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The Lady from Shanghai
The Lady from Shanghai
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The Lady from Shanghai

The Lady from Shanghai

1947
Drama, Crime
1h 27m
Fascinated by gorgeous Mrs. Bannister, seaman Michael O'Hara joins a bizarre yachting cruise, and ends up mired in a complex murder plot. (imdb)

The Lady from Shanghai

1947
Drama, Crime
1h 27m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 65.92% from 1373 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(1386)
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Rated 16 Feb 2009
5
96th
Much like Touch of Evil (Welles' other big noir), Lady from Shanghai is disjointed and confusing, yet strangely compelling. Welles' accent is intensely annoying, and a few bits of dialog are corny, but aside from that it's an excellent picture. The climax in the hall of mirrors especially stands out.
Rated 30 Jan 2009
90
90th
Easily one of the most oddly compelling and disjointed films I have ever seen. Nothing really truly makes sense in this movie. You have a goofy narration, Welle's Irish accent, insane camera angels and editing technique for even Orson Welles, a plot that is barely hinged together, and great characters and some very witty dialogue. It's such a mess and so chaotic that it actually sucks you right into it and never for one moment lets you go. Has to be the most surreal "noir" film conceived.
Rated 12 Jun 2008
85
81st
Welles almost tanks the movie with an unbearable Irish accent, but the rest of the film makes up for it, especially the ending. For the most part the plot is intriguing but predictable and the direction shows flashes of brilliance but is mostly just good. The ending though is magnificent in every way and makes up for most any problems in the events leading up to it.
Rated 31 Dec 2015
70
72nd
Messy Welles noir is seriously overpraised by critics and fanboys, but it definitely has its charms, particularly in a number of great set pieces that are now the stuff of film legend, especially an astonishing scene involving funhouse mirrors. Welles' accent is, quite frankly, ridiculous and not the least bit convincing, and it's difficult to tell whether the film's jerky rhythms represent a conscious formal strategy, an elaborate piss-take (for Welles' self amusement), or studio butchery.
Rated 21 Mar 2014
4
55th
tarrrrrrrrget practice
Rated 23 Jun 2007
85
84th
Again, we're left to imagine what Welles' work might have been if it hadn't been butchered by the studio. What's left isn't a great movie, but a good movie with moments of greatness. It's rather pedestrian at first, most of great moments come near the end. If nothing else, it's a solid noir thriller with some snappy dialogue and a few intriguing shots (lousy music, though). Orson's Irish accent needs work, but Anders' off-kilter performance is weirdly compelling.
Rated 06 Feb 2007
85
89th
All the film-noir essence can be seen here, in a masterfully directed film that features the famous and brilliant mirror scene.
Rated 08 Jan 2019
80
77th
Damn... that hall of mirrors scene! Great film, but like some of Welles' others, I can't help but wonder just how much better it would have been if he hadn't been hamstrung by the studio and circumstances beyond his control. The fact that he managed to make some incredible films despite the reported incidences of studio interference is a testament to his genius.
Rated 10 Aug 2013
90
97th
Rewatch. Dark and intense. I don't mind the accent, and love how Welles' plays with unconventional editing to further push his narrator's reliability into question.. Beautiful, dark little thing.
Rated 26 Nov 2012
88
76th
Orson Welles is a handsome Irish dockworker who saves Rita Hayworth from muggers with his kung-fu. Then it gets weird.
Rated 16 Nov 2010
85
76th
I'd STILL give it to Rita Hayworth.
Rated 15 Oct 2010
70
65th
A servicable noir with an iconic ending. Normally, narration by Welles would be a pleasure. Not here. His supposedly Irish accent is awful. Say what you will about all the close-ups of Rita Hayworth but I'd say that they are actually the main attraction here. She's beyond stunning.
Rated 20 May 2010
3
38th
Strange and sinister, with a stamp of Welles' inimitable style, despite (what else) studio interference that leaves us wondering what could have been. Still a good movie bordering on greatness, if only for Welles' irrepressible virtuosity.
