Fascinated by gorgeous Mrs. Bannister (Rita Hayworth), seaman Michael O'Hara (Orson Welles) joins a bizarre yachting cruise and ends up mired in a complex murder plot. Welles cast his then-wife Hayworth in this adaptation of Sherwood King’s novel If I Die Before I Wake (they would divorce shortly after production completed). Hayworth shocked Hollywood by bleaching her famous auburn hair platinum blonde and cutting it short. Welles also infuriated studio head Harry Cohn with his preference for long takes and for shooting on location.
The film was a financial disaster when released and it is now considered one of the ultimate noirs. The film is best remembered for its climax "hall of mirrors" scene with a shoot out amidst shards of shattering glass.