The Lady from Shanghai (1948) is a complex film noir with subtle plot twists and magnificent directorial techniques. After doing some research I found the most plausible explanation of the Welles character, Michael O'Hara, was that it mirrored himself to a certain extent ( “rejoicing in being eccentric and poor” ). Michael is a closet author who was too principled to be swayed by money. The same mind-set influenced much of Welles career as a director; his artistic integrity in battling with the studios etc. Throughout the Lady from Shanghai, especially in the courtroom scenes, Welles depicts lawyers in a very negative sense. This too, mirrored his personal sentiments. Welles starred in this film with his then wife, the gorgeous, but personally troubled Rita Hayworth ( playing Elsa Bannister ). The couple’s troubles reconciled during the production of the film, but they divorced before it ever opened.

Orson Welles wrote this screenplay an adaptation of a Sherwood King novel. He had great difficulty getting it past Joseph Breen, the overseer of the Motion Picture Production Code, and in the end had to drop the ending and approximately 1 extra hour of film with, among other things, O'Hara persuades Elsa to kill herself. Much of what was cut from the final version was more in depth adventures within the amusement park, perhaps showing more symbolism as Welles himself would stay up all night painting the wooden clowns etc.

My favorite symbolism ( albeit totally unsubtle ) is where the judge is seen as a shadow on the window playing chess through the reflection. In essence the manipulation of the defendants and perhaps the entire court, being manipulated by his judgment.

I would compare this closely to Welles “The Stranger” with Edward G. Robinson. There are some stunning visuals in both film; the clock tower in The Stranger and the Amusement hall of mirrors in Lady From Shanghai. Welles, although not totally divorcing himself from The Stranger, felt it was the film with “the least of himself as a director”. I, personally loved the Stranger and this film, probably mostly for the genre and the visual magic with attentive Wellesian dialogue.

This certainly not being Citizen Kane and therefore not perfect Welles, I would say even his “B” list of projects outclasses most other directors. Since I love the film-noir and mystery genre I must give this film the high rating I feel it deserves.  out of       

Gary W. Tooze