tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post3787562756715947880..comments2024-01-11T05:02:32.321-05:00Comments on Goodfella's Movie Blog: #51: The Lady from Shanghai (Orson Welles, 1947)Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-59285240101744080772010-03-02T06:42:46.618-05:002010-03-02T06:42:46.618-05:00You're right, don't know what I was thinki...You're right, don't know what I was thinking on that one... has been fixed.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-32841225821721692182010-03-02T03:35:50.504-05:002010-03-02T03:35:50.504-05:00Rita was still married to Orson at that time!Rita was still married to Orson at that time!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-70369874361462696102010-03-01T22:51:37.279-05:002010-03-01T22:51:37.279-05:00Quirky Character - Glad to hear that you were able...Quirky Character - Glad to hear that you were able to see this one and that you liked it so much... it certainly is excellent in spots.<br /><br />Jeffrey - Yes, it can be a frustrating movie, at times spectacular and at others baffling. When it's good, it's incredible. Other moments feel quite bad.<br /><br />Samuel - I agree with most everything you say on this one. About midway through the countdown feels about right, considering the way that I go back and forth on it.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-17382400493373436282010-03-01T12:03:42.966-05:002010-03-01T12:03:42.966-05:00The most incompetent part of this film is the open...The most incompetent part of this film is the opening up to the ineptly shot and edited fight scene in the park. Once you're past that it's an effectively atmospheric film with moments of high tension and a terrific use of music throughout. Welles doesn't help himself with that brogue, but he's really not bad once the story gets going. Near the middle of a noir top 100 sounds about right to me.Samuel Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-89862424511579291022010-03-01T11:56:29.738-05:002010-03-01T11:56:29.738-05:00Dave, such a great, honest post! I'm more in ...Dave, such a great, honest post! I'm more in your camp on this one. I love Welles, even some of the ones that others consider an even bigger mess than this one. But, for some reason, SHANGHAI has always challenged me to the point of downright frustration at times. I'll continue to re-visit it as Welles is one of my favorites, but I couldn't agree more with you that this is at times a very elusive, difficult one from one of the giants.Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-950527526642658892010-03-01T10:18:01.402-05:002010-03-01T10:18:01.402-05:00A wonderful movie. Even though I hadn't seen i...A wonderful movie. Even though I hadn't seen it before, I instantaneously recognized it (by some serendipity or something) when I caught it by chance on a Russian TV channel (lousy translation and all). Later I bought a DVD, when it became available in Russia. We can only guess what the movie would have been like, if it hadn't been botched up by the studio... And yes, even to one who doesn't know about this film's dire fate, it's plain that something is amiss (like a whole plot line or at least several scenes in Mexico). Nevertheless, it's one of my favorites of all times. And I simply adore Orson the actor, and Rita Hayworth, too.Quirky Characterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13590664018386916883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-67107828975979144512010-03-01T10:02:25.969-05:002010-03-01T10:02:25.969-05:00Ed - Thanks for stopping by and although it hasn&#...Ed - Thanks for stopping by and although it hasn't yet clicked with me on the same level as you, I agree with your assessment here. The plot issues basically become inconsequential in just taking in the overall mood and atmosphere.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-16024745166709458742010-03-01T09:11:07.083-05:002010-03-01T09:11:07.083-05:00This is one I really love, actually. I took some s...This is one I really love, actually. I took some shit from Greg Ferrara a while back for saying that I actually prefer it to <i>Citizen Kane</i>; blasphemy, I know. Tony says it perfectly: it's a "brilliant jigsaw of a movie" where the fragmentary structure and rough aesthetics (the product, certainly, of equal parts studio butchery and Welles' unusually stylized approach to sound design) add up to a weirdly compelling whole. The narrative is a shambles, of course, and there are some rough patches, but the overall mood more than makes up for any deficiencies. It's a great film. And of course the house of mirrors finale is the highlight, representing the intrusion of the avant-garde into Hollywood.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-27456797141479319972010-03-01T08:17:16.189-05:002010-03-01T08:17:16.189-05:00M.Roca - I'm a big fan of Touch of Evil as wel...M.Roca - I'm a big fan of Touch of Evil as well, so it's not great mystery that it's going to figure into the countdown as we continue. Excellent comments here and I see that the movie has definitely clicked for you... it's almost at that point for me.