A Woman's Face is a 1941 American drama film noir directed by George Cukor and starring Joan Crawford, Melvyn Douglas and Conrad Veidt.

It tells the story of Anna Holm, a facially disfigured blackmailer, who, because of her appearance, despises everyone she encounters.

When a plastic surgeon corrects this disfigurement, Anna becomes torn between the hope of starting a new life and a return to her dark past.

The screenplay was written by Donald Ogden Stewart and Elliot Paul, based on the play Il était une fois... by Francis de Croisset.

Another version of the story, a Swedish production, was filmed in 1938 as En kvinnas ansikte, starring Ingrid Bergman.

The first witness, Herman Rundvik, a waiter, recalls a dinner at a secluded tavern, hosted by the charismatic and profligate Torsten Barring.

The right side of her face is mutilated, but Torsten ignores her scars and compliments her beautiful eyes.

Anna is called to testify and remembers that, when she was five years old, her drunken father set her room on fire; he saved her, but not himself.

He tells her that his very old, very rich uncle, Consul Magnus Barring, has bequeathed everything to his four-year-old grandson.

The house guests include Gustaf, who tells Anna that he believes in her reform and will keep her secret.

Her genuine distress makes Torsten doubt her, and he gives her an ultimatum: Lars-Erik must die before the next night.

He sees her start to pull the bolt on the gate, but she shoves it back and hugs the oblivious child.

In the attic getting robes for the birthday sleigh ride, she overhears Anna and Torsten, who scorns the ”dove” she has become and reveals his ambitions to do in Sweden “what has been done in other countries.”[5] Downstairs, Anna gives the Consul a pocket chess set, which he hands to Emma, who stops, abruptly.

"[6] More recently, film critic Dennis Schwartz discussed the importance of the role to Joan Crawford: "Joan Crawford jumped at the chance to star in this juicy role despite having to play a facially disfigured woman (at least for half the film), which she was advised by even Louis B. Mayer (MGM head) that it could be costly for the glamor actress in the future.

Instead it turned out to be one of her more acclaimed roles and did nothing but promote her career further as a serious dramatic actress (she won an Oscar for Mildred Pierce in 1945, which she claims this film had a cumulative effect in helping her win that award).