Wonderland Burlesque's Let's Go To The Movies: Face Time - Part XII

Wonderland Burlesque's

Let's Go To The Movies: 

Face Time

Part XII

That look, that face...

It's all in the face. It can be read like a book. Or so these films would have us believe. 

The silver screen has been home to so many beautiful (and not-so-beautiful) faces, lighting up the dark, showing us the way, sharing celluloid dreams. It seems only fitting that we take them at their word and look a these films one face at a time.

Yes, these faces may belong to a bygone era, but in the movies?

A face lives forever.

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Face of Fire 

(1959)

In 1898, in a small American town, Dr. Ned Trescott and his family live a quiet life. The family employs Monk Johnson as a handyman. He also spends time with Dr. Trescott's son, Jimmie and is considered part of the family. The two enjoy going fishing. Monk's fiancée, Bella, loves him and plans to marry him. One day, Monk goes to Bella's house to propose and she accepts. On his way back home, Monk hears the clanging of fire bells, shattering the calm of the evening. He watches as the townspeople gathering at the Trescott house which is ablaze. Dr. Trescott and his wife are safe but their son, Jimmie is trapped inside. Monk runs inside the burning house and fetches Jimmie, but the flames block their exits and Monk must find an alternative escape route through Dr. Trescott's homemade basement lab. In the lab, Monk stumbles and falls. Chemicals on a table explode, severely burning Monk's face. Dr. Trescott rushes into the basement lab through the back door and grabs Jimmie. Firemen save Monk but his face is badly burned. Later, while the house is being rebuilt, surgeons work on Monk's face but it is of no use; he remains grotesquely disfigured. His brain also seems to have been injured. Wearing a black veil over his hideous face, Monk is sent to live with a farmer who cares for him for a small fee. One day, Monk runs away and wanders trough the town, peering into windows, scaring the children. His grotesque face is so terrifying the superstitious townsfolk begin to  consider him evil, a bad omen, and a danger for the community. The townspeople chase Monk away, leaving the disfigured man frightened and confused. He simply cannot understane why people react toward him the way they do. Soon, he becomes a pariah in his community and the townspeople decide that Monk must be caught and killed. Alarmed by this, Dr. Trescott finds the town sheriff and the judge in order to stop the mob from lynching Monk. Which means Dr. Trescott and the authorities have to find Monk before the mob does.

Based on the 1898 short story The Monster by Stephen Crane, this American/Swedish drama was directed by Albert Band and stars Cameron Mitchell, James Whitmore, Bettye Ackerman, Miko Oscard, Royal Dano, Robert F. Simon, Richard Erdman and Howard Smith.

This movie was filmed in Sweden, with the cooperation of the Swedish film industry.

Stage and television actress Bettye Ackerman made her motion picture debut in this film.

One reviewer called it, "One of the most disturbing movies ever made."

To this day, it remains unavailable on DVD or video.

You can watch this film in its entirety for free on YouTube.

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Face Of The Frog 

(1959)

AKA: Der Frosch mit der Maske

The Frog Gang is causing trouble in London. Its members have a frog symbol tattooed on their forearms, and its leader always appears in a frog mask. He shows particular interest in the young and beautiful Ella Bennett, as does Richard Gordon, nephew of Scotland Yard chief Sir Archibald. Richard is an amateur detective,  who, together with his distinguished but powerful butler James, is trying to uncover the secret of the Frog Gang. There are many suspects: for example, John Bennett, father of Ella and Ray, whose children don't know what he does on his trips to London or what's in the black suitcase he always takes with him.

Adapted from the 1925 novel The Fellowship of the Frog by Edgar Wallace, this West German-Danish black-and-white crime film was directed by Harald Reinl and stars Siegfried Lowitz and Joachim Fuchsberger.

This was the first of a very successful series of 32 films based on the works of Edgar Wallace produced by Rialto Film in West Germany. The project was deemed risky, as so far no German crime film had found success at the box office after World War II. However, with an audience of 3 million in West Germany the film proved to be an extraordinary success.