Rated 14 Oct 2009
8
82nd
Pretty much the definition of "so bad it's good." Everything about this movie seems wrong, but it works so well. From Orson's horrible Irish accent to the pointless closeups of Rita Hayworth to the weird editing and the awkward music choices - this movie just works. Plus, the cinematography is pretty awesome.
Rated 04 Jun 2009
73
44th
Some seriously avant garde and gorgeous shots, supplemented by pretty mediocre writing and satisfactory acting--and one of the worst accents in movie history, Orson Welles sounds about as Irish in this movie as Peter Lorre. The narration is pretty decent--discounting the accent, and the lighting is great. The only really good things that stand out are the narrated sequences, and the climax with the mirrors--too bad Welles couldn't manage to make the rest of the movie that well.
Rated 06 Aug 2008
88
88th
Great noir with constant intrigue and a fantastic ending.
Rated 09 Jun 2008
9
97th
I was able to overlook its many flaws for the incredible story that keeps you guessing and some incredible photography (which is a given). A very enjoyable noir.
Rated 27 May 2008
75
94th
every stylised kitsch surreal second
Rated 02 Jun 2007
80
68th
Orson does a brazenly commercial film and does a serviceable job of it
Rated 10 Mar 2007
85
92nd
Tense and well-paced noir with some wonderfully shot sequences (Aquarium and Fun House). In this and in Touch of Evil (and maybe to a lesser extent the Stranger) there's this magnificently sinister feel throughout that makes for a compelling experience.
Rated 09 Feb 2007
4
74th
A choppy and convoluted mess, but the directorial effort boosts the material and turns this into an intriguing film noir. All characters are rotten, each with a dubious past and sinister ulterior motives, and every exchange of dialogue is laced with tension. The finale is an iconic bit of surrealism among the greatest footage Welles ever shot.
Rated 16 Oct 2020
75
49th
The film is a middle ground between Citizen Kane & Touch of Evil. Like Kane, Welles created some inspired moments of filmmaking--especially in the photography and montages. But like Touch of Evil the film is plagued by studio interference and other issues that create a muddled storyline. The overlapping dialogue, accents, and acting styles make the story hard to follow. Still, if you're in the mood for a cool noir, the picture is somewhat satisfactory. Marginal recommendation.
Rated 23 Apr 2020
79
51st
The goofy editing makes this feel more like a collage of unrealized noir tropes. The plot isn't that convoluted - it can definitely be made sense of - but certain parts are rushed through. The ending comes too quickly for any sense of resolution. I don't know to what extent Welles intended the movie to be parodistic, but you'll find it difficult to take the movie seriously. Nonetheless enjoyable.
Rated 23 Mar 2020
83
82nd
Pretty stellar noir. As per usual, the photography is fantastic and the story of how the film was made/almost destroyed is about as interesting as the plot itself. Welles choose an Irish accent that is barely that and invents a mirror finale that would be copied over and over again.
Rated 19 Mar 2020
60
35th
I'm normally a big fan of Welles, but this one just didn't do it for me. The Irish accent is the only thing memorable about the main character (and not in a good way), but the courtroom scene was just a mess. The film is known for the final shootout in the mirrored fun house, and that makes this worth watching. This tries to be better than a B-level noir, but doesn't quite get there (Welles' extra hour probably wouldn't have done it either; we'll never know.)
Rated 13 Sep 2019
75
69th
Rather unfortunately bogged down by the complex plot at times, but the genius is still there - the fun house climax in particular is unbelievable.
Rated 26 Nov 2018
85
86th
The fact that the Welles's 20-minute long funhouse sequence was cut by the studio to just 3 may be one of the greatest crimes in cinematic history. On a visual level, the film is absolutely stunning, showing off Welles's outstanding gift for shot composition, with a narrative that's compelling, unpredictable and by the standard of 1940s noirs, not too difficult to follow.
Rated 07 Mar 2018
70
54th
Michael O'Hara: "One who follows his nature keeps his original nature in the end."
Rated 09 May 2017
67
52nd
The plot is convoluted, the narrative felt rushed, and the film is all-around a mess. It's a beautiful mess though. The acting is stellar (although Welles' accent feels a bit off) and the courtroom and final scenes truly captivate.
