Face of Fire (1959) User Reviews

A fine study of human fear

[Kirasjeri · 8/10 · 27 July 1999]

One of the most disturbing movies ever made. James Whitmore plays a popular, good-looking, engaged, and successful man. He then bravely rescues a friends young son one night during a fire, but is knocked unconscious and has burning liquid pour all over his face turning him into a hideously deformed "monster". It turns out he has brain damage causing him to later act eccentric and illogically - such as paying a surprise visit to his now former fiance, as though nothing had changed, which was an especially disturbing scene. The reactions of all, including the rescued child, to him is the theme of the movie. Worth seeing, but not on video as of yet.

a little-known gem

[billherbst · 7/10 · 3 July 2005]

Over the past three decades, numerous quirky little movies that were personal favorites of mine have moved out of the realm of near-unknowns and entered into the public domain of enlarged popularity with a growing number of cinema students and film buffs. Although I'm a bit embarrassed to admit it, I feel a slight pang of grief whenever the "secret" gets out about one of these movies, because they had previously "belonged" to only a select few of us. Some hard-core movie lovers do suffer at times from a little elitism or possessive snobbery...

Some of these movies that are now more widely appreciated were always great films with a strong cult following--Carl Dreyer's 1928 silent "La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc," for instance, or Andrei Tarkovsky's "Stalker." Many others were B-movies made with minuscule budgets and ridiculously short shooting schedules, such as Edgar G. Ulmer's 4-day noir classic "Detour," or the creepy horror of "Carnival of Souls," shot near Lawrence, Kansas.

"Face of Fire" falls into the latter category and remains firmly embedded in my shrinking list of almost-unknown faves. I saw it only once on TV almost 40 years ago, but somehow it has fallen through the cracks, rarely if ever broadcast and still not available on VHS or DVD.

This very brief (79 min.) slice of rural Americana, based on a Stephen Crane short story-- with its disturbing trajectory and sad revelations about human nature, yet still uplifting in its final outlook--was shot in Sweden with an ensemble cast of stalwart and steadily-working American character actors, many of whom were instantly recognizable from 1950s television and movies.

My memory of the movie is sketchy at best (I was 15 when I saw it), and I wouldn't then have put it in the pantheon of great films, but it nonetheless affected me deeply with its insights into unconscious, small-minded human cruelty and the compensations that may be granted to a still-gentle soul. The final scene looking down a country road was evocative of a mythic America that has largely vanished, and that particular shot has stayed with me for four decades.

"Face of Fire" is very much worth seeing, should you have the chance.

Seen on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater in 1973

[kevinolzak · 7/10 · 30 July 2010]

An excellent character study, not a horror title despite the top-billed presence of Cameron Mitchell, 1958's "Face of Fire" (based on the Stephen Crane story "The Monster") was shot in Sweden by director Albert Band, father of producer Charles Band, following the release of his first foray into terror, "I Bury the Living," and distributed in the US by Allied Artists. James Whitmore (from 1954's "Them!") stars as popular handyman Monk Johnson, a single man with an eye for the ladies, dedicated to helping Dr. Ned Prescott (Cameron Mitchell) raise his young son Jimmie (Miko Oscard). When a blazing fire burns down the Prescott home, Monk is able to save Jimmie's life, but is accidentally left behind unconscious, allowing one of the doctor's deadly chemicals to eat away at his face before he is rescued. He recovers, but is left with the mind of a child, only to be shunned by the townspeople who cannot bear the sight of his now hideous visage. Dr.Prescott is grateful to Monk for saving his son's life, and does all he can to take care of his simple-minded patient, receiving no assistance from anyone. When Monk wanders off into town, frightening a young woman who misunderstands his friendly intentions, the men decide to form a gun-toting mob and pursue the hapless man-child through the woods. The ending finds the doctor's son overcoming his initial fear to again bond with his best friend. Sensitive performances from a better than expected cast, including American Royal Dano and Canadian Lois Maxwell, playing man and wife. Cameron Mitchell was already looking for work overseas, but found few better roles than this one, while James Whitmore is simply heartbreaking. Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater aired this film twice, on Feb 10 1973 (preceded by Lugosi's "The Human Monster") and Jan 5 1974 (preceded by 1965's "A Study in Terror"), alongside other Cameron Mitchell titles "Blood and Black Lace" (six), "Maneater of Hydra" (five), and "Nightmare in Wax" (4).

