A Stolen Face (1952)

An intriguing little crime thriller, A Stolen Face is a B-film but pretty entertaining. The premise -- that a plastic surgeon will transform a convict into the image of a woman he loves and then marry her -- is one that many will find hard to take, and not without reason. In other hands, this unbelievable premise could have been the springboard for a serious examination of obsession; here, it's merely the gimmick that propels a romantic melodrama. But if one can accept that it's just a gimmick, one can enjoy the ride. Terence Fisher directs with efficiency and the occasional flash of flair, accepting the limitations of the script and emphasizing its stronger points. He's aided by a good central performance from Paul Henreid and a delightful job from Lizabeth Scott, who gets to show off her good girl/bad girl split in a very deliberate manner. Throw in a few surprising Walter Harvey camera shots, and the result is a moderately engaging little noirish flick. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide