The film is as tangled and ingenious as any of Welles's conjuring tricks. The shoot-out in the hall of mirrors is the most famous sequence, but there are other moments just as memorable.

It has an irresistible energy.

The plot's pleasingly convoluted, the performances amusingly varied, the mood sinisterly sustained. But the set-pieces are the work of a genius.

The Lady from Shanghai isn’t a typical film noir; it’s weirder and more bizarre than most, even with all the murders, plot twists, and remarkable camerawork.