Rated 25 Feb 2016
16
89th
Star Rating: ★★★★1/2
Rated 25 Feb 2016
65
73rd
Good film.
Rated 15 Jan 2015
80
57th
I expected to like this much more than I did. Between Welles' atrocious accent and a number of inconsistent plot twists, The Lady From Shanghai ends up being minor Welles, but that ending in the house of mirrors almost makes up for it.
Rated 06 Jan 2015
8
80th
Brilliantly shot mess that gets better as it unravels, but also starts out strong in its own right. Just a lot of bumps along the way. Also, what the hell was with Welles' Irish accent? Was that really necessary? So weird.
Rated 21 Dec 2014
70
63rd
A good old noir directed beautifully by Welles. That's all.
Rated 26 Mar 2014
81
68th
81.000
Rated 17 Sep 2013
4
52nd
started off as a pretty bad mix of goofy characters, homely music and sinister undertones, but gets significantly better over time. it's implausable but interesting as it turns into a legal mystery, and by the time it gets surreal with mirrors and shit it's pretty damn good. overall it's an eventually interesting and occasionally funny mess of a film.
Rated 23 Aug 2013
85
59th
Kind of uneven, but it still contains some amazing sequences, like the off-kilter courtroom scene and the infamous funhouse sequence. A lot of good supporting performances, but you could definitely do without Orson's accent.
Rated 30 May 2013
85
44th
an entertaining and surprising combo: welles irish brogue and hayworth's blond coiffeur, plus some nice twists thrown in for good measure.....
Rated 18 Nov 2012
67
37th
If the entire film was on par with its ending, this would have been much better. Welles would have been better without his accent and Hayworth is good. I think I expected much more though.
Rated 14 Oct 2012
79
81st
femme fatale, güzel kadini kurtaran adam, zengin kadin, denizci, kaptan, deniz yolculugu, avukat koca, cinayet plani, kusursuz cinayet, tuzak, suçu baskasina yikmak, entrika, mahkeme, durusma, birinci tekil sahis anlatiyor, (Hirsizlarin saldirisina ugrayan Elsa Bannister'i kurtaran denizci Michael O'hara, Kadindan bir gemi yolculugunda kendisiyle calismasi teklifini alir. Basta bu teklifi kabul etmeyen Michael, kadinin esi ünlü avukat Arthur Bannister'in israri sonucu yolculuga ka
Rated 30 Jul 2012
85
67th
You can see Orson Welles' genius scattered all around this one of a kind noir and the whole remains a very captivating experience. Unfortunately, much of the story and scenes are so chopped up by the production company (in my opinion, worse than any other Welles film) that the end result turns out to be one of the most interesting messes ever created.
Rated 25 Jul 2012
63
39th
Improbable story that relies mostly on Welles' visual priorities to raise the property value.
Rated 15 Jul 2012
85
93rd
Rita Hayworth is absolutely stunning in this picture, looks and class alike. Orson is good also, his supposedly Irish accent is believable. The story is good,not a revolutionary film noir but it helps to define the movie genre. The ending scene is a must see.
Rated 04 Jul 2012
81
69th
80.750
Rated 10 Jun 2012
70
48th
Oh Orson, Orson, Orson - why did you ever attempt than accent. Anyway, on the whole this movie is watchable, but too transparently suffer from having an hour or so cut from it. It feels rushed wehenever it needs to be ponderous and save from the climax, nothing really gets to settle with you afterwards. It isn't as bad a cutup as for Mr. Arkadin, but it is still pretty jarring at points. Worth a watch though, I suppose.
Rated 28 May 2012
70
44th
I can't judge it on what it could (or should) have been. Yes it was butchered in editing, but that doesn't make the end product any better and the performances are lackluster at best -- Welles' accent! The fact that it's as coherent and engaging as it is, makes it even more disappointing if you believe Welles' definitive edition would have been better (which it certainly would have).