<br /><br />Moremiles - Mr. Arkadin is one that I have seen, but it's been a little while and need to revisit. And I agree about this one being butchered. It's amazing how studios just sliced up everything that he did.<br /><br />Tony - Wonderful stuff and I especially love that comment from 'Hard-Boiled Dick'!<br /><br />Shubhajit - Thanks for the compliments! I'll be interested to hear how you respond to this one.<br /><br />John - Yes, this is definitely one that rewards repeat viewings, which is why I think that I might eventually regret not moving this even higher in the rankings.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-26669488235663026462010-03-01T07:31:45.862-05:002010-03-01T07:31:45.862-05:00What a great film, one that you continue to find s...What a great film, one that you continue to find something new in every time you watch it. Hayworth looks gorgeous as a blonde. I’m sure most know but Woody Allen did his own homage to Welles film toward the end of Manhattan Murder Mystery.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808503055317962289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-27056030890519566752010-03-01T04:15:13.219-05:002010-03-01T04:15:13.219-05:00Thanks to the wonderful Sam Juliano, I've mana...Thanks to the wonderful Sam Juliano, I've managed to get hold of this movie. As soon as I close the curtains on my ongoing best of 2000's project, this'll be among the first few films that I'll watch & review.<br /><br />The countdown is going great guns given that you've already reached half-way mark. All the best for the remaining 50 noirs.Shubhajithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02040495040897333606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-7094690429129260442010-03-01T01:24:36.949-05:002010-03-01T01:24:36.949-05:00It should be noted that Lady from Shanghai was but...It should be noted that Lady from Shanghai was butchered in post-production by studio hacks, so we can only wonder what it could have been.<br /><br />I find it a brilliant jigsaw of a movie. With a femme-fatale to die for, and a script so sharp and witty, you relish every scene. You can watch it again and again, and find something new each time. The long yacht voyage is used to both develop the characters and as a homage to Hayworth’s beauty and the eternal feminine in the flesh and in nature. The climactic confrontation and shootout at the end in an amusement park mirror-maze is breath-taking. It is to be savoured with patience and your full attention.<br /><br />This what authors Borde and Chaumeton said about Lady from Shanghai in their seminal 'A Panorama of American Film Noir, 1941-1953', published in France in 1955, and only translated into English in 2000:<br /><br />"The main characteristic of this confused story is an atmosphere of malaise. But [the film] is mainly impressive for its extraordinary technical mastery… when the drama begins to take shape, the virtuosity of the direction becomes perceptible: a motley assortment of mobile shots, tilted frames, unexpected framings, long circular panning or tracing shots."<br /><br />And this what 'Hard-Boiled Dick' said on my blog back in April last year:<br /><br />"If you don’t get this flick, watch it at least 10 times. Take a rest, some aspirin, a couple shots of bourbon, and then watch it again. You’ll never tire of it, if you like sharks, triple double crosses, and frenzied malaise."Tony D'Ambrahttp://filmsnoir.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-39777846888348391932010-03-01T01:08:55.463-05:002010-03-01T01:08:55.463-05:00I absolutely agree with the previous comment. It i...I absolutely agree with the previous comment. It is also a favourite of mine & I am only sorry we did not get to see the movie fully realized as Welles' had envisioned it. As it is rumoured that only about have of his movie made it to the final cut. Yes it is no surprise that 'TOE' is in anybody's top ten IMHO. <br />Have any of you seen the new cut of Mr Arkadin & what are your thoughts?moremileshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13123218938345486301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-51817042336051583772010-03-01T00:31:20.010-05:002010-03-01T00:31:20.010-05:00I willingly open my arms and embrace The Lady From...I willingly open my arms and embrace The Lady From Shanghai. I love this film and consider it one of Welles top 3 or 4 movies he directed. The bizarreness and surrealistic qualities I personally enjoy without reservations. This film epitomizes a certain strain of film noir where the plot isn't as important as the mood. It's almost like an avant-garde film from Germaine Dulac or Robert Florey with sound. The aquarium scene is also great as is Welles' weariness as he waits in the Chinese theatre. Like most men in noir he is not very bright but then again with all the double crossing going on who wouldn't get fooled. It's not as good as Touch Of Evil ( one of my ten favorite films ever) but I would have positioned this about 25 places higher. Great essay Dave and I agree that the courtroom scene is probably the weakest.......M.RocaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com