A Woman's Face (1941)

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Francis de Croisset (play)
Donald Ogden Stewart (writer) ...

Release Date:

23 May 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Drama

Tagline:

THEY CALLED HER A SCARFACED SHE-DEVIL(original poster-all caps)

Plot:

A female blackmailer with a disfiguring facial scar meets a plastic surgeon who offers her the possibility of looking like a normal woman.

Plot Keywords:

Blackmailer | Facial Scar | Scar | Blackmail | Disfigurement

Cast

Joan Crawford	...	Anna Holm
Melvyn Douglas	...	Dr. Gustaf Segert
Conrad Veidt	...	Torsten Barring
Osa Massen	...	Vera Segert
Reginald Owen	...	Bernard Dalvik
Albert Bassermann	...	Consul Magnus Barring
Marjorie Main	...	Emma Kristiansdotter
Donald Meek	...	Herman Rundvik
Connie Gilchrist	...	Christina Dalvik
Richard Nichols	...	Lars-Erik Barring
Charles Quigley	...	Eric
Gwili Andre	...	Gusta
Clifford Brooke	...	Wickman
George Zucco	...	Defense Attorney
Henry Kolker	...	Judge

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7126)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Quotes:

[first lines]
Police Matron: That's a fine trick. You know the prisoner's afraid of fire.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Goddess (1958)

She's a `cold-blooded, ruthless little Galatea' - or is she?

This film may surpass even Joan Crawford's Oscar-winning performance in `Mildred Pierce' as the best of her career. `A Woman's Face' is part courtroom drama, part mystery, and unfolds in the form of flashbacks through the eyes of no less than half a dozen questionable characters. Crawford plays Anna Holm, a facially scarred woman whose disfigurement has led her to an embittered life of crime.

Melvyn Douglas is perfectly cast as the handsome and heroic Dr. Segert, and Conrad Veidt plays Torsten Barring, the despicable charmer. Crawford's interpretation of a genuinely mean-spirited and heartless Anna develops into a complex character who wins our sympathy despite her evil intentions. It's a breath of fresh air to see Crawford not made up glamorously. There are no dazzling gowns or mascara-ed lashes to distract the viewer from Crawford's fabulous performance.

With a brilliant supporting cast (including the adorable Richard Nichols as the 4 year-old Lars-Erik, and Marjorie Main as the suspicious housekeeper), `A Woman's Face' ranks among the best Crawford films of all time. It is a must-see for anyone who wishes to see a well-made, fascinating tale of intrigue, love and human frailty.