Movie Monday: The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

Today’s Movie Monday is highlighting the noir favorite The Lady from Shanghai (1947). You may remember some of my options on Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles‘ previous individual works, but today will be new because I am reviewing a film they created together.

My opinion on the noir genre is that most of them are slow moving and confusing. If I tell you about a noir that I just loved, that is one special movie! Nevertheless, I tried to approach The Lady from Shanghai with an open mind.

Despite my best attempts to follow along with the storyline in this film, I was lost pretty much from the beginning. It didn’t help that there was a narration throughout the entire movie. Normally a narration helps to clear any confusion that the audience may have, however, I found that with The Lady from Shanghai that the voiceover made the whole film feel like talking and no action.

Orson Welles was never a good actor. There, I said it! Somebody had to! The only truly gripping performance in The Lady from Shanghai was from Rita Hayworth. She demonstrated real depth throughout her career, however, the mix of her stunning beauty men everywhere being stranded overseas at war made people forget all about her talent.

Although Welles was dragged through mud and never seen as a real success for any of his films during his lifetime, today he is held as one of the greatest film makers. That is why I might have people thinking I am really on the wrong side of this review, but I can’t help but feel consistently disappointed by all of the Orson Welles films I have seen (including Citizen Kane). For some reason or another Orson Welles is just not my cup of tea.

Despite all of this I am not going to ignore the impressive visuals that were present throughout The Lady from Shanghai, particularly with the ending! Welles certainly has contributed to large portions of cinematic art and visual effects, but that doesn’t really help the storyline of the film at all. If anything, it just puts a fresh coat of paint overtop the rather rough plot in this movie.

Maybe it is just me. Maybe I am not meant to be a noir fan, but I at least try. You have to give me an “A” for effort! The bottom line of this review is that The Lady from Shanghai, in my option, is not a must see. But that opinion is based solely upon the person giving out the advice, so if you like this film more power to you!

Much Love,

Sarah