{"id":3218,"date":"2007-05-19T03:40:41","date_gmt":"2007-05-19T10:40:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=3218"},"modified":"2021-12-23T15:32:09","modified_gmt":"2021-12-23T22:32:09","slug":"face-of-fire-1959","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=3218","title":{"rendered":"Face of Fire (1959)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;It&#8217;s Monk, all right &#8212; but he looks like a devil!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Poster-117x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"117\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-30806\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Poster-117x300.jpg 117w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Poster-50x128.jpg 50w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Poster.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 117px) 100vw, 117px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen beloved handyman Monk Johnson (James Whitmore) is hideously scarred in a fire, nearly all the town&#8217;s citizens turn against him in fright and disgust.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cameron Mitchell Films<\/li>\n<li>Disfigured Faces<\/li>\n<li>James Whitmore Films<\/li>\n<li>Small Town America<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nBased on Stephen Crane&#8217;s short story &#8220;The Monster&#8221;, <em>Face of Fire<\/em> is a reasonably effective fable about human fickleness and small-town mob mentality. B-director Albert Band does a nice job establishing Monk&#8217;s status as a handsome, admired citizen who women drool over and children want to spend time with:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Whitmore-Boy.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Whitmore-Boy-1024x571.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"357\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-63735\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Whitmore-Boy-1024x571.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Whitmore-Boy-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Whitmore-Boy-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Whitmore-Boy-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Whitmore-Boy-1536x857.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Whitmore-Boy-484x270.png 484w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Whitmore-Boy.png 1665w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s all the more tragic, then, when nearly everyone turns against him after he has heroically rescued the son (Miko Oscard) of a doctor (Cameron Mitchell) from a burning house. Unfortunately, this collective change of heart is much too drastic to seem authentic: while Peter Lorre&#8217;s disfigured watchmaker in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2131\"><em>The Face Behind the Mask<\/em> (1941)<\/a> somewhat realistically scares those he meets for the first time, it&#8217;s much more difficult to believe that an entire town would suddenly be frightened of  &#8212; and disgusted by &#8212; someone they&#8217;ve known for years. Nonetheless, <em>Face of Fire<\/em>&#8216;s uneven screenplay (perhaps a function of its source material, though I haven&#8217;t read the original story) is redeemed by Band&#8217;s creative direction, effective cinematography (shot in Sweden!), and a handful of excellent performances. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cameron Mitchell as the guilt-ridden doctor<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Mitchell.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Mitchell-1024x570.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"356\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-63736\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Mitchell-1024x570.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Mitchell-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Mitchell-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Mitchell-768x428.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Mitchell-1536x855.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Mitchell-485x270.png 485w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Mitchell-1038x576.png 1038w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Mitchell.png 1661w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Wiry character actor Royal Dano as a henpecked villager<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Dano.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Dano-1024x571.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"357\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-63737\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Dano-1024x571.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Dano-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Dano-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Dano-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Dano-1536x857.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Dano-484x270.png 484w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Dano.png 1654w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Creative direction<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Direction3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Direction3-1024x568.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"355\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-63738\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Direction3-1024x568.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Direction3-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Direction3-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Direction3-768x426.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Direction3-1536x851.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Direction3-487x270.png 487w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Direction3-1038x576.png 1038w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Direction3.png 1651w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Atmospheric cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Burns.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Burns-1024x563.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"352\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-63739\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Burns-1024x563.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Burns-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Burns-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Burns-768x422.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Burns-1536x845.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Burns-491x270.png 491w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/05\/Face-of-Fire-Burns.png 1667w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Eric Nordgren&#8217;s score &#8212; particularly in the opening scenes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, but it&#8217;s worth seeking out. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0052793\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fantasticmoviemusings.com\/2017\/03\/12\/face-of-fire-1959\/\">SciFilm Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s Monk, all right &#8212; but he looks like a devil!&#8221; Synopsis: When beloved handyman Monk Johnson (James Whitmore) is hideously scarred in a fire, nearly all the town&#8217;s citizens turn against him in fright and disgust. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Cameron Mitchell Films Disfigured Faces James Whitmore Films Small Town America Review: Based on Stephen Crane&#8217;s short story &#8220;The Monster&#8221;, Face of Fire is a reasonably effective fable about human fickleness and small-town mob mentality. B-director Albert Band&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=3218\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3218"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3218\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79067,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3218\/revisions\/79067"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}