The Second Face

I watched this because I am an Ella Raines fan. This movie was made near the end of her career. I was very hopeful, but it turned out to be a disappointment, waste of time. It's a relatively low budget (I guess a B picture) film with a decent cast. The main problem with the movie is that it was one-note. Every scene honed in on the basic situation with no deviation: that the pre-plastic surgery Raines (about 85% of the movie) was rejected because of her plain looks, that she was depressed over her plain looks, and all the characters never stopped talking/philosophizing about her situation. And then there was a little bit about her first employer, who had been divorced, afraid of being dumped again. A very old-fashioned movie, offering nothing special. In the end all the loose ends are tied up and all the shallow characters get their just desserts. I don't mind a "woman's picture;" it's just that this was a mediocre one.

Ella was one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood,but in most of this movie she wears "ugly duckling" makeup.It doesnt matter her inner winning personality shines through,and one even wonders why male characters in the movie are so mean to her,she is still so charismatic with fake face and all.Ella does a great job portraying what some women have to go through life when they are called "ugly".She is really heartbreaking because she plays a character who is an intelligent and beautiful person judged only on looks.I loved the movie and Ella is so great in anything she was in.

I agree with at least one reviewer here, Ella Raines was the most beautiful and talented actress of the 40s and 50s. It seems criminal that by the early 50s she was appearing in Poverty Row films like The Second Face. The question is probably not what did she do that was wrong, but probably what did she not do that was wrong. In other words, given studio sexual harassment and whatnot in this period, she probably didn't go along. Which might explain why after such a luminous performance in films like Phantom Lady and Impact, her career took a nosedive and she turned to television. What a waste. Other actresses of this era, like Nancy Guild from Somewhere in the Night, had even shorter careers, perhaps for the same reasons.

i've seen quite a few negative reviews of this film, but i thought it was refreshingly direct and honest, and very well-acted. Ella raines is truly terrific in it. Each character has multi-layered motivations in their actions, and the progress of the story in engaging throughout. it does have a Douglas sirk feel to it, so perhaps you should judge whether you see that as a good thing or a bad thing. but i also think the film has a bit of a sam fuller feel to it. a film that it thoughtful and very direct in what its about. The main characters are well-developed and intelligent. I don't know why these reviews need to be ten lines, but i'll go along. i've written what I wanted to and wanted to promote this film, as it would be interesting to anyone who finds the theme of reacting to female facial attractiveness intriguing. to me, most contemporary films and TV shows act like this factor matters a lot less than it does (.e.g, girls).

I love Ella Raines, and what I love especially are makeover movies - the ugly duckling turned into a swan, or even something like "Dark Passage" where a criminal has plastic surgery and turns into Humphrey Bogart.

"The Second Face," however, was a big disappointment. It's told in flashback - Phyllis Holmes (Raines) is in a car accident and hospitalized, her face covered in bandages -- apparently her face hit the windshield. We then learn what led to the accident.

Phyllis is a talented designer and a homely one. Ella's looks consisted of nose putty, hair pulled back tightly off her face, no makeup, and plain clothes. She works as an assistant to Paul Curtis (Bruce Bennett) who is in love with her, but after being hurt in a divorce, he won't admit it. He gets her a job elsewhere; ultimately she becomes design partners with a playboy (John Sutton). His rejection is painful for her. Things change after the accident and Phyllis undergoes plastic surgery, paid for by a mysterious benefactor.

Raines was a likable actress and in her younger days she resembled Gene Tierney; here, after her makeover, she does as well. For some reason she was usually relegated to B films, though several were very good noirs. She retired in 1956. AS an actress, she was a little limited -- scenes in this film where the character was overwrought weren't particularly well acted.

The cast is good, but the script is heavy-handed.