Rated 12 May 2012
70
67th
This was a pretty nice film-noir from Orson Welles. It's about a man (Welles) who meets a beautiful lady and ends up involved in a complex murder plot. The lady was not actually Chinese, as the title might imply. Welles' direction was fantastic, as usual. There was a scene near the end which was pretty brilliant. I can't say I was completed enraptured though. I wouldn't call it one of his best, but it's worth a watch.
Rated 15 Feb 2012
86
70th
Rita Hayworth. Orson Welles. Enough said. Well, if only Welles could lose that ridiculous accent.
Rated 30 Nov 2011
80
60th
#403
Rated 04 Nov 2011
90
84th
OK, OK, maybe not the best Welles, but it has his personal touch all over it.
Rated 14 Aug 2011
45
21st
Unintentionally hilarious. Nice accent, Orson!
Rated 10 Aug 2011
67
64th
Orson Welles can try and do a Hitchcock, but he isn't.
Rated 08 Aug 2011
85
85th
With the exception of Orson Welles accent, I loved everything about this film. The ending is possibly one of the greatest scenes ever.
Rated 26 Feb 2011
70
44th
Thanks to a hatchet job by the studio we are left with a deeply flawed but at times brilliant Film-Noir.I hope someday we get Orson Welles cut of this.
Rated 23 Aug 2010
76
74th
TARGET PRACTICE
Rated 27 Apr 2010
65
58th
A gorgeous, romantic film, but it's not all that engaging.
Rated 23 Mar 2010
7
73rd
Definately worth a view for all the classic moments.
Rated 14 Jan 2010
80
60th
402
Rated 20 Dec 2009
80
42nd
Pretentious, arty. Welles adopts a bad Irish accent. But Rita has never been more gorgeous, and the final shoot-out a a fun house is very cool.
Rated 08 Dec 2009
80
81st
Greatest moment: The attorney who cross examines himself.
Rated 22 Oct 2009
85
78th
It's a well-directed noir but what's with Welles' silly Irish accent?
Rated 02 Sep 2009
8
55th
The great parts definitely outweigh the bad.
Rated 02 Aug 2009
77
62nd
The lady from Shanghai: 10 // 8 // 8 // 6 // 8 // 8 // 6
Rated 30 Jul 2009
86
81st
Everett Sloane rocks the shit. Always has.
Rated 19 Dec 2008
79
58th
418
Rated 02 Dec 2008
5
81st
It was fun. Too much rear projection idiocy, but every Welles is worth watching.
Rated 01 Mar 2008
79
66th
# 412
Rated 23 Oct 2007
88
85th
Love the scripting, the sharp angles of Welles' camera, and most of all, the fun house that concludes the film.
Rated 30 Sep 2007
80
75th
The finale is hammy and kinda arty; but...basically taut and well-done.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
75
56th
Mirror, mirror on the wall. Everett Sloane a great, great baddie!
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
78th
Score based on distant memory.
Rated 03 Feb 2007
70
22nd
Too overly complicated, far too many annoying ticks, though the brief final scene in the hall of mirrors almost makes up for it. Almost. Thank God the studio cut away from the two-and-a-half hour version Welles apparently had cut, because this film comes very close to being insufferable at a lean ninety minutes.
Rated 06 Jan 2024
75
49th
Both Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth give good performances in this film. The script has a few slow spots but it builds towards some exciting final scenes. Overall I would recommend this film.
Rated 03 Mar 2023
80
68th
This film is completely loopy. Do I mean that as a complement or an insult? Yes.
Rated 19 Feb 2023
70
75th
Everything Orson Welles does as both director and actor here was big, over-the-top, and frequently distracting, However, his direction managed to work while his acting and accent didn't really. All of the cast surrounding him seemed to be acting circles around him even as big and hammy as some of them were.
Rated 10 Aug 2022
70
75th
Welles only made this film in order to secure funding from Harry Cohn so that he could pay a costume bill for his stage musical 'Around the World'. The screenplay is interesting enough, but the real reason to watch is the spectacle of a bleached-blond Rita Hayworth (she's 'Gilda' no more) yearning for Orson (they were divorced) onboard Erroll Flynn's yacht the 'Zaca'. The 'Crazy House' finale is certainly worthy of paying homage to, but such attempts always pale in comparison to the original.
