Overview
A gripping tale of deception and betrayal unfolds on the high seas.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Dense
- Violence
- Mild
- brooding
- paranoid
- sardonic
- classic cinema night
- noir double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly admire the film's inventive noir atmosphere and extraordinary visual set pieces while acknowledging that its tangled, wordy script can obscure the murder plot.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Michael's attraction to Elsa develops alongside uncertainty about her motives, Bannister's motives, and the murder conspiracy.
The famous closing shootout unfolds in a hall of mirrors, turning fractured reflections into a signature image of noir disorientation.
Grisby's staged-murder proposal, the actual killing, the court case, and Bannister's shifting role create intersecting layers of deception.
Michael is drawn into a criminal arrangement against his better judgment while Elsa, Bannister, and Grisby pursue self-serving schemes.
Films like The Lady from Shanghai, and why
Double Indemnity
Shared film noir atmosphere, morally compromised characters, romantic intrigue, and a crime plot shaped by deception.
The Big Sleep
Shared expressionistic noir visuals, unstable criminal schemes, and a protagonist trapped inside a convoluted conspiracy.
Touch of Evil
Shared Orson Welles authorship, heightened visual design, psychological unease, and a labyrinthine crime narrative.
Out of the Past
Shared fatalistic noir mood, romantic manipulation, and a protagonist drawn into a dangerous murder scheme.
Movie Details
- Director
- Orson Welles
- Release Date
- 1947-12-24
- Runtime
- 87 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (748)
Cast
- Rita Hayworth
- Orson Welles
- Everett Sloane
- Glenn Anders
- Ted de Corsia
- Erskine Sanford
- Gus Schilling
- Carl Frank
- Louis Merrill
- Evelyn Ellis
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Lady from Shanghai about?
- A sailor’s doomed attraction to a charismatic woman pulls him into a treacherous murder conspiracy rendered in dazzling noir distortions.
- What is The Lady from Shanghai like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Lady from Shanghai as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as dense.
- Is The Lady from Shanghai violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Lady from Shanghai as mild.
- What did critics think of The Lady from Shanghai?
- Critics broadly admire the film's inventive noir atmosphere and extraordinary visual set pieces while acknowledging that its tangled, wordy script can obscure the murder plot.
- Which films are like The Lady from Shanghai?
- Films with a similar feel include Double Indemnity, The Big Sleep, Touch of Evil, and Out of the Past.
- How long is The Lady from Shanghai?
- The Lady from Shanghai runs 87 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Lady from Shanghai?
- In United States, The Lady from Shanghai is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
