The Man with My Face (film)
| The Man with My Face | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster |
|
| Directed by | Edward Montagne |
| Produced by | Ed Gardner |
| Written by | Vin Bogert Tom McGowan Edward Montagne Samuel W. Taylor |
| Starring | Barry Nelson Carole Mathews Lynn Ainley |
| Music by | Robert McBride |
| Cinematography | Fred Jackman, Jr. |
| Editing by | Gene Milford |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | June 14, 1951 |
| Running time | 79 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Man with My Face is a 1951 American United Artists film noir crime/thriller motion picture starring Barry Nelson, Carole Mathews, Lynn Ainley, John Harvey, Jim Boles, and Jack Warden. The film marks Jack Warden's movie debut.
Directed by Edward Montagne, and produced by Ed Gardner for his company, Edward F. Gardner Productions, the script was by Vin Bogert, Tom McGowan, Edward Montagne and Samuel W. Taylor, based on Taylor's 1948 novel The Man with My Face. Original music was by Robert McBride. Cinematography was by Fred Jackman, Jr.
Though the movie takes place in Puerto Rico, the original novel is set in California. However, The Man with My Face holds the distinction of being the only film noir shot on location in that country.
[edit] Plot
Set in Puerto Rico, where Charles "Chick" Graham (played by Nelson) settled down after the war to run a small business with his old Army buddy, now his brother-in-law, Buster Cox (played by Harvey), Graham comes home one evening to find his wife, Cora (played by Ainley), acting as if he is an insane stranger.
He finds that a double has taken his place. There is a man who looks exactly like him, Albert "Bert" Rand (also played by Nelson), playing cards and drinking in his living room. Cora and Buster, and even Graham's dog, do not recognize him and think the double is him.
Meanwhile, Graham's face has shown up on the front page of newspapers as a bank robber in Miami who made away with half a million dollars. As he runs from the police, he attempts to solve the mystery with the help of an old girlfriend, Mary Davis (played by Mathews), whom he jilted to marry Cora. Mary's protective brother, Walt Davis (played by Warden), is wary, but soon joins in trying to figure out the puzzle.
Graham's criminal double attempts to have him killed by hiring an attack dog specialist to have a Doberman go after him. The evil double has been in on this sinister plan with Cora and her brother, Buster, since before Graham married her. Intriguingly, Barry Nelson was the first actor to portray James Bond, starring in a 1954 television version of Casino Royale opposite Peter Lorre.
