The Face at the Window (1939)

Set in France in 1880. A series of murders is attributed to a Wolf Man.

Director:

George King

Writers:

Brooke Warren (based on the play by), A.R. Rawlinson (scenario and dialogue)

Stars:

Tod Slaughter, John Warwick, Aubrey Mallalieu

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Tod Slaughter	...	Chevalier Lucio del Gardo
John Warwick	...	Lucien Cortier
Aubrey Mallalieu	...	M. de Brisson
Marjorie Taylor	...	Cecile de Brisson
Robert Adair	...	Police Inspector Gouffert
Wallace Evennett	...	Prof. LeBlanc (as Wallace Evenett)
Leonard Henry	...	Gaston, the Cook
Kay Lewis	...	Babette, the Maid
Bill Shine	...	Pierre, Babette's Beau (as Billy Shine)
Margaret Yarde	...	La Pinan
Harry Terry	...	The Face at the Window

Storyline

In 1880, the criminal called The Face is responsible for a murderous rampage in France. When the Brisson Bank is robbed in Paris and the employee Michelle is murdered, the wealthy Chevalier Lucio del Gardo is the only chance to save the bank. Chavalier proposes to the owner M. de Brisson to deposit a large amount of gold, but in return he would like to marry his daughter Cecile. However, Cecile is in love with the efficient clerk Lucien Cortier that belongs to the lower classes and refuses the engagement. In order to get rid off the rival, Chavalier uses evidences to incriminate Lucien, manipulating the incompetent Parisian chief of police.

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Plot Keywords:

france | murder | 19th century | year 1880 | french third republic | 

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Genres:

Drama | Horror

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 October 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Um Vulto na Janela

Filming Locations:

British Lion Studios, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

George King Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is one of over 200 titles in the list of independent feature films made available for television presentation by Advance Television Pictures announced in Motion Picture Herald 4 April 1942. At this time, television broadcasting was in its infancy, almost totally curtailed by the advent of World War II, and would not continue to develop until 1945-1946. Because of poor documentation (feature films were often not identified by title in conventional sources) no record has yet been found of its initial television broadcast.

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Connections

Featured in 100 Years of Horror: Maniacs (1996)

User Reviews

All hail the king

Tod Slaughter has to be one of the most reliably entertaining screen actors of the 30's. I've seen most of this guys films and he never disappoints. There's no doubt that his acting style is hammier than a hammy thing but there's nothing wrong with that surely? It takes considerable charisma and skill to overact as compellingly as Slaughter. This film follows a very similar narrative path to many of his other vehicles, i.e. Slaughter plays a rich pillar of the community who lives a double-life as an evil criminal, he lusts after a woman half his age who is not interested in him, so he sets about framing her fiancé with a crime he did not commit leaving the poor girl easy prey for him. Almost all his movies could be described thus. But it doesn't really seem to matter very much as Slaughter is always terrific as the leering cad and is easily the best thing about the films he stars in.

Slaughter's films were all Victorian melodramas first and foremost but this one definitely moves into more definite horror and even science fiction territory. The monster who is the face of the title is an effective looking baddie although he doesn't really get to do much and his presence in the movie doesn't make an awful lot of sense. But not to worry because, as I mentioned earlier, this is Slaughter's film and he delivers the goods as usual.