Released in 1941 - In the fine tradition of a classic, Hollywood, glamor film, this Joan Crawford vehicle from MGM delivers a fairly entertaining bit of melodrama that builds quite nicely into its high-speed climax (on horse-driven sleighs, no less).Joan Crawford plays Anna Holm, a conniving member of a ruthless blackmailing ring who are operating very successfully within the fair city of Stockholm, Sweden.Featuring some very good make-up effects, Anna, whose face (on its right side) has been badly disfigured by a burning accident many years ago, has her own ax to grind as she cold-heartedly dishes out a very special brand of criminal treachery.With its story told mainly through flashbacks, Anna is accused of cold-blooded murder and witnesses to Anna's activities are individually called into the courtroom in order to give testimony that points decidedly against Anna's innocence to this crime.As our story gets underway, Anna meets, by chance, a skilled plastic surgeon who offers his surgical expertise in order to help repair her badly-scarred face. Seeing this as her hope for starting a new life, Anna agrees to undergo cosmetic surgery, but with her new transformation she finds that the ties to her dark past are so much stronger than she had realized.Filmed in glossy b&w, A Woman's Face was competently directed by George Cukor whose other notable films from the 1940s and 50s include Gaslight, Adam's Rib, The Philadelphia Story, and A Star Is Born.

When Joan Crawford's best films are the subject of any discussion, the list always includes the film she won the Oscar for - "Mildred Pierce" and for good reason - its a fine film with an outstanding cast and even today, holds up pretty well.But what seems to get lost in the shuffle is a film she made four years earlier, which in many ways equals and in some ways surpasses "Mildred Pierce" -- the 1941 film "A Woman's Face" is a much underrated film which showcases one of Crawford's best roles.An intriguing story of a woman who has lived as an outcast because of facial scars suffered in a fire since childhood and now lives among unscrupulous scheming blackmailers, herself becoming the most skilled of their group - when a plastic surgeon decides to fix the deformity that has made her a bitter and distrustful woman, she is introduced to the possibility of living a normal life, one where she can as she says in the film - when the world looks at her - "she can look back" without hiding.The film is a well-blended mix of dark characters and and some very quirky humorous ones too, directed by one of MGM's A-team directors George Cukor. The story is told in a series of flashbacks ie..each witnesses testimony before a Swiss court for a woman who is accused of murder.Conrad Veight in a role that could be considered almost a precursor of his famous role of Maj. Strasser in Casablanca, particularly stands out - his villainous, cynical dialogue carries the darker scenes very effectively. However two parts are weak - Melvyn Douglas, who can usually be depended on for an admirable performance, comes across as very bland and predictable and Osa Massen - her scenes are painful to watch, overacted to the point that it makes you wince - but these parts are fortunately overshadowed by the other supporting roles that are made up of a quirky assortment of characters that include Reginald Owen, Marjorie Main and Donald Meek that bring an off-the-wall humor but in a subtle way - Meek is particularly good in his part.The photography and the sets are beautifully done. The film offers a good use of close-ups and shadows that in some ways resembles the techniques heavily used in the "film noir" films of the late 40's and early 50's - and in a time when films were rarely shot on location "A Woman's Face" has some of the most beautifully crafted sets that remind me a little of the "Magnificent Ambersons" they really stand out.But the star of the movie is without a doubt - Joan Crawford - her performance draws you in even more so than her role in "Mildred Pierce" and she has probably never looked more naturally beautiful.If you're a Joan Crawford fan or not - check this one out - its good

Joan Crawford, in a rare case of very sly, very competent underplaying, is cast as a facially scarred woman who falls in league (and perhaps in lust) with a blackmailing schemer with murder on his mind. The blackmail part of the deal is foiled when accomplice Crawford is befriended by Melvyn Douglas, the victim's husband (and plastic surgeon!); after restoring her beauty, Douglas must then stop Joan from carrying out the murder plot, targeting a child no less! Remake of an early Ingrid Bergman movie (1938's "En Kvinnas ansikte"), which in turn was based upon a French play, the film is over-plotted and over-flowing with hectic minutiae and chatty supporting characters. Also complicating matters is a story-frame set in the Royal Swedish Court: seems Joan is indeed on trial for murder, but whom did she kill? Despite a slow beginning, this turns out to be a rather shrewdly devised, sharply written melodrama, with some delicious turns of the screw. Crawford and Douglas work smoothly together (they were reteamed for a comedy the following year, "They All Kissed the Bride"), and the cinematography and art direction are marvelous. George Cukor directed, without a sense of humor, and the script might've stood some paring down. Otherwise, shamefully entertaining. **1/2 from ****

An exciting cast, an excellent story, excellent acting. Joan Crawford is perfect as a malevolent blackmailer who has a change of heart after her facial disfigurement is repaired.The story progresses in an interesting way, with the plot unfolding during a murder trial. Each witness builds the story line, and the script has many unexpected plot twists, making this film anything but predictable.This film is a good example of how skillful film makers create special effects without high-tech gadgetry. It's wonderful that we have films like this to show us what real movie-making is like.