An eerie yet moving film

[maxeythecat · 26 December 2005]

Released in 1959, "Face of Fire" stars James Whitmore as the gregarious Monk Johnson.....handsome, generous with the ladies, adored by the kids and well received by anyone who meets him, he is without doubt one of the most popular guy in town. While working for a doctor and his family, he is seriously disfigured in a house fire while saving the life of his employer's son, and his world is changed forever. Where he was once greeted with open arms, he is now shunned and looked upon as a monster by the same folk that had loved him and called him their friend. Based upon a 19th Century short story by Stephen Crane, it shows the ugly side of the human condition in a way that had rarely been depicted before........insensitive, fearful and intolerant of something that appears or behaves different from what they consider normal.

When I first saw this on television, I was about 6 years old and it really struck a chord in me...I could'nt get over the fact how quickly Monk's so-called friends could turn on him just because of their irrational fear of his appearance, treating someone that they'd always "loved" no better than they would an animal. Even watching it today, it still sends a pretty powerful message about the inhumanity mankind often shows to those that are not like themselves....it's a wonderful lesson on the destructive power of prejudice and ignorance and a film that I would recommend to any parent to watch with their kids.

***

[edwagreen · 7/10 · 14 May 2017]

A troubling story with Cameron Mitchell as the town doctor whose son is saved in a fire by character James Whitmore. As Munk, he is a beloved town figure, who is terribly disfigured and brain injured as a result of the fire.

The film becomes one of rejection as the town mulls what is to be done with this savage-like human being. A group of men attempt to hunt him down and put him out of his misery. A group of children make fun of him-including the boy he saved.

There is a poignant scene where all that changes and acceptance prevails.

A film detailing how society can view a stricken individual as well as the social tenets and mores of the individuals acting collectively. Thank goodness goo common sense prevailed in the end.

Disfigured hero shunned

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 3 May 2017]

Coming from small Allied Artists studio Face Of Fire might have easily been overlooked in 1959 the year of Ben-Hur. Yet this film opened to a lot of critical acclaim for James Whitmore in his portrayal of the badly burned man who is shunned by the small town and all the people who took to his genial personality.

Making it all the worse is that Whitmore was burned performing a heroic act rescuing young Miko Oscard from a fire in his doctor/father's laboratory. The man's face was burned and badly disfigured. Although we never quite see Whitmore what indications we do have tell how serious his injuries were.

Cameron Mitchell and Bettye Ackerman play Oscard's parents. They don't shun Whitmore, in fact Mitchell feels a responsibility to help him all he can.

And Whitmore becomes a fugitive from all who liked him before by simply leaving the place he'd been hidden away and going out among people. He never does anything, but they're all frightened of "The Monster".

Better known of course for The Red Badge Of Courage, Stephen Crane wrote this searing indictment of the American small town of what was called "The Gay Nineties". Nothing remotely gay about this small town in any sense of the word.

This little known film at the time is a real sleeper and several familiar character players are in the cast. But above all watch what Whitmore does with his performance.

And this review is dedicated to a kid I knew decades ago named Tom Lubart who went to school with me scarred as he was when a pot boiling spaghetti sauce fell on him as a toddler. I hope you're happy Tom wherever you are.

Absorbing, offbeat "what-if" story.

[Hup234! · 9/10 · 11 October 1999]

At times, a minor production such as "Marty" becomes a popular classic. That pleasant fate should have befallen "Face of Fire", which is four years newer. Somehow, though, this film is nearly unknown, and the reasons for that escape me. Whatever Graces there are that smile upon certain smaller productions, elevating them to must-see status, have certainly not been equitable. Has anyone ever seen a film in which James Whitmore and Royal Dano are anything less than terrific? I saw "Face of Fire" in theatrical release, as the second half of a double feature. (The main feature? I've forgotten. But "Face of Fire" remains forever burned into memory.) It's thought-provoking, disturbing, and highly recommended to all.

