The Lady from Shanghai

CinemaSerfJun 2023

3.5

This is another film where the two top-billed - Rita Hayworth ("Elsa") and Orson Welles ("Michael") are outshone by a strong supporting effort. This time, that comes from Everett Sloane. Here, he is renowned barrister "Bannister" who needs crutches to walk and is married to the restless "Elsa". She was taking a cab through the park one night when accosted by robbers. "Michael" was passing and came to the rescue. Next thing "Bannister" is asking him to come work on their luxury yacht. Clearly, he is attracted to the wife and soon a rather complex game is afoot - but who is playing whom? Meantime, "Grisby" *Glenn Anders) - the partner of "Bannister" in their law firm tries to embroil "Michael" in a rather cunning wheeze to create a corpse-less crime enabling him to flee his overbearing wife and claim some insurance money. It isn't long before the corpses do start to pile up and "Michael" is front and centre in the courtroom defended by "Bannister" for murder. Who actually did the killing, though? The film is very much at it's best with a strong performance from Hayworth, Welles and Sloane all playing against each other. I found the parallel plot to all be just a bit far-fetched. The ending is cracking, though - and though perhaps I felt there was a little injustice in it, it works really well. The production looks great, Hayworth dons her sailor's cap with panache and though a bit lumbering, Welles gels quite well with her as we progress. Good film, this.