A WOMAN'S FACE

US, 1941, 105 minutes, Black and White.
Joan Crawford, Melvyn Douglas, Conrad Veidt, Reginald Owen, Albert Basserman, Donald Meeks, Connie Gilchrist.
Directed by George Cukor.

A Woman's Face is a Joan Crawford vehicle of the early '40s. She had worked with director George Cukor in Susan and God. This was the period in which Cukor made Two-Faced? Woman, Greta Garbo's last film, and Keeper of the Flame with Tracy and Hepburn. Cukor is considered to have a very good manner with actresses. He seems to tone down some of Joan Crawford's aggressive mannerisms in this film and she gives a persuasive performance as a Swedish woman with a scarred face who is a potential killer. The structure of the film is a court case with a succession of witnesses telling the story. The effect is cumulative and it has a traditional happy ending. The film has the customary gloss of M.G.M. films of the period. German actor Conrad Veidt is effective as the villain. The film was based on a Swedish film of the late '30s starring Ingrid Bergman.

1. An enjoyable thriller? Melodrama? Human interest story? The basic appeal of this kind of melodrama?

2. M.G.M. '40s production, use of studios even for locations. black and white photography, smooth production? The stars and their impact?

3. The Swedish setting - how persuasive? The American cast giving an American tone to the Swedish setting? How credible the plot, characterisation?

4. The courtroom framework for interest, judgments? The structure of the screenplay the court setting and judicial inquiry, the succession of viewpoints of the witnesses, individual angles on the truth? The effect on continuity with the interruptions and return to the courtroom? Annals story in the middle of the witnesses' stories? The cumulative effect and the final judgment?

5. The initial judgments on Anna, the accusation of murder? The emergence of the truth and judgments against her, her plan to kill the little boy? Her change of heart, the possibility of redemption? The happy ending and final judgment?

6. The film as a Joan Crawford vehicle? her more subdued presence,, her strong manner? Her role as a scarred woman? Her capacity for evil, her ownership of the roadhouse, her work with the gang, her hardness? The influence of the scar on her face? Her story, her fear of love and preoccupation with it? Her being charmed by Barring and allowing him credit? Her blackmailing and hardness? The encounter with the doctor, her decision for surgery, the transformation to beauty and the capacity for love? How deep her hard approach to life, defensiveness? The infatuation with Barring and her decision to be his partner? Her accepting the fact that she would murder the boy? Her work. the experience of the family and the change of heart? The symbolic dilemma on the chair lift and her last-minute change? The credibility of her suicide note? The killing of Barring? Her redemption?

7. The glimpse of the gang - at work in the roadhouse. the waiter and his testimony, his fawning, getting so much money from Barring, presenting himself in a good light in the court, not having any children, his wanting to get out at the end? The manager and his wife and her wisecracks? The gang and blackmail? Their pushing themselves to save themselves in the courtroom?

8. The doctor and his wife and their presence in the court - the wife and her flirtations, her story and putting Anna in a bad light, the loss of the letters, the blackmail? The clash with Anna? The visit and the confrontation? Her being found out by her husband? The final clash in the courtroom, the divorce? Her selfishness? The doctor and his reputation, the separation from his wife, his skill as a surgeon, the discovery of Anna, his showing her the book, the operations, his insight into her character, rediscovering her in the country? His infatuation with her?

9. The contrast with Barring - as an elegant and wealthy type, his wanting credit, his lavish tips? His shrewdness in acquiring the letters? His charming of Anna? His wanting to make her his partner? The passionate entanglement and his using her? The discussions about love. the relationship. murder? His sinister presence? His getting the job for Anna, his presence at the country estate? The dance, the present to the Consul? His pushing Anna and giving her a time limit, the conversation overheard by the housekeeper? His sense of being thwarted especially at the chair lift? The sleigh ride, his death? An evil man ? his talk about the Devil and incarnating evil?

10. The Consul and his household, joviality and joy, the presents, the little boy and his attraction towards Anna, the tender sequences between them, the effect on Anna, the impact of Barring, her thinking of killing the boy especially on the chair lift, saving him by shooting Barring?

11. The housekeeper and her primness, her jealousy, her taking of the note, her testimony in the court and her comment on lying, her telling of the truth and admitting she was a fool?

12. The doctor and his presence at the estate, his curiosity about Anna? His following her, seeing her saving the boy. his declaration of love in the court? The happy ending?

13. Anna and her testimony, the cumulative effect of the story, her reliance on the Consul's note, the truth? The impact on her of her scar, the effect of the operation and transformation?

14. The group of witnesses? at the bar at the beginning, their chatter in the room, their effect on one another?

15. The happy ending and the final conversation between the doctor and Anna? A future?

16. Themes of crime, hardness, blackmail, corruption, the incarnation of evil and corruption, love, transformation? Soap opera material - entertainingly done?