it be not as great a film a many people believe ( include my late aunt and who say it be her favorite movie ) . but due to the good section of this film noir and particularly that justifiably famous fun house finale and the lady from shanghai have gain a position of importance beyond it actual worth a a key to the saga of orson welles failure to conquer hollywood . by 1946 welles position a a hollywood figure be mixed . citizen kane be not recognize a the great movie it have since be see a due to the way it be attack by the hearst press and by hollywood insider themselves . welles attempt at total control ( direction and production and act ) of his movie seem to threaten the whole system . his best job in this period be a edward rochester in jane eyre and supposedly shoot by robert stevenson and but actually shoot in large measure ( with stevenson bless ) by welles . but the credit go to stevenson . only the stranger and a film benefit from a postwar interest in flee nazi war criminal and make a profit . for five year in hollywood it be barely a great record . welles return to broadway in 1946 and hop to recapture his critical ability by his production of around the world in 80 day . but despite the assistance mike todd and and cole porter compose the score and the musical be a failure . his failure occur just at the same time that his wife and rita hayworth and be on the rise with her portrayal of gilda . so the marriage be go on the rock as well . welles have to make money his broadway production have lead to his personal bankruptcy . he sell his interest in the possible movie right to around the world to todd ( which he would eventually rue ) and and he also sell the idea of a film about the career of henri desire landru to charlie chaplin and who be suppose to be direct in it ( and who turn it into monsieur verdoux ) . the story go that welles and with a $ 10 and 000 . 00 tax bill to worry about and call cohn and offer to do a film with rita for a down payment . cohn be willing to do so and but naturally ask what the film be . it be a wise question . welles be on a pay phone in new york in a pharmacy that have a book department . he grab a book with the title the lady from shanghai and and rave that it be a great thriller . somehow welles convince the normally astute cohn that well know what he be talk about . cohn say he would look into get the right and and send welles his down payment of $ 10 and 000 . 00. after cohn hang up welles buy the book and read it and find it be really pretty bad . he spend time rewrite a treatment and screenplay that would build up rita character of elsa bannister . certainly it have a curious plot development . michael ohara be a seaman or longshoreman . he rescue elsa bannister and when she be apparently attack by gangster in a park in san francisco . elsa be marry to arthur bannister ( everett sloane ) a cripple criminal lawyer with a great reputation . she convince him to hire michael a the skipper of their yacht . the cruise also contain bannister sinister partner george grisby ( glenn anders ) and one sidney broome ( ted de corsia ) who turn out to be a detective hire by bannister to watch elsa . when they can michael and elsa try to find time together and but broome or grisby keep show up . grisby make michael an offer he want ( for reason connect to his so call fatalistic view of modern society ) to drop out of it and pretend to be dead . accord to grisby ( the plot become murky here ) he can still collect his life insurance ( although dead . ) and use it to run off to the south sea . he will pay michael $ 10 and 000 . 00 if he will pretend to shoot grisby . this include actually sign a document admit to the murder ( michael do not realize that such an admission would wipe out the need to produce a corpse if all the other evidence suggest that grisby be probably dead ) . of course grisby be kill and and michael be arrest for that and and for the murder of broome ( shot with michael gun ) . michael be try with bannister defend him and and discovers that the latter be do a second rate job because he want michael to be convict . michael be convince that bannister be the actual murderer and and manages to escape just before the jury verdict . he be knock out and deposit in a deserted carnival and and this lead to the famous fun house sequence and the conclusion of the film . it a terribly confusing movie ( a i have have comment on ) . that do not mean it not worth see visually it be strike . witness the fight between michael and the police in the trial judge quarter and where he knock the bailiff into the judge bookcase and shatter glass . or the clever use of photography to capture hayworth dive from a rock and reflect on the lecherous grisby binoculars . the acting be pretty good and in particular sloane ( possibly that fine actor best film role ) . glenn anders be a leading broadway performer . he rarely make movie before the lady from shanghai and and his slimy grisby be unforgettable . also ted de corsia do very nicely with broome a detective who be really look for his own interest and to his own cost . a for hayworth and she turn in a performance that be unlike most of what she have do before ( blood and sand and tale of manhattan and and the strawberry blond be exception ) and and be a memorable siren . welles ohara be a very unusual character for the actor a likable but naive man who learn the hard way not to believe what he secretly want to believe . it not kane and ambersoms and othello and touch of evil and or chime at midnight and but it be a good film for all that .