Society proves how shallow it is.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 21 January 2016]

Forgetting what a hero he really was, a small town turns one of its most beloved citizens into a pariah, all because of a sudden change in his looks. James Whitmore, once a friend to everybody because of his kindness, has been brutally disfigured in a fire after saving a child's life. Feeling sorry for the hooded man as he recovers, the villagers are not prepared for the massive change in his looks and begin to consider him a monster, and after he interrupts a party and creates a scene simply by picking up a young lady who fell down out of fright, they chase him around the countryside much like Frankenstein's monster. It becomes instantly clear who the real monsters are.

In an era when women were supposed to be considered the more sympathetic sex, some of them are truly more horrid than the men hunting for him, seemingly thrilled by the possibility of Whitmore slaughtered in the hunt. Cameron Mitchell and Bettye Ackerman are the most sympathetic as his former employers and as they see the hypocrisy of the people they've known for years, their disgust grows. Even seemingly innocent children turn his legend into the town ghoul, showing that rotten characters don't always adapt into adulthood.

This isn't as great or as touching as it could have been, but perhaps the lack of manipulation in the script makes this more realistic. Certainly, the trust of the townspeople wanes as their characters are developed, but by showing the good and bad characteristics of these people makes it all the more believable. Whitmore gives a very subtle performance as a character we've seen in various forms, whether it be the monster, the Elephant man or Edward Scissorhands. The statement this makes resonates to this day, reminding me of the musical "Side Show" where the Siamese twins, the Hilton Sisters, failed to grab an audience because of the guilt factor and hypocrisy of treating people as freaks simply because of how they look.

A virtually lost classic

[chrisdfilm · 10/10 · 11 May 2007]

I will echo most other sentiments here. This is one of those fallen-through-the-cracks classics that deserves to be rediscovered. Perhaps it has lapsed into obscurity because it was released by Allied Artists, a company long out of business, and the rights to the film are now owned by Warner Brothers. I am hopeful, since they have recently released other AA titles such as BILLY BUDD and will soon release some low budget AA sci-fi like THE GIANT BEHEMOTH, that perhaps there is a glimmer of hope this forgotten gem will once more see the light of day. It really remains one of the most haunting genre films ever made, solid as a horror film, but really transcendent of genre, much as James Whale's original FRANKENSTEIN. The film is quite moving without resorting to the sentimental. Albert Band's direction is straightforward, yet very poignant and insightful. Although Band shows Whitmore's character, though brain-damaged, is clearly harmless, through the atmospheric B&W photography, much of it at night, we are drawn into the nightmarish hell of Whitmore's existence and the small town mob mentality that makes it even worse. The level of acting is first rate, from James Whitmore as the tragically disfigured handyman to Cameron Mitchell as the doctor, his former employer, one of the only people who sticks by him after his fiery accident. The supporting cast is likewise superb, including Bettye Ackerman, Royal Dano, Richard Erdman, Lois Maxwell. The whole film has a very strange ambiance, perhaps working even better since it was shot in Sweden in late 19th century period locations standing in for small town America. The barely noticeable off-kilter feel of the architecture, the perpetual dreamy twilight of the night scenes, the exquisite music score by Erik Nordgren add immeasurably to the surreally nightmarish storybook feel. The ending is also incredibly moving without being push-button manipulative. A really superior little film. Write to Warner Brothers Home Video and tell them to release it on DVD! Originally posted the preceding remarks several years ago. I was hoping Warner Archive would have released this by now on their manufacture-by-demand service; but still NOTHING. And yet 50% of the more obscure B movies they release are forgettable programmers or, even worse, dreck. They're still dragging their feet on other releases, too, that you would have thought they would have put out by now (such as full seasons of the cult TV favorites "77 Sunset Strip" and "Hawaiian Eye"). Write them for a DVD release on FACE OF FIRE!

Very good but too low-key

[preppy-3 · 7/10 · 4 May 2017]

This takes place in a small American town in 1898. A simple-minded handyman named Monk (James Whitemore) is employed by a kindly doctor (Cameron Mitchell) and is idolized by the doctor's young boy. Then there's a fire. The house burns down and Monk saves the boy but is horribly disfigured by the fire. It's also affected his brain. He's basically harmless but townspeople reject him because of what he looks like.

