Fascinated by gorgeous Mrs. Bannister, seaman Michael O'Hara joins a bizarre yachting cruise, and ends up mired in a complex murder plot.Fascinated by gorgeous Mrs. Bannister, seaman Michael O'Hara joins a bizarre yachting cruise, and ends up mired in a complex murder plot.Fascinated by gorgeous Mrs. Bannister, seaman Michael O'Hara joins a bizarre yachting cruise, and ends up mired in a complex murder plot.
- Awards
- 1 win
Ted de Corsia
- Sidney Broome
- (as Ted De Corsia)
William Alland
- Reporter
- (uncredited)
Jessie Arnold
- Schoolteacher at Aquarium
- (uncredited)
- …
Wong Artarne
- Ticket Taker
- (uncredited)
Rama Bai
- Townswoman
- (uncredited)
Jack Baxley
- Guard
- (uncredited)
Steve Benton
- Policeman
- (uncredited)
Eumenio Blanco
- Sailor
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to Orson Welles, this film grew out of an act of pure desperation. Welles, whose Mercury Theatre company produced a musical version of "Around the World in 80 Days," was in desperate need of money just before the Boston preview. Mere hours before the show was due to open, the costumes had been impounded and unless Welles could come up with $55,000 to pay outstanding debts, the performance would have to be canceled. Stumbling upon a copy of "If I Die Before I Wake," the novel upon which this film is based, Welles phoned Harry Cohn, instructing him to buy the rights to the novel and offering to write, direct and star in the film so long as Cohn would send $55,000 to Boston within two hours. The money arrived, and the production went on as planned.
- GoofsThe narrator mentions they arrive back in San Francisco in early October, but in the document (prepared by Grisby) that Michael signs verifying his killing of Grisby, it is dated August 9th, supposedly the next day.
- Quotes
Michael O'Hara: Maybe I'll live so long that I'll forget her. Maybe I'll die trying.
- Crazy creditsThere is no director credit. Welles' main credit reads "Screen Play and Production Orson Welles."
- ConnectionsEdited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Une histoire seule (1989)
- SoundtracksPlease Don't Kiss Me
by Allan Roberts and Doris Fisher
Performed by Rita Hayworth (dubbed by Anita Ellis) (uncredited)
Featured review
Made in 1946 and released in 1948, The Lady and Shanghai was one of the big films made by Welles after returning from relative exile for making Citizen Kane. Dark, brooding and expressing some early Cold War paranoia, this film stands tall as a Film-Noir crime film. The cinematography of this film is filled with Welles' characteristic quirks of odd angles, quick cuts, long pans and sinister lighting. The use of ambient street music is a precursor to the incredible long opening shot in Touch of Evil, and the mysterious Chinese characters and the sequences in Chinatown can only be considered as the inspiration, in many ways, to Roman Polanski's Chinatown. Unfortunately, it is Welles' obsession with technical filmmaking that hurts this film in its entirety. The plot of this story is often lost behind a sometimes incomprehensible clutter of film techniques.
However, despite this criticism, the story combined with wonderful performances by Welles, Hayworth and especially Glenn Anders (Laughter) make this film a joy to watch. Orson Welles pulls off not only the Irish brogue, but the torn identities as the honest but dangerous sailor. Rita Hayworth, who was married to Welles at the time, breaks with her usual roles as a sex goddess and takes on a role of real depth and contradictions. Finally, Glenn Anders strange and bizarre portrayal or Elsa's husbands' law partner is nothing short of classic!
However, despite this criticism, the story combined with wonderful performances by Welles, Hayworth and especially Glenn Anders (Laughter) make this film a joy to watch. Orson Welles pulls off not only the Irish brogue, but the torn identities as the honest but dangerous sailor. Rita Hayworth, who was married to Welles at the time, breaks with her usual roles as a sex goddess and takes on a role of real depth and contradictions. Finally, Glenn Anders strange and bizarre portrayal or Elsa's husbands' law partner is nothing short of classic!
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Black Irish
- Filming locations
- Playland at the Beach, San Francisco, California, USA(exteriors: house of mirrors funhouse - demolished 1972)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $2,300,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $1,396
- Runtime1 hour 27 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was The Lady from Shanghai (1947) officially released in India in English?
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