By Frank Miller
Another Face
Brief Synopsis
Plastic surgery turns a gangster into a movie star.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Christy Cabanne
Director
Wallace Ford
Joe Haynes
Brian Donlevy
"Broken Nose" Dawson, also known as Spencer Dutro III
Phyllis Brooks
Sheila Barry
Erik Rhodes
Mr. Grimm
Molly Lamont
Mary McCall
Film Details
Also Known As
It Happened in Hollywood, Two Faces
Genre
Comedy
Classic Hollywood
Crime
Drama
Release Date
Dec
20,
1935
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 8m
Film Length
7 reels
Synopsis
To escape arrest, "Broken Nose" Dawson, a New York gangster wanted for murder, hires a plastic surgeon to reshape his face and then flees to Hollywood to start a career as a movie actor. Posing as millionaire playboy Spencer Dutro III, Dawson lands a part as a gangster in a Zenith Studio production, which stars Sheila Barry, the girl friend of Zenith's overzealous publicity director, Joe Haynes. Although Dawson's acting skills are minimal, Joe, who dreams of becoming a producer, decides to shower the "millionaire" with publicity. Soon after meeting with Dawson, however, Joe learns from Mary McCall, the fiancée of Western star Tex Williams and the nurse who aided in Dawson's surgery, the gangster's true identity. Inspired with the ultimate publicity gag, Joe locks Mary in his office closet and convinces Charles L. Keller, Zenith's general manager, to allow him to expose Dawson while he is performing his last scene. After talking Sheila into postponing their wedding in Arizona and working that night on the film, Joe calls Captain Spellman of the Los Angeles police department and prepares to confront Dawson. By this time, however, Mary has been let out of the closet and reunites with Tex, who angrily reports Joe for kidnapping. As the cameras roll on Dawson's big scene with Sheila, Mary loudly indentifies him to the police. Panicked, Dawson takes Sheila at gunpoint and escapes from the set, but is tracked down by Joe, who, after a fierce fight, captures him and rescues a forgiving, grateful Sheila.
Director
Christy Cabanne
Director
Cast
Wallace Ford
Joe Haynes
Brian Donlevy
"Broken Nose" Dawson, also known as Spencer Dutro III
Phyllis Brooks
Sheila Barry
Erik Rhodes
Mr. Grimm
Molly Lamont
Mary McCall
Alan Hale
Charles L. Keller
Addison Randall
Tex Williams
Paul Stanton
Bill Branch
Edward Burns
Cameraman
Charles Wilson
Captain Spellman
Hattie Mcdaniel
Nellie
Si Jenks
Janitor
Oscar Apfel
Dr. H. J. Buler
Inez Courtney
Mamie
Emma Dunn
Sheila's mother
Ethel Wales
Aunt Hattie
Frank Mills
Muggsie Brown
Crew
Doran Cox
Assistant Director
Denzil A. Cutler
Recording
Thomas Dugan
Original Story
Garrett Graham
Screenwriter
Al Herman
Art Director Associate
George Hively
Editing
Jack Mackenzie
Photography
Ray Mayer
Original Story
Van Nest Polglase
Art Director
Cliff Reid
Associate Producer
John Twist
Screenwriter
Jack Wagner
Contr to trmt
Vernon Walker
Photography Effects
Roy Webb
Music Director
Film Details
Also Known As
It Happened in Hollywood, Two Faces
Genre
Comedy
Classic Hollywood
Crime
Drama
Release Date
Dec
20,
1935
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 8m
Film Length
7 reels
Articles
Another Face -
Brian Donlevy could play comic and deadly serious versions of his tough-guy type, but rarely did he get to do both in the same film. This 1935 quasi-comedy from RKO came out the same year as his breakthrough role as vice king Edward G. Robinson's muscle in Barbary Coast (1935). The picture starts in a similar vein, with ruthless gangster Broken Nose Dawson using plastic surgery to elude the police, then brutally killing the surgeon and his nurse. When he takes his new face to Hollywood, however, the film takes a turn to satire, as the experienced thug turns inexperienced actor and rises to stardom. The impetus for his new life is ambitious press agent Wallace Ford, who promotes Donlevy to advance his own career. But a witness to his evil ways also turns up on the lot, setting the stage for a fiery confrontation that shifts the film back into gangster territory. RKO surrounded the male stars with some of their best character players, including Erik Rhodes as an assistant director, Alan Hale as the studio chief and Hattie McDaniel as a maid. Christy Cabanne, one of the screen's most prolific low-budget directors, ties it all together in a fast-paced 69 minutes.
By Frank Miller
By Frank Miller
Another Face -
Brian Donlevy could play comic and deadly serious versions of his tough-guy type, but rarely did he get to do both in the same film. This 1935 quasi-comedy from RKO came out the same year as his breakthrough role as vice king Edward G. Robinson's muscle in Barbary Coast (1935). The picture starts in a similar vein, with ruthless gangster Broken Nose Dawson using plastic surgery to elude the police, then brutally killing the surgeon and his nurse. When he takes his new face to Hollywood, however, the film takes a turn to satire, as the experienced thug turns inexperienced actor and rises to stardom. The impetus for his new life is ambitious press agent Wallace Ford, who promotes Donlevy to advance his own career. But a witness to his evil ways also turns up on the lot, setting the stage for a fiery confrontation that shifts the film back into gangster territory. RKO surrounded the male stars with some of their best character players, including Erik Rhodes as an assistant director, Alan Hale as the studio chief and Hattie McDaniel as a maid. Christy Cabanne, one of the screen's most prolific low-budget directors, ties it all together in a fast-paced 69 minutes. By Frank Miller
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working titles of this film were Two Faces and It Happened in Hollywood. Several trade journals reviewed the film as Two Faces.
