Morocco (film)

Morocco is a 1930 American PreCode romance drama film directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich, and Adolphe Menjou. Based on the novel Amy Jolly by Benno Vigny and adapted by Jules Furthman, the film is about a cabaret singer and a Legionnaire who fall in love during the Rif War, but their relationship is complicated by his womanizing and the appearance of a rich man who is also in love with her. The film is most famous for the scene in which Dietrich performs a song dressed in a mans tailcoat and kisses another woman to the embarrassment of the latter, both of which were rather scandalous for the period.

The film is set in the late 20s. It opens in Morocco, with the French Foreign Legion returning from a campaign. Among them is Lgionnaire Private Tom Brown Gary Cooper. Meanwhile, on a ship bound for Morocco is the disillusioned nightclub singer Amy Jolly Marlene Dietrich. Wealthy La Bessire Adolphe Menjou attempts to make her acquaintance, offering to assist her on her first trip to Morocco. When she politely refuses any help, he gives her his calling card, which she later tears up and tosses away.They meet again at the nightclub where she is a new headliner. Also in the audience is Private Tom Brown Gary Cooper. Amy, who comes out in a tophat and tails, is first greeted by boos, which she coolly ignores. Tom begins to clap, interrupting their jeers, and others follow suit. After the noise subsides she sings her number and is met with ecstatic applause. Seeing a woman in the audience with a flower in her hair, she asks if she may keep it, to which the woman responds of course. She playfully kisses the woman on the mouth, and throws the flower to Private Tom Brown. Her second performance, this time in feminine dress, is also a hit. After the number she sells apples to the audience, including La Bessire and Tom Brown. When Amy gives the latter his change, she slips him her key. ........

Source: Wikipedia