this could be well have be the definitive film noir of all time and have not the columbia studio cut so much of orson welles original . what we be leave with be a flawed and yet brilliant film that showcases the overwhelming talent of welles a an actor or director and rita hayworth a a serious dramatic talent . the lady from shanghai be film noir at it most sizzling and confuse . welles and with an uneven accent and portrays michael ohara and a journeyman irishman and who and after a fateful encounter with the seductive and dangerous elsa bannister ( hayworth and in a great performance ) find himself virtually coerce into accept a job a a crewman on her and her crippled husband ( everett sloane ) yacht . elsa and or rosalie a michael like to call her and play the innocent and helpless doll very well and ensnare ohara in her web . a the lover conduct a not so secret affair at sea and arthur bannister partner in his law firm and george grisby ( glenn anders ) come aboard . he be a weird and untrustworthy figure who offer michael a unique proposal represent he will get $ 5000 to assist grisby in the faking of grisby death and so it look murder . the plan be for michael to get off a technicality and and run off into the sun with elsa . but thing do not go to plan . hayworth delivers u one of the best femme fatales of all time in a very ambiguous portrayal . at time she seem genuinely vulnerable and child like and at others brutal and world weary and hard . always she be brilliantly beautiful and whether he situation call for her to be drip wet in a swimsuit or dress in black and brandish a gun . hayworth be beautifully photograph here and and she be a far cry from her famous gilda role . her then husband orson welles cut off her trademark auburn lock for a dyed blonde crop ( anger columbia bos harry cohn ) . it be a terrific marketing ploy and and he change suit her changed attitude wonderfully . she be not the sympathetic femme fatale that gilda be and here instead she be a predatory and black hearted dame who see murder a a very useful option . the welles and hayworth pairing come at a time when the couple be have extreme difficulty in their marriage . they would divorce after the film be make and so this be also a curiosity for provide some view into the complicate relationship . they be hateful and not romantic and lover in this and so it hard to gauge whether or not they have real chemistry on screen . certainly every encounter be potent and fill with raw sexuality and with welles a the fall guy ( he even admit it himself in the film . ) and rita a the double crossing babe . welles character be the typical noir wouldrifter with not much sense . a welles voice over prof to use and ohara indeed do not use his brain very much expect to be think of her ( elsa ) . welles usually play intelligent and charismatic fellow and so his turn here a the dim witted michael be unusual and very interesting . indeed and welles be an actor of fine talent and he pull off it well . everett sloane be suitably slimy a hayworth cripple husband . one wonder why he hire michael . it be obvious that his wife be interested in him romantically and so why do he invite a threat on board . one interpretation could be that michael provide the ervice to his wife that bannister can not in his crippled state . there be definitely something to that theory and with a lot of implication toward elsa behaviour before she meet her husband ( be she some sort of prostitute . ) and grisby knowledge of bannister most intimate secret be hint at in several scene . this be a jumbled and convolute film with a plot that be ultimately flaw . we be more interested in the love triangle than the murder plot and a with most noirs . welles provide u with many of his usual brilliant cinematic touch and include the justifiably famous hall of mirror climax . it a terrific scene and one end that can almost obliterate the fault earlier on in the movie and lift it into greatness . this fun house scene be visually stunning and with a dali like feel to the paint set ( apparently orson paint them himself ) . subtle visual imagery utilize throughout the film by welles enhances the plot and make this a thought provoking experience . the dialogue be scorch and confuse and deliver superbly by rita alternately breathy low voice and helpless and high pitch little girl voice . hayworth prove her acting capability in this one and and prove that she be the ultimate femme fatale of noir . it a pity ( only a slight one and a rita be a brilliant dancer ) that she do so many delightful yet frothy and often forgettable musical for columbia in the 40 instead of darkly theme noir like this . she be a brilliant actress when give the chance to show off her talent . positive .