The storyline and message is pretty obvious and the low-key presentation makes this film seem muted but it's still a good movie. It's well-done on every level from the script down to the acting (Mitchell is excellent). This is not a horror film as it is sometimes advertised. It's a drama with horrific touches. You never even get a good look at Whitemore's face after its burned--just quick glimpses or in the darkness. So it's obvious and annoyingly low-key but it works and is well-done. It is available on DVD and pops up on TCM every once in a while.

Rare faithful adaptation

[hollywoodshack · 9/10 · 24 February 2011]

Having been stung by a few efforts of my own, it is rare outside of educational or PBS to see a film faithful to its literary source like Face of Fire, based on Stephen Crane's story, The Monster. Albert Band's direction sets the atmosphere of small town 1890's America down to the last detail. James Whitmore plays Monk, a hired hand who burns his face rescuing the doctor's son from a horrendous fire. No cures of the time can restore his face so his sweetheart and the townspeople who once admired him soon turn into a lynch mob when women and children frightened by seeing him step in front of a wagon and get run over. Monk was a Negro in Crane's story, though, the only detail which might have elevated the film to a racial allegory. The boy's transformation from fear and ignorance back to his kindness and friendship for Monk are a heart string-tugging depiction indeed with photography comparable to Orson Welles' Magnificent Ambersons or Igmar Bergman movies. Filmed in Sweden with excellent music from Erik Nordstrom.

Haunting Image

[potshotk · 12 July 2003]

Though the film would have been even more profound had they used the African-American version of Monk (as in the Stephen Crane short story, "The Monster"), Whitmore proves himself among the most neglected character actors in film history as the hideously scarred handyman. Band's direction is poignant -- as is the heartbreaking image of Monk, in his straw boater with black veil attached, showing up for a "date" with his freaked out girlfriend. Along with "Battleground" and "Them!" this is among Whitmore's most memorable work.

A rewarding film experience.

[lborok · 10/10 · 10 December 2004]

In 1972 a man walked into my Flying Tigers Operations office at LAX and asked for help picking up a shipment. I recognized Royal Dano immediately, both face and voice. I asked one of my warehouse men to get the shipment, and then I told Mr. Dano I had just seen Face of Fire on TV, and that I was struck by it. I noted his character was a sympathetic role, opposed to what he usually did. And, I said I thought the cinema photography was excellent. He agreed, and we talked about the film and the Swedish cinema photographer for another 30 minutes. It was a wonderful experience. Years later I considered that Mel Gibson's The Man Without a Face might have derived from Royal Dano's film.

One of Cinema's True Lost Gems

[lrrap · 9/10 · 4 May 2015]

In 1958, director Albert Band and writer Louis Garfinkle, having produced two low-budget films (including the cult-ish "I Bury the Living"), launched their third project, an adaptation of Stephen Crane's 1899 short story "The Monster". A study of small-town mentality and social attitudes in the wake of a shocking personal tragedy---in which a much-admired handyman heroically saves the local doctor's son from a fire--- "Face of Fire" seemed a rather risky cinematic endeavor during a time when American distributors were clamoring for schlocky, Grade-Z drive-in fare. But Band and Garfinkle forged ahead.

They struck a deal with Sweden''s Svensk Film Studio, filming in a small Swedish town that could easily pass for New England c. 1900. Most cast and major crew were American, including a number of American actors currently working in Sweden, with a few Brits imported for good measure.

Direction and script created a uniquely "foreign" atmosphere to the film--- dreamy, lyrical, almost surreal in its episodic construction, with sensitive and compelling performances by Cameron Mitchell, James Whitmore, Betty Ackerman, and Royal Dano. The artistry of cinematographer Edward Vorkapich (son of the legendary Hollywood cinematographer Laszlo Vorkapich) renders consistently beautiful visuals, which seem to envelop the action in a slightly un-real, pastoral veneer (including an eerie forest hunt scene, when an actual thunderstorm approached in the distance during filming). The musical score is by none other than Erik Nordgren, who scored Ingmar Bergman's major films of the same period.

After handyman Monk Johnson's (Whitmore) face is horribly burned in a house fire (rendering him mentally incapacitated as well), the great moral dilemma begins for his loyal boss, Dr. Ned Trescott (Mitchell); should he keep and care for Monk out of gratitude but jeopardize his medical practice due to the fear and hysteria of the townspeople, or should he abandon Monk, send him away to an institution, and thus save his own livelihood?

