There was only one person in Hollywood who could pull off a top hat and tuxedo as good as Fred Astaire and that was Marlene Dietrich. Despite the fame of Marlene's black tie ensemble, the two movies we will be discussing in this episode will feature the legendary actress in much less formal outfits. The first film, Destry Rides Again (1939), is a Western with equal combination of slapstick and gun toting. Dietrich portrays a cabaret singer in a corrupt saloon in the Wild West where if you just lose your money you've done ok. Jimmy Stewart is also in this film doing a fantastic job as the new sheriff in town who spends more time whittling than shooting. The next film is Touch of Evil (1958), a film noir directed and starred in by Orson Welles as well as Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh. The film begins with what is perhaps the greatest single-take scene in history. Marlene Dietrich, portraying the long-term owner of a brothel frequented by Welles' character, only makes a relatively short appearance in this film. But those few minutes are all she needs to make a glamorous entrance and exit. Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. We apologise for any disruptions in audio caused by our needing to record remotely to comply with COVID conditions.