Rated 13 Jun 2021
6
32nd
San Francisco and Rita Hayworth's outfits really shine. Plus, Orson Welles' fake Irish accent? So much fun.
Rated 12 Jun 2021
5
38th
The locations are unique and varied enough to keep things interesting, but it's ultimately too convoluted for me, even for a noir. Was Welles having a blast or what though? That aquarium scene is a trip.
Rated 25 Mar 2021
70
96th
The Lady from Shanghai (1947) is certainly a up-close grotesque romance, not so much for Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth, but for Everett Sloane, who plays Rita's rather eccentric husband, and his suicidal pal Glenn Anders. It's a mental and manipulative piece. Restless and uneasy. Not going to be among my favorite Orson Welles creations, but I do appreciate the diffused and selfish romancing he's going for. And that climax in mirrors certainly sealed it as something special.
Rated 30 Jan 2021
90
78th
What a wild ride and what a confused mess. It looks like a noir, and acts like a noir, but it exists in this weird dreamland where people only speak in quasi-poetic riddles with atrocious Irish accents.
Rated 24 Dec 2020
90
95th
i'm used to watching perfectly set-up mysteries fucking up in the second half, but it's certainly very strange to watch a film doing just the opposite. granted, the final sequence is one of the best noir sequences in every aspect, and the second half of the film is utterly enjoyable but how we get there is just... dull? but rita hayworth and orson welles are in a noir with an incredible final sequence, what more do you need?
Rated 09 Mar 2019
84
23rd
84.00
Rated 01 Aug 2016
88
80th
Noir at its finest. Orson's work with shadows on this film creates the dark atmosphere that stories like The Lady From Shanghai work so well in. Welles keeps the narration more sparse than The Magnificent Ambersons, but it's still there quite a bit and works well to cement the feelings of our protagonist, O'Hara. Welles (Michael O'Hara), Rita Hayworth (Elsa Bannister), and Everett Sloane (Arthur Bannister) deliver good performances that capitalize on the tension within each scene.
Rated 03 Dec 2014
75
60th
While the plot is basic noir, the movie stands out by constantly giving a feeling of disorientation. Glenn Anders' character Grisby best exemplifies this surreal strangeness. Of course it all culminates in the final fun house sequence, which is a masterclass example of making characters internal feelings external in composition and design (2nd viewing)
Rated 14 Jan 2014
60
28th
The famed mirror scene is really quite spectacular - a master-stroke that shows that this is definitely Welles directing. Unfortunately quite a lot of the film felt oddly pedestrian to me and most of it definitely does not feel like Welles is directing. And even I thought his Irish accent was bad (Sloane was great though). I gave up trying and failing to follow the plot soon in and the occasional falling in to silliness actually made the film better (showing how apathetic I am to most of it).
Rated 08 Jun 2012
100
96th
watched: 2012, 2018
Rated 10 May 2012
60
36th
I left this movie a little disappointed. It came across like schlock Noir, which I'm usually not a fan of. Wells delivered with a few good scenes, but the plot was pretty uninspired, and the third act left me bored to tears (minus the mirror scene.)
Rated 05 Oct 2011
45
5th
A surprisingly flimsy film in terms of its technical aspects, surprising since it came from the master of the technical. The awful editing and hugely inconsistent composition don't strengthen the unremarkable storyline and acting. At least the cinematography looks nifty, especially at the memorable ending.
Rated 14 Aug 2011
60
35th
It had its moments, but those were few and far between.
Rated 09 Jan 2011
41
31st
Mirror scene aside, which was pretty fantastic, I wasn't all that gripped by this one. The main plot took a fair while to get going and some of the acting was a little overdone - particularly George. And the less said about Orson Welles' accent the better, after all you shouldn't really be laughing at a noir...
Rated 04 Oct 2008
88
84th
Love this movie! Could watch it everyday. Even when his films were butchered by short-sighted studios, the magic of Welles vision shines through for the ages... This one is like THE perfect B-movie.

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