The Face Behind the Mask 06/12/21

Is this a horror classic?  I’d certainly says yes, just for the shrewd, sympathetic performance of Peter Lorre as an unlucky immigrant whose disfigurement in a fire turns him to life of crime and vengeance. An impossibly young Evelyn Keyes shines as a Chaplin-like blind girl, but the performances and Robert Florey’s good direction keep the tone from going soft. And the chilling ending is as bleak as they come. Whatever you may do, my recommendation is to NOT double-cross Peter Lorre. The disc producers give experts Alan K. Rode and Kim Newman the podium, and they respond with three full extras on this highly unusual, seldom-seen gem of a horror film. On Blu-ray from Viavision [Imprint].
06/12/21