Dietrich sans glamour
“Golden Earrings” is an oddity. A comedy-drama of the post-World War II era, it is the tale of a military officer and his misadventures with a gypsy woman during the war. Amid the immediate danger from Nazis, the film weaves in elements of screwball comedy. It also downplays its leading lady’s well-established sex appeal and showcases female empowerment decades before it became fashionable in Hollywood.<br /><br />British Brigadier General Ralph Denistoun (Ray Milland) is the subject of gossip at his club because of his pierced ears, an indication that he once wore earrings, an extremely unusual affectation in the 1940s. When he receives a package containing two gold hoop earrings, he immediately books a flight to the continent. On the plane, he tells the tale of his earlobes to his curious seat mate, and we flash back years earlier.<br /><br />Because he speaks perfect German, Denistoun — then a colonel — is sent to Germany before the war, assisted by young officer Richard Byrd (Bruce Lester), to spirit away the formula for a poison gas the Germans are developing. The Nazis capture them but eventually they escape, stealing SS uniforms and a car in the process. They soon ditch the car and go separate ways, planning to meet later at an appointed spot.<br /><br />Denistoun, exhausted and hungry after a long trek through a forest, comes upon gypsy woman Lydia (Marlene Dietrich), conveniently traveling alone. She offers Denistoun food and a place to rest. She senses he’s on the run and invites him to travel with her disguised as a gypsy. This means darkening his skin, dressing him in her latest ex-husband’s clothes, and piercing his ears to accommodate a pair of earrings.<br /><br />They ride in her wagon to a gypsy camp, where Zoltan (Mervyn Vye), a burly man who has a claim to Lydia, picks a fight with Denistoun. Zoltan relinquishes his claim after losing the slugfest, becomes an ally rather than a rival, and sings the title song in a deep baritone-basso.<br /><br />After the couple’s lengthy, often comic escapades, the tone shifts abruptly as the plot resumes its war adventure beginning, then returns to the present for the final scene.<br /><br />Dietrich is the main attraction here. With ragged, bulky skirts hiding her figure, equally ragged scarves over her hair, and her face obscured by brown greasepaint, she is hardly the glamour goddess she played in her Josef von Sternberg films. Lydia is a character role and Dietrich has fun with it, pawing Milland unhampered by societal norms, and immersing herself in the silliness of the plot. She upstages Milland in every scene.<br /><br />Denistoun is a rigid British officer dedicated to accomplishing a dangerous mission, but he is humanized by Lydia, who is far from the kind of woman he’s used to. Recognizing she may be his ticket to delivering the formula (what Hitchcock would refer to as the MacGuffin), he joins up with her, letting her take the lead in negotiating Nazi terrain and the gypsy lifestyle. Milland’s performance adds little to the role, and there’s not much of a spark between Milland and Dietrich that the story demands.<br /><br />Director Mitchell Leisen shot most of the film on the Paramount and Universal backlots except for a few exteriors at the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. Some long shots of Lydia and Denistoun walking through treacherous mountain terrain use stand-ins. Leisen lacks a deft touch with the comedy, so Milland stays pretty stiff and much of the whimsy is left to Dietrich. The marked differences in the film’s tone are jarring. When Denistoun encounters Lydia, the Nazi formula plot is put on the back burner for so long that when it returns, it appears an afterthought necessary to tie things up quickly. The screenwriters and director apparently knew that Dietrich would be a bigger draw than yet another war picture.<br /><br />The following extras are included on the unrated, black-and-white, Region A Blu-ray release from Kino-Lorber:<br />Audio Commentary by Film Historian David Del Valle<br />Theatrical Trailers<br /><br />“Golden Earrings” is far-fetched and often borders on ludicrous. It relies on stereotypes of British military officers, Nazis, and the Roma lifestyle. The dialogue lacks wit. But Marlene Dietrich’s uninhibited performance makes the film worth a look, as it reveals her ability to stretch herself in an unusual role and displays her comic talent.
The movie title "Golden Earrings," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.7 from 221 reviewers. 
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This title falls under the categories of Movies & TV, Featured Categories, Blu-ray and Romance. 
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 {"Genre": "Romance, Action Adventure", "Contributor": "Ray Milland, Dennis Hoey, Hermine Sterler, Ivan Triesault, Mitchell Leisen, Murvyn Vye, Reinhold Schunzel, Marlene Dietrich, Bruce LesterRay Milland, Dennis Hoey, Hermine Sterler, Ivan Triesault, Mitchell Leisen, Murvyn Vye, Reinhold Schunzel, Marlene Dietrich, Bruce Lester   See more", "Language": "English", "Runtime": "1 hour and 35 minutes", "Aspect Ratio": "1.37:1", "MPAA rating": "NR (Not Rated)", "Product Dimensions": "7 x 5 x 1 inches; 2.4 Ounces", "Director": "Mitchell Leisen", "Run time": "1 hour and 35 minutes", "Release date": "January 4, 2022", "Actors": "Ray Milland, Marlene Dietrich, Murvyn Vye, Bruce Lester, Dennis Hoey", "Studio": "Kl Studio Classics", "Country of Origin": "USA", "Number of discs": "1"}

Here is a brief synopsis of the title : One of the most captivating actresses of all time, Marlene Dietrich (Desire, Angel) plays a lusty gypsy in the film that stirred up the censors, Golden Earrings. Escaping from the Nazis, British colonel Ralph Denistoun (Ray Milland, The Lost Weekend, Alias Nick Beal) and his partner arrange to meet in Stuttgart to steal Hitler’s poison gas formula. On the journey, Denistoun meets Lydia (Dietrich), who keeps him out of harm’s way. Only with the help of the extraordinary gypsy woman can he finish the mission that will make him a hero in this tale of espionage and intrigue from Hollywood ace Mitchell Leisen, the outstanding director of Death Takes a Holiday, Hands Across the Table, Easy Living, Midnight, Arise, My Love and No Time for Love..