Il était une fois

Original title: A Woman's Face

1941
Approved
1h 46m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

YOUR RATING

A female blackmailer with a disfiguring facial scar meets a plastic surgeon who offers her the possibility of looking like a normal woman.

Play trailer2:53

1 Video

43 Photos

Film Noir Drama Thriller

A female blackmailer with a disfiguring facial scar meets a plastic surgeon who offers her the possibility of looking like a normal woman.A female blackmailer with a disfiguring facial scar meets a plastic surgeon who offers her the possibility of looking like a normal woman.A female blackmailer with a disfiguring facial scar meets a plastic surgeon who offers her the possibility of looking like a normal woman.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 3 wins total

Videos1

Trailer 2:53

Original Theatrical Trailer

Photos43

+ 35

‘Snow White’ Stars Test Their Wits

Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, and director Marc Webb take our Ultimate Disney Quiz.

Watch now

9:57

More like this

7.1

La possédée

6.1

La reine du hold-up

7.0

Boulevard des passions

7.3

7.1

6.0

7.0

7.4

Une incroyable histoire

6.0

7.5

6.7

5.9

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
Director George Cukor wanted Anna's recital of her life story to be done in a tired, mechanical fashion, so he had Joan Crawford repeat the multiplication tables over and over until he got the monotonous tone he was looking for. Then, he rolled the cameras.

Goofs
When Anna visits Barring, he pours himself a drink and places it on the table without drinking it. On the following cut after speaking with Anna, he again picks up the bottle and pours himself a drink.

Quotes
Vera Segert: Gustaf. Gustaf. Can't I... Can't we... I made such a mistake.
Dr. Gustaf Segert: I'm sorry, Vera.
Vera Segert: Oh, but Gustaf... Just for one tiny little mistake?
Dr. Gustaf Segert: Which one are you referring to?
Vera Segert: Why that miserable little Robert... Oh, who else were you thinking of?
Dr. Gustaf Segert: I was thinking of George.
Vera Segert: Oh, I hate George now.
Dr. Gustaf Segert: And wasn't there a man named Eric?
Vera Segert: Oh Gustaf, next week is our anniversary.
Dr. Gustaf Segert: You celebrate it, dear. I'm afraid I can't.

Alternate versions
There is an Italian edition of this film on DVD, distributed by DNA Srl: "VOLTO DI DONNA (1941) + DONNE (1939) + Le cargo maudit (1940)" (3 Films on a single DVD), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.

Connections
Featured in You Can't Fool a Camera (1941)

User reviews59

Featured review

She's a `cold-blooded, ruthless little Galatea' - or is she?

This film may surpass even Joan Crawford's Oscar-winning performance in `Mildred Pierce' as the best of her career. `A Woman's Face' is part courtroom drama, part mystery, and unfolds in the form of flashbacks through the eyes of no less than half a dozen questionable characters. Crawford plays Anna Holm, a facially scarred woman whose disfigurement has led her to an embittered life of crime.

Melvyn Douglas is perfectly cast as the handsome and heroic Dr. Segert, and Conrad Veidt plays Torsten Barring, the despicable charmer. Crawford's interpretation of a genuinely mean-spirited and heartless Anna develops into a complex character who wins our sympathy despite her evil intentions. It's a breath of fresh air to see Crawford not made up glamorously. There are no dazzling gowns or mascara-ed lashes to distract the viewer from Crawford's fabulous performance.

With a brilliant supporting cast (including the adorable Richard Nichols as the 4 year-old Lars-Erik, and Marjorie Main as the suspicious housekeeper), `A Woman's Face' ranks among the best Crawford films of all time. It is a must-see for anyone who wishes to see a well-made, fascinating tale of intrigue, love and human frailty.