The Irish sailorman Michael O’Hara meets Elsa, a fascinating blonde, while he’s traveling on a horse carriage. Later on, Michael hears the woman calling for help, because of an assault of three thugs and he saves her and accompanies her home. He finds out that her husband Arthur Bannister is a rich and famous lawyer. Arthur designates Michael to take him, his wife and a
business partner on a yacht, first to Acapulco and then to San Francisco. Michael and Elsa have an affair. Bannister’s business partner, Grisby, wants to go and live far from the business world, on a desert island. At this point, the two agree for a double play where they simulate Arthur’s death. Actually Grisby will be murdered and Bannister will defend Michael in court, who is completely innocent but has all proof against him. After running away, in a mirror room at an amusement park, he finds out that Elsa is nothing but a selfish criminal. The movie was shooted while Hayworth and Welles were about to divorce. Produced by Welles for Columbia, it was unsuccessful in the United States, but very appreciated in Europe. The critics reconsidered it in the years as a masterpiece.
