Film Snail

7.4

The Lady from Shanghai

NR·1947·87m

Mystery

Crime

Thriller

Mystery

Crime

Thriller

Summary

A romantic drifter gets caught between a corrupt tycoon and his voluptuous wife.

Cast

Rita Hayworth

Elsa Bannister

Orson Welles

Michael O'Hara

Everett Sloane

Arthur Bannister

Glenn Anders

George Grisby

Ted de Corsia

Sidney Broome

Erskine Sanford

Judge

Gus Schilling

Goldfish

Carl Frank

District Attorney Galloway

Louis Merrill

Jake Bjornsen

Evelyn Ellis

Bessie

Harry Shannon

Cab Driver

William Alland

Reporter (uncredited)

Jessie Arnold

Schoolteacher at Aquarium / Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

Wong Artarne

Ticket Taker (uncredited)

Rama Bai

Townswomen (uncredited)

Jack Baxley

Guard (uncredited)

Steve Benton

Policeman (uncredited)

Wong Chung

Li (uncredited)

Eddie Coke

Policeman (uncredited)

Tom Coleman

Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

Al Eben

Policeman (uncredited)

Edythe Elliott

Old Lady (uncredited)

John Elliott

Court Clerk (uncredited)

Charles Ferguson

Man in Courthouse (uncredited)

Joseph Granby

Police Lieutenant (uncredited)

Alvin Hammer

Reporter (uncredited)

Theresa Harris

Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

Maynard Holmes

Truck Driver (uncredited)

Tiny Jones

Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

Byron Kane

Reporter (uncredited)

Milton Kibbee

Policeman (uncredited)

Grace Lem

Chinese Woman (uncredited)

Charles Meakin

Jury Foreman (uncredited)

Philip Morris

Port Steward / Officer Peters (uncredited)

Sam Nelson

Captain of Yacht Circe (uncredited)

Mary Newton

Reporter (uncredited)

Joe Palma

Cab Driver (uncredited)

Edward Peil Sr.

Guard (uncredited)

Gerald Pierce

Waiter (uncredited)

Joe Recht

Garage Attendant (uncredited)

Mabel Smaney

Woman (uncredited)

Harry Strang

Policeman (uncredited)

Norman Thomson

Policeman (uncredited)

Arthur Tovey

Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

Philip Van Zandt

Policeman / Thug (uncredited)

Dorothy Vaughan

Old Woman (uncredited)

Blackie Whiteford

Big Coke Drinker with Vest (uncredited)

Richard Wilson

Assistant District Attorney (uncredited)

Raoul Freeman

Bailiff (uncredited)

Eumenio Blanco

Sailor (uncredited)

Vernon Cansino

Man (uncredited)

Doris Chan

Chinese Girl (uncredited)

George Chirello

Man (uncredited)

Peter Cusanelli

Bartender (uncredited)

Heenan Elliott

Guard (uncredited)

Robert Gray

Reporter (uncredited)

Preston Lee

Chinese Man (uncredited)

Billy Louie

Chinese Girl (uncredited)

Mike Morelli

Sailor (uncredited)

Theresa Testa

Townswoman (uncredited)

Eleanore Vogel

Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

Glen Walters

Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

Chalky Williams

Sailor (uncredited)

Jean Wong

Ticket Seller (uncredited)

Katherine Yorke

Pretty Woman (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Screenplay

Orson Welles

Novel

Sherwood King

Reviews

Geronimo1967

June 20, 2023

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.