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"Funny, but I think "A Woman's Face" was the reason I won an Oscar for "Mildred Pierce." - Joan Crawford
"A Woman's Face" 1941
This page is dedicated to Mark Toscani. We share a passion for Joan and this film, I am honored you're my friend.
Cast: Joan Crawford (as Anna Holm, aka Ingrid Paulson), Melvyn Douglas, Conrad Veidt, Osa Massen, Reginald Owen, Albert Bassermann,
Marjorie Main, Donald Meek, Connie Gilchrist, Richard Nichols, Charles Quigley, Gwili Andre, Clifford Brooke, George Zucco,
Henry Kolker, Robert Warwick, Gilbert Emery, Henry Daniell, Sarah Padden, William Farnum, Doris Day(uncredited)
Release date - May 15, 1941 (New York), May 23, 1941 (Nationwide, U.S.A.)
Running time - 105 minutes (12 reels)
Director - George Cukor
Writing Credits - Francis de Croisset (for the play, II etait une fois), Donald Ogden Stewart and Elliot Paul.
Producer - Victor Saville
Cinematographer - Robert H. Planck
Costumes - Adrian (gowns) and Gile Steele (men's wardrobe)
Studio - MGM
Production dates - 23 January 1941 - 29 March, 1941
Movie Synopsis
In Stockholm, Sweden, as Anna Holm (Joan) enters a courtroom waiting for her murder trial to begin, witnesses are sworn in.
The first witness, Herman Rundvik (Donald Meek), relates the following testimony: Late one night, at a rural tavern, aristocrat
Torsten Barring (Conrad Veidt) hosts a party that includes Vera (Osa Massen), the faithless wife of noted plastic surgeon
Dr. Gustav Segert (Melvyn Douglas). When the tavern will no longer extend Torsten credit, he charms Anna Holm, the badly scarred
proprietress, into signing his check. Bernard Dalvik (Reginald Owen) then testifies that he, Anna and Rundvik made most of
their money from blackmail.
One day, just after Torsten visits Anna, who has fallen in love with him, Vera arrives, begging Dalvik to help her retrieve
letters that she has written to a lover. Vera then testifies: Anna takes the letters to Vera but hatefully demands more money
because Vera is beautiful. Vera is at first frightened by Anna, but when Anna becomes lost in thought talking about love,
Vera cruelly shines a light on her face. While Vera is getting her jewels to pay for the letters, Gustav comes home unexpectedly
and Anna falls as she tries to elude him. Thinking that Anna is a thief, Gustav wants to call the police, but Vera pretends
to take pity on her and convinces him to let her go. Gustav becomes intrigued by Anna's scars and caustic manner, and offers
to perform plastic surgery on her.
Anna is sworn in next. After briefly relating that her childhood scars were caused when her drunken father accidentally
started a fire, she describes her relationship to Torsten: Because he treats her as if she is beautiful and charming, Anna
suspiciously asks what trouble he is in and he suggests that he is not now in trouble but might need her help in the future.
Anna then tells the court that she submitted to twelve operations because she loved Torsten: Two years after the initial operation,
Anna has turned into a beautiful woman no longer ridiculed by strangers. After leaving Gustav's Swiss clinic, she goes to
Torsten, who did not know where she was, and he obliquely tells her that his uncle, Consul Magnus Barring (Albert Bassermann),
who is very old and very rich, is leaving everything to his four-year-old grandson, but if something happens to the grandson,
Torsten will inherit everything. Although Anna does not want to murder anyone, she agrees to help Torsten by posing as a governess.
Using the name Ingrid Paulson, Anna is hired by the consul on Torsten's recommendation and goes to live in his chateau.
Despite her attempts to remain aloof, she finds that she likes the kindly consul and his sweet natured grandson, Lars-Erik
(Richard Nichols). One night, Torsten comes to the chateau for a party, as does Gustav. Thinking that she has softened and
changed her name to start a new life, Gustav does not reveal her true identity. The next day, while secretly trying to listen
to a conversation between Torsten and Gustav, Anna leaves Lars-Erik too long under his sun lamp and her genuine distress makes
Torsten suspicious of her resolve to kill the boy. He gives her an ultimatum that Lars-Erik must die before the next night,
and she reluctantly agrees because she loves him. As Anna breaks down on the stand, Gustav is called to testify: He is suspicious
of Anna after the sun lamp accident, especially after seeing her talking with Torsten at the nearby falls. As she then leads
Lars-Erik to a basket ride across the falls, Gustav catches another basket and sees her save the child from falling into the
water. Seeing Anna embrace Lars-Erik, Gustav realizes that she is not a murderer. Gustav admits to the prosecutor that he
is in love with Anna, after which Emma Kristiansdotter (Marjorie Main), the consul's housekeeper, testifies that she later
overheard Torsten and Anna talking: Torsten taunts her for having become soft and frightens her by talking of the power the
consul's money will bring him. On the consul's birthday, just before a traditional sleigh ride, Anna gives him a portable
chess board, which Emma says she put with the other gifts.
