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IMDbPro

The Lady from Shanghai

  • 19471947
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 27m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
31K
YOUR RATING
Rita Hayworth in The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
CrimeDramaFilm-Noir
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.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
31K
YOUR RATING
    • Orson Welles(uncredited)
  • Writers
    • Sherwood King(story based on a novel by)
    • Orson Welles(screenplay)
    • William Castle(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Rita Hayworth
    • Orson Welles
    • Everett Sloane
    • Orson Welles(uncredited)
  • Writers
    • Sherwood King(story based on a novel by)
    • Orson Welles(screenplay)
    • William Castle(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Rita Hayworth
    • Orson Welles
    • Everett Sloane
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 228User reviews
    • 99Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Photos172

    Rita Hayworth in The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
    Orson Welles in The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
    Orson Welles in The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
    Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles in The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
    Rita Hayworth in The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
    "Lady From Shanghai, The" Rita Hayworth with  Harry Cohn on the set 1948 Columbia / **I.V.
    "The Lady form Shanghai" Rita Hayworth 1947 Columbia
    "Lady From Shanghai, The" Rita Hayworth during filming 1948 Columbia / **I.V.
    The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
    Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles in The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
    Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles in The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
    Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles in The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Rita Hayworth
    Rita Hayworth
    • Elsa Bannister
    Orson Welles
    Orson Welles
    • Michael O'Hara
    Everett Sloane
    Everett Sloane
    • Arthur Bannister
    Glenn Anders
    Glenn Anders
    • George Grisby
    Ted de Corsia
    Ted de Corsia
    • Sidney Broome
    • (as Ted De Corsia)
    Erskine Sanford
    Erskine Sanford
    • Judge
    Gus Schilling
    Gus Schilling
    • Goldie
    Carl Frank
    Carl Frank
    • District Attorney Galloway
    Louis Merrill
    • Jake Bjornsen
    Evelyn Ellis
    Evelyn Ellis
    • Bessie
    Harry Shannon
    Harry Shannon
    • Cab Driver
    William Alland
    William Alland
    • Reporter
    • (uncredited)
    Jessie Arnold
    Jessie Arnold
    • Schoolteacher at Aquarium
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    Wong Artarne
    • Ticket Taker
    • (uncredited)
    Rama Bai
    Rama Bai
    • Townswoman
    • (uncredited)
    Jack Baxley
    • Guard
    • (uncredited)
    Steve Benton
    • Policeman
    • (uncredited)
    Eumenio Blanco
    Eumenio Blanco
    • Sailor
    • (uncredited)
      • Orson Welles(uncredited)
    • Writers
      • Sherwood King(story based on a novel by)
      • Orson Welles(screenplay)
      • William Castle(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According 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.
    • Goofs
      The 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 credits
      There is no director credit. Welles' main credit reads "Screen Play and Production Orson Welles."
    • Connections
      Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Une histoire seule (1989)
    • Soundtracks
      Please Don't Kiss Me
      by Allan Roberts and Doris Fisher

      Performed by Rita Hayworth (dubbed by Anita Ellis) (uncredited)

    User reviews228

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Orson's Corrections
    These are excerpts from a nine-page "Memo to Mr. Cohn from Mr. Welles", written after Orson had seen studio mogul Harry Cohn's edited version of the picture (he took an hour out):

    "...The preview title music was written by a first rate composer, George Antheil. Although not written for our picture at all, this temporary title music had an atmosphere of darkness and menace combined with something lush and romantic which made it acceptable...The only musical idea which seems to have occurred to this present composer (Heinz Roemheld) is the rather weary one of using a popular song--the "theme"--in as many arrangements as possible. Throughout we have musical references to "Please Don't Kiss Me" for almost every bridge and also for a great deal of the background material. The tune is pleasing, it may do very well on the Hit Parade--but Lady from Shanghai is not a musical comedy...Mr. Roemheld is an ardent devotee of an old-fashioned type of scoring now referred to in our business as "Disney". In other words, if somebody falls down, he makes a "falling down" sound in the orchestra, etc., etc...If the lab had scratched initials and phone numbers all over the negative, I couldn't be unhappier about the results...Just before I left to go abroad, I asked Vi (Viola Lawrence, the editor) to make a cut which would involve dropping the near accident with the taxi-cab and also quite a bit of dialogue. I am convinced that this would have been an excellent cut...saving much needed footage in the slow opening sequence (this was not done, accounting for the main weaknesses of the film's opening reel)...There is nothing in the fact of Rita's diving to warrant a big orchestral crescendo...What does matter is Rita's beauty...the evil overtones suggested by Grigsby's character, and Michael's bewilderment. Any or all of these items might have inspired the music. Instead, the dive is treated as though it were a major climax or some antic moment in a Silly Symphony: a pratfall by Pluto the Pup, or a wild jump into space by Donald Duck...There is no sound atmosphere on the boat. A little wind and water is sorely missed. There's no point in photographing a scene on a real boat if you make it sound as though it all happened in front of a process screen...At the start of the picnic sequence...in the temporary score, we used a very curious, sexy Latin-American strain...This has been replaced with a corny "dramatic" sequel--bad stock stuff...This sort of music destroys that quality of strangeness which is exactly what might have saved Lady from Shanghai from being just another whodunit...There is a big musical outburst after Grigsby's line, "I want you to kill him." This is absurd...The Hawaiian guitar music which comes out of the radio...was supposed to be corny enough to make a certain satirical point. As it stands now, it's on about the same level as the rest of the scoring. Nobody in the audience could possibly suspect that we're kidding...The aquarium scene needs more echo. "Please Don't Kiss Me" is in again!...A bad dubbing job and poor scoring has destroyed the character of Michael's run down the pier. From the gunshot through to the phone call, a careful pattern of voices had been built up with the expenditure of much time and effort. For some reason, this has all been junked in favor of a vague hullabaloo. As a result, the whole sequence seems dull...The audience should feel at this point, along with Michael, that maybe they are going crazy. The new dubbing job can only make them feel that maybe they're going to sleep...The gun battle with the breaking mirrors must not be backed with music...The closing music again makes reference to "Please Don't Kiss Me"...This finale is obvious to the point of vulgarity, and does incalculable injury to the finish of the picture."

    All of these edits from Orson were ignored
    helpful•127
    21
    • Narrator_Jack_dot_com
    • Feb 21, 2006

    FAQ3

    • What was Orson Welles' biggest gripe about the finished product (since he usually clashed with the studio)?
    • Is "The Lady from Shanghai" based on a book?
    • Who is the lady from Shanghai?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 14, 1948 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
      • Cantonese
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Playland at the Beach, San Francisco, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Mercury Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 27 minutes
      • Black and White

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