Such is the decision that Trescott is forced to make in the penultimate scene, when the townsmen approach him with an offer to take Monk off his hands (a fascinatingly constructed scene which Garfinkle invented for the film--- and excellently played by Mitchell and Ackerman). At the same time, just outside the window, little Jimmy Trescott has "betrayed" Monk---his savior--- by joining his playmates in the yard as they mock and torment the hulking handyman. The scene is almost unbearable for Trescott, who very quietly says to his wife "They're right, Grace", indicating that he's decided Monk has to go. And just at that moment, the church bells begin to ring in the distance...the same bells that rang long ago the night of that traumatic fire, while little Jimmy slept....and Monk, his horribly scarred face now hidden beneath a black veil, seems to remember the agony of that night...seems to relive it, as the young boy watches, at first repelled....until Monk calls out to him by his familiar nickname, "Pollywog", just as he did when he rescued the boy from the fire.

An overwhelmingly moving scene (capped off by Erik Nordgren's grand chorale treatment of Monk's tender love theme), which dissolves into the brief final shot, itself a reverse image of the very opening of the film.

"Face of Fire" accomplishes what it does by the subtlest, most sensitive and imaginative means. The opening credit music, perfectly gauged, is an almost expressionistic rendering of the familiar tune "The Animal Fair" ("and what became of the Monk?...."), performed by a unison children's chorus accompanied by 3 muted trumpets. And speaking of trumpets--- watch (and listen) for the brilliant moment when the fire alarm/whistle is first heard in the distance during a slightly surreal, late-night waltz in the local park. Then there's the breathlessly tense but ultimately painful scene when Trescott returns from his daily duties and finds the incapacitated Monk, his face draped in the black veil, standing immobile but ready to perform his former handyman chores... another scene of Garfinkle's invention of which he was justifiably proud (Garfinkle himself even appears in a cameo as a townsman).

Royal Dano, Lois Maxwell, Richard Erdman, Robert F. Simon and Howard Smith...familiar American stalwarts....distinguish themselves in this compelling examination of the human condition (when I visited Royal Dano in September, 1988, he was absolutely certain that his big dramatic scene with Lois Maxwell had been cut from the final film...until I handed him a VHS copy of the movie and assured him that it was indeed still there). The lovely Jill Donohue, then living in Sweden, was cast as Monk's fiancée, while British character actor Harold Kaskett deftly portrays Reifsnyder, the town barber and dispenser of philosophical nuggets. The pivotal role of Jimmy Trescott is played by young Miko Oscard (who had shone the previous year in MGM's "Brothers Karamazov" and was the nephew of the famous N.Y. talent agent Fifi Oscard); his performance is remarkably restrained and honest; the emotional transformation conveyed by his face during the final bell-ringing scene shows an emotional depth rare in young actors.

A uniquely beautiful film, doomed by its own sensitivity and restraint. Allied Artists had NO idea how to promote it, passing it off as another cheap, horror-matinée filler, sometimes on a triple-bill with "Caltiki" and "Tormented". It was panned and quickly disappeared.

Is "Face of Fire" really as good as I think it is? Buy it and decide for yourself. Don't expect to be blown away---- it's not that sort of experience. But it speaks directly to me on a deeply emotional level. You might shrug it off or, depending on your state of mind, be reduced to a sobbing, blubbering mess as I was many years ago after a late-night local TV showing.

LR

PICTURE QUALITY--- very good; clean and detailed. Good contrast. SOUND QUALITY-- OK; clean but pretty low volume level, as is common with many un-restored releases. Just crank the volume control.

A rare "8" for me

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 8/10 · 13 June 2014]

Since I was a child, I always thought that James Whitmore was one of the finest character actors in the history of American cinema. I feel the same, but more so after seeing this film which I had never heard of before.

And, this is the first film or television program I have ever seen where I have appreciated Cameron Mitchell's performance.