Now the consul testifies: Anna and Gustav are to ride together with Lars-Erik, but Torsten races by with the boy in his
sleigh. The others think he is racing with Gustav and Anna as they try desperately to save the frightened child. Anna confesses
everything to Gustav and says that she now hates Torsten. When they reach the sleigh, Torsten won't stop until Anna takes
out a gun and shoots him. They save the boy and Torsten's body slips into the falls. As the consul continues, Anna interrupts
and says that he knows she is innocent because of the note she left in the chessboard. Now Emma comes forward and admits taking
the letter, in which Anna warned the consul about his nephew and said that she was going to commit suicide. While the judges
adjourn to consider the case, Vera tries to reconcile with Gustav, but he refuses and goes to Anna. They profess their love
for each other and he proposes, after which the court attendant says that the judges are ready to give their decision, and
suggest that Gustav might want to come along.
Interesting Trivia
A remake of, Kvinnas ansikte, En (1938), the Swedish version of, A Woman's Face, starring Ingrid Bergman in Joan's role.
According to news items in Hollywood Reporter, Anita Louise was tested for the role of "Vera," and snow scenes
were shot on location in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Charles Quigley was borrowed from RKO for the film.
A Hollywood Citizen-News article noted that A Woman's Face was part of a recent "avalanche of flashback movies"
and had a "European" appearance to it.
Francis de Croisset's play was previously filmed in Sweden in 1938 under the title En kvinnas ansikte. Ingrid Bergman
starred in that version, which was directed by Gustaf Molander.
Taglines: "They called her a scar-faced devil!"
"Whatever I am...men made me!"
Cost: N/A/Domestic Studio Gross: N/A/Foreign Studio Gross: N/A/ Profit: N/A.
Box Office Receipts: N/A
Photos
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Movie Posters/Lobby Cards etc...
Fan Reviews/Comments
Reviewer, Mark Toscani, says...
One of the most beautiful and photographed faces in the history of Hollywood does the unthinkable and completely destroys
her best asset...and we are most grateful to her for doing this.
In 1941, Joan Crawford was desperate. Her MGM was changing before her very big eyes. The youngsters were coming: Lana
Turner, Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr.
Norma Shearer and Greta Garbo (her chief rivals) would soon never make a film again. And if Shearer weren't bad enough,
newbie Greer Garson was now stealing roles from Joan. Could she ever win? Would she ever be treated with respect?
After being called (foolishly) "box office poison" in 1938, Crawford proved to everyone that she was deeper
and more complex than her movie star image with "The Women" (1939), "Strange Cargo" (1940), and "Susan
and God". Two of these films were directed by her saviour, George Cukor. He next personally requested her for "A
Woman's Face".
This film seems to get better with age-it gives us peaks into Joan's prolific Warner Noirs that were still four years--and
an Academy Award-- away. It is also the performance in which Joan perfected the dual-pull within her soul. She would project
this dichotomy into almost every character: her outside toughness vs her inside vulnerability. This contradiction into her
characters created a colliding and complex nature that reveals a truth within all of us. None of us are one way or another.
We are a combination of many qualities. So many performances from the past date because we are given the "bad" woman
or the "good" woman who should be punished or rewarded.
Crawford made her detractors uncomfortable because she combined these duel natures into one. Thus, some critics would
dismiss her acting as phony because they were used to one type of character. And for Joan to not only push this contradiction
(that was also an uncomfortable combination of the masculine and feminine)-but to also show her as a heroine was almost unthinkable.
It is still uncomfortable for actors to show both complex sides to their nature.
"A Woman's Face" was made at a time at MGM after the great Irving Thalberg passed away. He was responsible for
some of the greatest dramas of the 1930's. Louis B. Mayer had an affection for family movies and musicals. Notice at MGM how
the dramas become lighter and the musicals bigger. Crawford was all nourish drama. Besides "A Woman's Face" the
only other hard-core adult drama that MGM made was "Postman Always Rings Twice" (1946).
As much as Joan wanted to do the films that Greer Garson was given ("Random Harvest", "Madame Curie"),
I am glad she didn't get them. They just weren't hardcore enough for our Joan. And as big a star as Greer Garson was and as
much as I love her performances-how many of her films today hold up and are considered classics? Compare those films to Joan's
Renaissance at Warners: "Mildred Piece" (1945), "Humoresque" (1946), "Possessed" (1947), and
"Flamingo Road" (1949). Give me Joan's dark descent into melodramatic madness over uranium poisoning any day!
