The Face Behind the Mask

Saw this at a special showing. Great performance from Peter Lorrie as a sweet immigrant who turns to a life of crime after his face is disfigured in a fire. Director Robert Flory uses a variety of wild film techniques to tell this colorful story. A shame it is not available on video.

Based on the starring of Peter Lorre, and the promise in the plot synopsis that his face would be disfigured, I admittedly expected this to be a slice of B-movie horror, but it certainly isn't. "The Face behind the Mask" massively transcends the simple providing of cheap thrills, as it's a tragically harsh and saddening allegory on immigration and the backside of the American dream at the start of the 20th century, brought to an even more superlative level by Lorre's performance.

In my humble opinion, Peter Lorre's legendary roles in "M" and "Mad Love" are impossible to surpass, but he does come darn close here, with his depiction Janos Szabo; - a Hungarian immigrant arriving in the United States full of hope and enthusiasm to find employment as a watchmaker and contribute to society. His naivety and unconditional friendliness gain him the respect of several New Yorkers, including a police inspector, but then a tragedy occurs when Janos' face gets horribly disfigured in a tenement fire. Janos is forced into a life of crime, even if it were only to pay for a half-decent mask, because without he's unemployable and downright terrifying to be around. He's disgusted by having to give up his own norms and ideals, until he finds the true love and redemption of the blind Helen (lovely Evelyn Keyes). But even that little bit of happiness isn't meant for him.

Let's take a moment and stand still at what a brilliant (but sadly underrated) actor Peter Lorre was. Not only does his character goes through a whole spectrum of emotion as well as two completely opposite personalities, but also Lorre's own unique physical features can apparently replace special effects. The ending should have featured a bit more action and fierceness, but overall a masterclass 40s movie.

1941's "The Face Behind the Mask" was among the 11 Columbia titles included in the SON OF SHOCK television package issued in the late 50s, garnering a growing cult that continues to build even today. A solid 'B' offering a rare starring role for the unique talents of Peter Lorre (who cavalierly dismissed it in its day), as Hungarian immigrant Janos Szabo, arriving in New York full of boundless enthusiasm as he seeks to make his home in the New World and bring over his fiancée Maria. Tragedy strikes as his hotel burns down, leaving his face scarred beyond repair, a pariah in society despite his skills at watchmaking and aviation. With no work and no future prospects, Janos finds it easier to turn to a life of crime, his mastery at eluding detection without leaving any clues baffling the police. Only when he meets a sweet blind girl does he find his heart stirring again, except his gang won't allow him to quit without repercussions. For an actor who dismissed his profession as 'making faces,' it's remarkable that Lorre's performance shows none of the disdain he may have felt; surely a part that juggles naïve optimism with despairing pessimism, going from criminal mastermind to humanity restored, just doesn't come along every day, and it's a testament to his overall talent that he never lets the film down. George E. Stone tries out his role as 'The Runt' in the upcoming 'Boston Blackie' series at Columbia, and Evelyn Keyes, as the blind Helen, had just played Boris Karloff's daughter in "Before I Hang." Other memorable turns come from James Seay, Al Hill, Mary Currier, and the ubiquitous Frank Reicher, as a sympathetic plastic surgeon. Like all of the SON OF SHOCK titles, "The Face Behind the Mask" appeared on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater on three occasions (only Boris Karloff's "The Black Room" aired four times).

The question is: Is it possible to make Peter Lorre look weirder than he did naturally? This movie answers that question, and the answer is "yes."

"The Face Behind the Mask" gives off major Universal monster movie vibes. The mask in question covers Lorre's face after he suffers severe burns and doesn't have enough money for plastic surgery. No worries though -- he falls in love with a blind woman, played by Evelyn Keyes, who only sees the beauty within. They marry and live happily ever after, and everything is right with the world.

Ok, so that's not how things go. I saw this movie as part of the Noir City film festival at the Music Box Theater in Chicago. And though this doesn't feel like a true noir to me, just by virtue of being on the program you know things can't go quite so smoothly for our protagonist as all that. Lorre goes from meek and idealistic immigrant to crime gang heavy in the space of about two minutes, and this has some definite repercussions on his domestic affairs.

Lorre is one of those actors like Edward G. Robinson who's just so cool to watch on screen that any material is better because he's delivering it. Keyes is absolutely lovely in this, and does a pretty passable impression of someone who can't see. If I hadn't been in the mood to see an old-fashioned noir I might have had a more generous reaction to this movie, but as it is I still had fun with it. You could watch this movie in the amount of time it would take you to binge watch two or three episodes of your favorite Netflix show of the moment, so it's not like it's a huge commitment.

And it's interesting to see a movie about the immigrant experience in 1941, when people would have been fleeing Europe in droves for places like the U. S. When virtually every movie at the time, regardless of genre, felt some obligation to keep up war morale, it doesn't pass notice that this movie has a rather cynical attitude about America being a land of opportunity for those not born in it.

Exceptional B movie from Columbia, directed by Robert Florey and starring Peter Lorre as a hopeful, innocent Hungarian immigrant whose face is burned in a fire on his first day in New York. His horrible disfigurement makes it hard for him to get work so he turns to a life of crime. Eventually he's leading his own gang and makes enough money to pay for a realistic mask to hide his burns. When he falls in love with a blind woman (Evelyn Keyes) and wants to go straight, his gang turns on him.

There are no bells and whistles here, just fine acting, a decent script, and nice direction. Sensitive, brilliant performance from Peter Lorre that is far better than you would expect to find in a quickie that was filmed in less than a month. The often underrated Evelyn Keyes is terrific in this. Solid support from Don Beddoe and George E. Stone. Robert Florey's noirish direction is a major plus. He would re-team with Lorre later for the classic The Beast with Five Fingers. It's a very good film that's a sort of blend of gangster and horror pictures. If nothing else, see it for one of Peter Lorre's best starring roles.