily be regarded as ridiculous if you are not in the mood for such behaviour.
How much of her career was created by Von Sternberg is difficult to know.
Barely anything before his 'discovery' of her in 1930 is worth a light and her 24 odd films after 1935 do not really support the star status of those 5 years.
And in any of them her singing needs to be experienced to be believed.
If you were sitting on the fence perhaps that'll make it easier to make up your mind.
Still a great cinema icon, if only in stills and film clips.
Had seemingly endless affairs with both men and women which kept her in the limelight even if her films were not.
Refused to do films for Hitler
Returned to film in 1978 with 'Just a Gigolo' pretty much a way of obtaining money.
Better as the voice in the film documentary Marlene [1984]
Spent her final years in Paris, reclusive and on the phone.
Fascinating to read about if not to watch.