The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

Orson Welles has done it again. For $50,000 and a promise to Columbia to direct a book with a different title, he was able to save the costumes for his “Around the World in 80 Days” theater performance as well as give us another butchered masterpiece. Being a relative “newbie” to Welles, one always argues that “Citizen Kane” remains his magnum opus, but after watching “The Magnificent Ambersons” (a stronger, more genuine film) and now, “The Lady from Shanghai”, the argument seems a bit too one-sided. Welles is a powerful director, a decent actor, and a detailed storyteller; one doesn’t need to argue that all day. Yet, it is impressive that he is known only as a one-film man, when everything else watched has continued to get stronger and stronger. “Magnificent Ambersons” proved that he could tackle the family drama as well as a social commentary on the wealthy, and with “Shanghai” he proves that he can transform a movie star from pin-up girl to sadistic lover. Part noir, part travelogue, part confusion, “Shanghai” was an experience all within itself. Harry Cohen, head of Columbia, has stated that if anyone could tell him what this film was about, he would pay $1000. That speaks volumes about the ability that Welles had to construct an intelligent, gripping noir. “Shanghai” is about love, it is about revenge, is about mirrors, and it is about the law – all brought together in a way only Orson Welles could do it.

Originally two and a half hours, the version viewed was under 90-minutes, meaning quite a bit of Welles vision was lost in the editing room. One even hears stories that his original score was cut and replaced with cartoon music and constant repetition of the theme song. It would be hard to imagine what Welles’ original vision would have produced, but even with his missing elements – “Shanghai” proves thought-provoking, entertaining, and downright diabolical. It begins with two actors, Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles, together in a park, learning that even the most beautiful women come with baggage and history. From the very bizarre car park sequence, we soon get the impression that this isn’t going to be your normal film. Welles pulls you in with the unknown, and unique characters. His portrayal of Michael O’Hara is possibly the weakest element to this film, as his accent fades in and out of existence with each scene. Welles is good as an actor, but adding the Irish element to his voice diminished the ability to truly believe who he was meant to be. On the other hand, Rita Hayworth was phenomenal. Her transformation in this film could be likened to a modern day Theron’s “Monster” or Swank’s “Boys Don’t Cry”, shedding her long red hair for a short platinum look. She was not only impressive physically, but as mysterious as noir women come. From the opening scene, she is always someone she is not – and when Glenn Anders looks at her from his binoculars several scenes later – it is as if Welles is saying, we all need to be watching her. Up until the final moments, we don’t know where her loyalties remain, and that speaks value of both the director and the actor.

With Hayworth giving her best, Welles taking strides behind the camera (not quite in front of), the other one to watch is Everett Sloane, who plays the handicapped Arthur Bannister. Welles gives Sloane this meaty character who drinks, worries, plans, and is the best lawyer in town – yet has this crippling physical attribute which creates this darker, more diabolical character. Sloane was my favorite character in this film, because, like Hayworth, we were never quite sure what his next play was, or who he was doing this all for. With “Shanghai” Welles has crafted this amazing noir that keeps you guessing from beginning to end, impressively shot, and delivers an ending that remains a cult favorite – attempted to be recreated time and time again, but always lacks that panache only Welles could film.

VIDEO: The film was impressive. It takes you from a park, to the open sea (look for Errol Flynn), to a native island, back to San Francisco. The images are sharp to coincide with the power of Welles choice of actors and ability to carry a scene. The only downfall, this was originally filmed (like most Welles) around 2+ hours, and the version I watched was under 90 minutes. What did we miss? How amazing could this film have been?

VISUAL: Stunning black and white imagery. Welles is not afraid to give us the long shot or the intense close up. In hot places, everyone was sweating. Was it due to the heat, or their knowledge of what was to come?

SOUND: Gunshots were loud, the courtroom scene was intense, and the waves were present. Even though his original score wasn’t used, it worked. With his stark visuals, the sound only collaborates with Welles. He may not have liked it, but for this edited version, it worked.

EXTRAS: Surprisingly, not bare boned. There is an introduction by Peter Bogdanovich which gives us quite a bit of detail on this film, but he uses the same material again for his audio commentary. I liked what Bogdanovich had to say, but when he just starts reading from his book instead of giving us insight on the scene, it gets a bit dull to hear. The visuals and him rambling on saying “he said, then I said”, just didn’t pan out. Good, but not great. We wrap up with a couple of trailers and language options. Overall, pretty well rounded.

This is a character driven film, and despite my flimsy nature on Welles the actor, the other background characters have enough heart to carry what he lacks. The power of Hayworth, Sloane, and Anders alone is worth watching. Who are these guys? How did they choose O’Hara? Why be so elaborate? The twist and turns continue to come, and “Shanghai” has that repeatable feel that your DVD player will love. I cannot wait to rewatch this film and see what was missed. There had to be more clues, something in the background that the virgin eye would miss. This was noir at, well, maybe its best looking, but well represented.

Thank you Mr. Welles for continuing to impress me with each passing film.

Found in my "Movie Mom's Guide to Family Films", I am excited what the L-category will bring. After a disastrous last book, I think this is going to be a great run. The next three films already have me excited, and I cannot wait to see what they will bring. "The Lady From Shanghai" gets an obvious green highlight with blue star. I cannot wait to watch this again - and I can suggest it to everyone. Will be added to the collection!