11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Joan Crawford - what a face!, January 9, 2002
This review is from: Woman's Face [VHS] (VHS Tape)
To the point: Joan once said her performance in A Woman's Face has led her in winning an Oscar for Mildred Pierce. Directed by George Cukor A Woman's Face was indeed a film that shows that Joan was not only a star but an dramatic actress.
from an audience point of view.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One Of Joan Crawford's Finest Hours As An Actress, September 6, 2004
This review is from: Woman's Face [VHS] (VHS Tape)
I've always thought the period from 1939 to 1942 was an extremely interesting time in Joan Crawford's career. As one of the three Queens of MGM along with Greta Garbo and Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford was long regarded as MGM's resident "shopgirl", most often seen in vehicles where her character by sheer grit and determination usually clawed her way to the upper levels of society. By 1939 Joan was inevitably outgrowing those type of parts and being the total career strategist that she was she began taking more risks with the type of roles she tackled. "A Woman's Face", coming along in 1941 was one such "non traditional", role that she undertook at this time and it resulted in one of her finest efforts up to that date and contains without a doubt some of the best acting of Joan's long career at the studio of studios, MGM. Under the always sure direction of the legendary director George Cukor who she had just had another success with in "Susan and God", Joan totally submerges herself in the character of the embittered and horrifically scarred Anna Holm with amazing dramatic results that helps create a riverting story of sadness and bitterness redeemed by love and understanding.
Based on the earlier Swedish film "En Kvinnas Ansikte", starring a young Ingrid Bergman which in turn was based on the celebrated play "II Etait Une Fois", by Francois De Croisset, the new effort keeps the locale and the same main characters with more of an American flavour to it with some of Hollywood's major lead and supporting actors filing the roles. We are first introduced to Anna Holm (Crawford), during a court case where she is on trial for the murder of Torsten Barring (Conrad Veidt). Told in flashback we see her living a lonely and loveless life in Stockholm. Horribly scarred by a childhood accident Anna leads an embittered existence where she has allowed her own frustrations to be taken out on all those around her. She turns to becoming the leader of a ruthless blackmailing ring that operates by extorting money out of unfortunate individuals who find themselves in potentially embarrassing situations. Basing their centre of operations at a country roadhouse Anna comes into contact with scheming aristocrat Torsten Barring, who happens to be short of both cash and any scruples about how to get it. He senses Anna's hunger for affection and he begins flattering her into believing she is an interesting and desirable woman. Of course he has ulterior motives for all this attention as he has plans to use Anna in his deadly scheme to murder his young nephew Lars Erik (Richard Nichols), who stands in the way of him receiving the family fortune on the event of the death of his ageing father Consul Barring (Albert Bassermann). In the meantime Anna continues to ply her trade of blackmail when her focus falls on wealthy Vera Segert (Osa Massen), the careless wife of prominent plastic surgeon Gustaf Segert (Melvyn Douglas). Attempting to exhort money from Vera over some careless love letters from Vera that have fallen into her possession Anna sprains her ankle trying to escape from the Segert's house and comes into contact with Gustaf. When he sees the terrible scar on her face Gustaf begins to take an interest in Anna and after showing her examples of how he has completely removed just as hideous disfigurements from others urges her to undergo surgery to remove her disfigurement. Anna agrees to undergo the surgery and the operations are a total success with Anna for the first time experiencing the feeling of being an attractive woman. However what has been repaired on the outside of the body is still no solution to the damage caused on the inside and Gustaf really wonders whether he has changed much at all and whether Anna is in fact a "Frankenstein or a Galatea". Wanting to show off her new appearance Anna goes to Torsten's apartment where her newfound beauty only fires his plans further towards obtaining his family fortune. He pursuades Anna to take a job as governess to Lars Erik and then stage an accident that will remove the claimant. Anna however grows attached to the infant and begins to see the wrong direction her life is taking her in when there is an opportunity to begin anew. When she is pushed into committing the murder Anna cannot go ahead with it and encouraged by the now besotted Gustaf she draws back from Torsten and his murderous scheme. Infuriated by Anna's betrayal Torsten now makes an attempt during a sleigh ride to murder the boy himself but in the frenzied pursuit Anna ends up shooting Torsten to save Lars Erik. Put on trial for murder a vital letter written by Anna to the Consul warning him about Torsten's intentions is revealed by jealous house keeper Emma Kristiansdotter (Marjorie Main)which shows that Anna acted in good intent. Gustaf now can see she was innocent of any wrong doing and agrees to stand by her for whatever happens in the future.
Certainly the second half of "A Woman's Face", does dissolve into melodrama but it is melodrama of the best kind and both portions of the story complement each other perfectly. George Cukor did a masterful job here with his direction of Joan Crawford and reportedly worked with her repeatedly to wear down any "actressy", mannerisms that Crawford might have normally brought to the proceedings. Certainly Joan displays an almost wistful quality in her acting when her new face is unveiled and she continually touches her face to see if it is actually hers. A normal person's natural anxiety and fear during the removal of her bandages also registers in Joan's facial expressions and deportment during that crucial scene where the audience waits with baited breath to see the results of her surgery. The earlier scenes when Anna is still a scarred and embittered blackmailer are some of Joan Crawford's finest pieces of acting. Here is no actress playing a villian, her Anna is a fully dimensional and embittered character taking her vengeance out on an uncaring world. Many other performers also shine in "A Woman's Face", in particular Conrad Veidt who made a speciality of these types of nasty individuals such as he plays here. Melvyn Douglas, a frequent Crawford leading man has the far more conventional leading man part here and really can't help but pale beside Veidt's more colurful charactersiation. Supporting performers Reginald Owen, Donald Meek and Connie Gilchrist really register as Anna's villianous pack of cold blooded blackmailers and Marjorie Main turns in an unexpectedly fine dramatic performance, very different to her better known work as a comedian, in the role of the jealous housekeeper who ends up holding the vital evidence that could save Anna's life when she is on trial.
Given that it was considered one of MGM's major productions for 1941 the credits both in front of and behind the camera for "A Woman's Face", are first rate. I'm always amazed at the individual expertise in areas like set design, lighting and costume back in Hollywood's heyday and "A Woman's Face", is no exception with Cedric Gibbon's excellent Swedish set design and the legendary Adrian excelling in one of his last assignments at MGM with his authentic costume designs for the principals. Joan Crawford never really had as excellent an acting role in her remaining two years at MGM but her Anna Holm is a fitting tribute to her often underestimated talents as a dramatic actress. If you see only one Joan Crawford melodrama from her MGM years make sure it is George Cukor's riverting tale of murder, deceit and love in "A Woman's Face".
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Crawford's Finest, August 24, 2002
This review is from: Woman's Face [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Anyone who doubts Joan Crawford's acting ability should watch the first half of this wonderful George Cukor film (second half dissolves into standard MGM melodrama fare). She is heartbreaking and constantly compelling. One wonders what could have happened to her career if she had been used more for her talent than her looks. Conrad Veidt is her spine tingling costar. A dynamic and dastardly duo!
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