After an accident ends in appreciable facial scarring, Anna Holm (Joan Crawford) finds herself in a world of felony exercise. A ruthless blackmailer, Anna makes use of giant hats to cover her face, preferring to lurk in shadows somewhat than permitting herself to be seen. However when she meets a surgeon who can eradicate the scars, Anna sees a chance to begin over — if she will resist the felony underworld she’s grow to be so accustomed to.

“A Girl’s Face,” directed by George Cukor, typically insightfully glances into the suffocating magnificence requirements ladies expertise. A pointy distinction reveals itself each in the best way individuals deal with Anna earlier than and after her surgical procedure to take away her scarring, in addition to the best way she carries herself earlier than and after her intensive operations. Males who as soon as mocked and scorned her for her scars now covet her — however Anna solely seeks to please Torsten (Conrad Veidt). She craves his approval and love, however Torsten is a callous man, whose preliminary likability offers method to one thing way more wretched. Within the crushing attic sequence, Torsten behaves cruelly to her, reminding Anna that he fell for her earlier than the surgical procedure, and that solely he may probably love the actual her.

Crawford so typically shone in massive, daring moments, shouting or screaming to command consideration. However Anna provides one thing totally different — a chance to enjoy refined appears to be like and smiles that illuminate her characters’ interiority. “A Girl’s Face” continuously dips into implausible territory, making it robust to take severely, and it veers too onerous into melodrama as nicely. Nonetheless, Crawford and Veidt are so large that these points fall by the wayside.