But best of all, this film meets one criteria I have for a truly outstanding film -- it's relatively unique. Of course, you have the most sympathy for Monk (Whitmore) who has suffered a totally disfiguring chemical burn in a fire. Before the fire, he was a beloved figure in the community. But now he is petrifying the citizenry. And even while you know these people should be more considerate of such a victim, you also can understand how people might react that way. What isn't fathomable -- at least to me -- is how the community is hunting him down. How you react to this film will say something about you.

The famous write Stephen Crane was the author of the original story. I think he would be quite satisfied with the film.

You're going to see a lot of familiar character actors here, including the iconic Royal Dano and Robert Simon.

The bottom line here -- there's always at least one good man.

Well worth seeing for many reasons

[pmsusana · 4 February 2001]

I'd recommend this film highly for many reasons, most notably its beautiful black & white photography and the authentic small-town feel it evokes, thanks to very sensitive direction and performances. By the way, in the original Stephen Crane story this film is based on, Monk Johnson is a negro.

FEARING A "MONSTER"...BASED ONLY ON THEIR LOOKS

[DD-931 · 9/10 · 6 December 2021]

When I was about 4 or 5 years ago, I saw a poster for this movie when I and my family was living in Madrid, Spain. Little boy that I was, I was terrified by the poster and the story it told of a man whose face was horribly burnt and who looked like (and I thought was turned into) a monster. With my wild childish imagination filling in WAY too many blanks, it scared me half to death. I never wanted to see this movie, and I hoped I never would.

As an adult I learned more about the movie, including the fact that it starred one of my favorite character actors of the mid to late 20th century, James Whitmore. But I still held subconscious feelings that the movie would be too disturbing to watch, and it was hard to find anyway.

But today, for whatever reason, I looked it up on YouTube, and there it was. And I decided to watch it, surprised to find that even now I was still a little uneasy about it. Boy, was I in for a surprise. Even though it was a little clumsily done at time, what I discovered was a wonderful, moving allegory about intolerance, hatred and fear based purely on how someone LOOKED. What made it more striking to watch was the fact that, in the Stephen Crane story, the "monster" with the horribly burnt face that Whitmore played in the movie, the character that the townspeople feared and shunned, was actually a black man. Even more significant considering that only a few years later Whitmore starred in a movie based on a true story about a white man who decided to learn about racism by trying to pass for a black man in the Southern U. S., called BLACK LIKE ME.

I highly recommend this little known film. It also contains what may be the best performance I have ever seen from 50s and 60s actor Cameron Mitchell. I really does play at times like a Swedish film, and I am sorry that the YouTube video of the film is a little glitchy to watch. It is still well worth it. Like others, I don't understand why it was not better known.

Look at that face just look at it look at that wonderful face of yours

[kapelusznik18 · 8/10 · 4 May 2017]

***SPOILERS*** Movie that shows the audience as well as its cast that beauty is only skin deep. That's when Monk Johnson, James Withmore, the friendly handyman from this quite little town in upper New York State got his face burned off saving little Jimmie Thescott, Miko Oscard, from his burning family home. With a face that not even a mother can love poor Monk also suffered serious brain damage as well making his ability to communicate with the outside world that of an five year old child. It was Jimmie's dad doctor Ned Trescott, Cameron Mitchell, who took care of Monk trying to get the poor man back on his feet but it was his mental deterioration as well as looks that made that task almost impossible.

Like the Frankenstein monster Monk was later chased by the angry townspeople every time something terrible happened in and around, like a rape or murder,town thinking that poor innocent Monk was responsible for it. Even the kids in town took pot shots at Monk every time he came in view or in contact with them. As well as the girl that he was in love with Bella Kovac, Jill Donohue, who fled in horror when in taking the black musty executioner like rag off his face Monk tried to kiss her. It was a hard road for Monk to prove to those in town that he was just as normal as them, despite his burnt off face, but in the end he finally won them over. That in his sweet and childlike attitudes towards them even though they at first treated him like an alien from outer space.

Nice acting job by James Withmore as Monk Johnson who's only friend among the townspeople for almost the entire movie was the Winter's, whom he stayed with , family dog Ginger who showed no fear at all from his horrific looks. As for the townspeople -with the exception of Doctor Ned Trescott-who at first treated him like a wild and dangerous animal and at one point wanted him shot on sight they soon realized that he was just a man or human being like themselves even though he'd never be mistaken for a Cary Grant or Rock Hudson.