Madame Curie is a great scientist and DIES! The wrong man pushes the right woman over the edge and HE dies! Tell me, who
doesn't cheer when Joan finally kills Van Heflin in "Possessed"? He totally got off on tormenting her. He had it
coming.You think you're so clever with your witty mathematics equations and comparing Joan Crawford's love for you with a
parabola!? What good will Calculus do you now that you're dead? And Our Joan will be in complete control as soon as she finishes
a few sessions of electric shock therapy!
But, I digress. I think you can see that without "A Woman's Face"-there'd be no Joan as we know her today. No
Mildred, no woman aging with dignity (yes, dignity because she is fighting the unjust rules set up by a culture she would
help destroy)-oh, and there would be NO Oscar.
She won the Oscar for "Mildred Pierce" because she had the courage and intelligence to listen to her instincts,
learn from a great director, and give us the horror of temporarily destroying a face that God created so the rest of us could
see his creation on film for eternity.
As much as Joan wanted to do the films that Greer Garson was given ("Random Harvest", "Madame Curie"),
I am glad she didn't get them. They just weren't hardcore enough for our Joan. And as big a star as Greer Garson was and as
much as I love her performances-how many of her films today hold up and are considered classics? Compare those films to Joan's
Renaissance at Warners: "Mildred Piece" (1945), "Humoresque" (1946), "Possessed" (1947), and
"Flamingo Road" (1949). Give me Joan's dark descent into melodramatic madness over uranium poisoning any day!
Madame Curie is a great scientist and DIES! The wrong man pushes the right woman over the edge and HE dies! Tell me, who
doesn't cheer when Joan finally kills Van Heflin in "Possessed"? He totally got off on tormenting her. He had it
coming.You think you're so clever with your witty mathematics equations and comparing Joan Crawford's love for you with a
parabola!? What good will Calculus do you now that you're dead? And Our Joan will be in complete control as soon as she finishes
a few sessions of electric shock therapy!
But, I digress. I think you can see that without "A Woman's Face"-there'd be no Joan as we know her today. No
Mildred, no woman aging with dignity (yes, dignity because she is fighting the unjust rules set up by a culture she would
help destroy)-oh, and there would be NO Oscar.
She won the Oscar for "Mildred Pierce" because she had the courage and intelligence to listen to her instincts,
learn from a great director, and give us the horror of temporarily destroying a face that God created so the rest of us could
see his creation on film for eternity.
Reviewer, muryniak20, says...
If I could give it five stars, I would! Before seeing this film, my personal favorite was "Humoresque". Joan dazzled
in this film and deserved at the very least an oscar nomination for best actress. When Corad Veidt sees her face cleared of
all scarring, the laughter that results is pleasing from both. She just seemed so utterly real in this role. Her overall performance
was divine.
Four Stars PLUS!
Reviewer, collegegirl5151974, says...
Review: I think I fell in love with Joan in this movie. I've been mesmerized ever since.
Four Stars
Reviewer, jrc28110, says...
Review: One of Joan Crawford's best performances, due to the fact she shows a diverse series of emotions throughout the entire
film. It was easy to see the uncanny vulnerability and yet sharp survival instincts of the character Anna Holm and the real
Joan Crawford. I think that was her greatest acting skill throughout her career.
Four Stars
Reviewer, dkeithhunt67, says...
I had seen this movie a few years back on TCM or AMC. I can't remember. I loved Joan in Mildred Pierce and The Women. I decided
to give this one a shot since Reunion in France was pretty bad, (other than when she jerked off her sunglasses to see the
German air raids at the beach scene. WHAT A FACE!). I sat down and watched A Woman's Face and fell in love. I thought it was
great that she showed her face scarred and her usual screen personality switched to monotone. She was great when you wondered
if she really was going to push the kid out of the lift.But it was great to see her switch in an instant and save his little
life. The rest of the movie was wonderful. I thought it was a really brave thing to do. To allow one's face to look disfigured.
I give her 4 stars just for doing that. It showed that Joan was scared of nothing and how she had matured. It was a pity that
MGM didn't see the gold they had and it was a joy that Warner's later saw her potential. It was a good move to get away from
MGM. But I agree that A Woman's Face was probably the best of her career at MGM. It was a gutsy move...
Four Stars
Other Reviews
Variety had this to say,..."Miss Crawford takes a radical step as a screen glamour girl to allow the makeup necessary
for facial disfiguration in the first half; an innovation with dramatic tendencies to be receptive to similar roles that may
require temporary or permanent marriage of facial beauty."
If you have seen this movie, please write a review below. Once your review is submitted, I will post the review below. Thank
you for your review on this film.
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