Out of all of Welles’ celebrated movies Lady from Shanghai is probably the most dated. It’s not quite as good as its canonical reputation in film noir would lead you to believe. His broad brush strokes – chopping and dying Hayworth’s hair, that hall of mirrors finale – are still effective but you can probably get as much out of this movie by watching key clips on YouTube as you would watching the whole thing. It’s a bit stagnant here and there and often fizzles to the ground like a deflated balloon. Welles’ Irish accent irritates me too but, you know, he’s still one of the greatest filmmakers who ever lived.

Watched on Indicator blu-ray