The Human Face

The Human Face
Directed by	James Erskine David Stewart
Produced by	Nick Rossiter
Written by	John Cleese
Starring	John Cleese Elizabeth Hurley David Attenborough Candice Bergen Pierce Brosnan Mali Finn Charles Fleming William Goldman Kevyn Major Howard Michael Palin Joan Rivers Michael Rix
Release date(s)	2001
Running time	50 minutes
Country	United Kingdom United States
Language	English

The Human Face is a 4 part BBC series that examined the science behind facial beauty, expression, and fame. John Cleese, actor, comedian, visiting professor, and best-selling author on psychology, investigated identity, perception, creativity and sexuality and their relation to the human face, combining art, technology and human interest stories. Paul Ekman served as scientific adviser.

Plot

Part One: Here’s Looking at You

Investigated family resemblances, facial recognition and the purpose of the face and its features, going back to five hundred million years ago. It also speculated about the multi-racial face of the future and showed surgeons in Kentucky preparing for the world’s first facial transplant.

Part Two: Fame and Infamy

Looked at the ubiquity of famous faces on billboards, magazines, and movie screens, and the messages they carry about sex, politics, glamour and power. Considering Diana, Princess of Wales, Jackie Onassis, Marilyn Monroe, it told the story of the face as icon, from Egyptian mummies to Hollywood stars.

Part Three: Survival of the Prettiest

Studied whether human physical attractiveness is a matter of personal taste, looking at standards of beauty that are shared worldwide: a pretty face suggest fertility and ugliness suggests poor health. Big eyes, smooth skin and symmetrical features are valued, and can lead to a better job, more money, and better sex.

Part Four: Secrets and Lies

Looked at how the face communicates without speech, focusing on expressions, disguise and the mysterious art of face-reading.

Cast

• John Cleese as Himself (Host)
• Elizabeth Hurley as Various roles
• David Attenborough as Himself
• Candice Bergen as Herself
• Pierce Brosnan as Himself
• Mali Finn as Herself
• Charles Fleming as Himself
• William Goldman as Himself
• Kevyn Major Howard as Himself
• Michael Palin as Applicant/peasant
• Dr. Vilayanur Ramachandran as Himself
• Joan Rivers as Herself
• Michael Rix as Himself
• Prunella Scales as Pet shop owner/wife

External links

• The Human Face at BBC Programmes
• The Human Face at the Internet Movie Database
• The Human Face at Rotten Tomatoes