The Lady from Shanghai (1958)

Orson Welles has to be the most interesting character in the history of film direction. From the moment he burst onto the scene with the breathtaking masterpiece Citizen Kane, his career was surrounded by battles with studios and controversy like no other director has faced since. I admire the man so much that I will watch absolutely anything that even mentions his name.

The Lady from Shanghai is one of Welles' forays into film noir. The movie stars Welles as a brutish sailor who gets hired on by the stunning Rita Hayworth to be a deckhand on her husband's yacht. This pleasure cruise turns out to be anything but fun as the rotten character of all persons involved in this sordid love triangle comes to light. Despite being set in beautiful locations there is a sinister air that hangs over the entire movie that really gives the movie an interesting mood.

While clearly not a masterpiece on the level of Citizen Kane (but really what else is?), this in some ways flawed movie is still something every lover of film noir and Orson Welles should experience. The plot is complex but isn't difficult to follow. Welles plays his part well and the supporting cast is just the right amount of creepy. Rita Hayworth is the real star though. She is incredibly sexy in this role and really commanded my attention with her performance. If you're a fan of Welles or film noir you definitely owe it to yourself to the queue this one up.

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According to instantwatcher.com this movie will stop streaming on 3/1/11.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Orson Welles.

Is it artsy? No.

Best thing about the movie? The cool mirror scene at the end.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking for a good film noir flick.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

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