The Naked Face (1984)

A Chicago psychoanalyst's patient and secretary are murdered and he becomes the police's prime suspect despite his claims that someone is trying to frame him.

Director:

Bryan Forbes

Writers:

Bryan Forbes, Sidney Sheldon (novel)

Stars:

Roger Moore, Rod Steiger, Elliott Gould

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Roger Moore	...	Dr. Judd Stevens
Rod Steiger	...	Lt. McGreavy
Elliott Gould	...	Det. Angeli
Art Carney	...	Morgens
Anne Archer	...	Ann Blake
David Hedison	...	Dr. Peter Hadley
Deanna Dunagan	...	Mrs. Hadley
Ron Parady	...	Cortini
Dick Sollenberger	...	Capt. Bertelli
James Spinks	...	Prison Supervisor
John Kapelos	...	Frank
Cynthia Baker Schuyler	...	Teri Goldman
Virginia Smith	...	Rose Graham
Joe D. Lauck	...	Boyd
Jimmie F. Skaggs	...	Fallon

Storyline

Chicago psychiatrist Judd Stevens is suspected of murdering one of his patients when the man turns up stabbed to death in the middle of the city. After repeated attempts to convince two cops of his innocence, Dr. Stevens is forced to go after the real villains himself, and he finds himself up against one of the city's most notorious Mafia kingpins.

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Plot Keywords:

mafia | psychiatrist | cemetery | gangster | murder investigation | 

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Taglines:

Somebody wants him dead for a secret he doesn't have!

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Genres:

Action | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Cannon Group, Inc. spent hardly any money at all on advertising for this movie's U.K. release.

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Goofs

While falling down the stairs, the knife falls off the victim while presumably stabbed in his body revealing itself to be only a glued-on handle. In the next shot it's still in the body.

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Connections

Referenced in The Go-Go Boys: The Inside Story of Cannon Films (2014)

User Reviews

Violent Murder Mystery

Moore plays a psychiatrist caught in a web of intrigue and murder, as his patients become victims of a sinister plot. Steiger and Gould play a pair of detectives assigned to the case, but their disdain for Moore affects little progress in solving the case, and he turns to wily amateur sleuth Carney, to solve the mystery before he becomes the next victim. Generally well constructed thriller, with occasional brutal, graphic and somewhat gratuitous violence that might offend. The scene in which Moore's office is ransacked is especially cold and callous in its excess.

Some neat twists are employed by actor-turned-director Forbes, with solid performances from Moore, Steiger and Gould in particular. Moore's normally nonchalant persona is replaced here with suitable concern, as he's pursued by sadistic villains with little inclination for mercy. The executions are particularly nasty and the tone is never far from dark and threatening. In some ways, "The Naked Face" is similar in vein to both "Still of the Night" and "Colour of Night" in terms of its content, and has a render reminiscent of a Brian De Palma thriller (though it lacks De Palma's signature styling).

Despite the sophisticated elements, the dialogue is only functional and at one hour and forty-five minutes, the film does overstay its welcome. Worth a look, but nothing spectacular.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

June 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

A cara descubierta

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cannon Group, Golan-Globus Productions, Northbrook Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min 128 min (YouTube)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1