The FSK gave the film a rating of '16 years and up, unsuitable for screening on public holidays'. Four scenes had to be cut to receive even this rating and avoid an 'adults only' one.

Previous versions were made in 1928 in the US (as a serial) and in 1937 in the UK, both titled The Mark of the Frog.

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Face Of A Fugitive 

(1959)

A robber being escorted to prison by a deputy sheriff is aided in an escape by his brother who exchanges gunfire with the deputy. The brother and deputy both die, and the robber is accused in absentia with murder. He tries to start a new life in a border town near Mexico, but his past catches up with him.

Based on the short story Long Gone by Peter Dawson, this American Western was directed by Paul Wendkos and stars Fred MacMurray, Lin McCarthy, Myrna Fahey, James Coburn and Dorothy Green.

The film was shot at the Bell Moving Picture Ranch, Corriganville (the ghost town) and on the Sierra Railroad.

This film features an early film score by the prolific composer Jerry Goldsmith (credited as Jerrald Goldsmith). Goldsmith would go on to be nominated for eighteen Academy Awards - winning in 1977 for The Omen, six Grammy Awards, five Primetime Emmy Awards, nine Golden Globe Awards, and four British Academy Film Awards.

This was James Coburn's second film.

You can watch this film in its entirety for free on YouTube.

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Face Of Terror 

(1962)

AKA: La Cara del Terror

Dr. Taylor has invented a plastic surgery method that he unsuccessfully offers to a clinic. Norma, a mentally ill woman with a horrifying facial deformity caused by an accident, runs away from the clinic and visits Taylor so he can experiment on her. The result is a success, as the patient regains her original beauty. But the operation is not definitive, and when the young woman regains her disfigured face all hell breaks loose.

This Mexican sci-fi thriller was directed by Isidoro M. Ferry and William J. Hole Jr. and stars Lisa Gaye, Fernando Rey, Virgilio Teixeira, Conchita Cuetos, Gérard Tichy, Carlos Casaravilla and Emilio Rodríguez.

For the US English-language dubbed version under the title Face of Terror, additional footage directed by William J. Hole Jr. was added.

You can watch this film in its entirety for free on YouTube.

Lisa Gaye

Lisa Gaye, was an American actress and dancer. She appeared in 13 films between 1954 and 1967, including Ten Thousand Bedrooms (1957), and television shows such as Hawaiian Eye (1959) and How to Marry a Millionaire (1957). She had a reoccurring roles on The Bob Cummings Show (1955-59), and appeared multiple times on Perry Mason (1958-66) and Death Valley Days (1960-69).

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Face Of A Stranger 

(1964)

In prison, two inmates are getting out soon. One, soon getting out, has been sent up for a heist of several thousand pounds, still not recovered. The other, getting out before him, pumps the other for details of his home life, so he he can assume the other's identity and get to the loot first.

Based on a story by Edgar Wallace, this British mystery was directed by John Moxey and stars Jeremy Kemp, Bernard Archard and Rosemary Leach.

 

This is part of the series of Edgar Wallace Mysteries films made at Merton Park Studios, much like those being made in West Germany. This was the film debut of actress Rosemary Leach.

Kine Weekly wrote: "This is a somewhat far-fetched story of double dealing and one which, in the first few reels at least, strikes some as preposterous. However, it has the Wallace surprises to bring it back on a saner level and the result is holding, and sometimes violent melodrama. Like all the pictures in this series it pours a pint into a half pint measure and this restriction of footage, while keeping the interest vibrantly alive, is an example of what may be achieved as opposed to the so often overlong film. Jeremy Kemp is good as a man whose morals obviously deteriorate at the thought of money while Bernard Archard is a disarming schemer, Rosemary Leach too, is quite convincing as the blind wife with deep laid plans for a future on her unfortunate husband's ill-gotten gains. Philip Locke, though a crook, is the one character to win a modicum of audience sympathy."

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And that's all for now, folks!

Tune in next time...

Same place, same channel.

Face Of Terror - Movie Trailer

(1962)