Lady Scarface (1941) User Reviews

Dame Judith Anderson too big for this little crime programmer

[bmacv · 5/10 · 19 January 2003]

`Always leave them wanting more' is one of the hoary axioms of show business, but why there isn't more of Lady Scarface in Lady Scarface is a better mystery than anything the movie has to offer. The title role, a tough Chicago mob boss, falls to Judith Anderson, who more often than not was the best thing in any movie where she happened to appear (e.g. her Mrs. Danvers in Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca). Title character or no, she takes second billing to Dennis O'Keefe as a minion of the law pursuing her; the billing accurately reflects the screen time each is allotted.

It's a pity, since, apart from Anderson, Lady Scarface is just another print struck from the template of light crime programmers. The bulk of the movie has to do with O'Keefe's following money to New York in order to smoke out the gang. And, to cover all the bases, there's mistaken identity involving a newlywed couple; comic relief in the form of a beef-witted hotel detective and fussy Eric Blore; and a matey romance between O'Keefe and Frances Neal.

But Anderson took her assignments seriously; she brings the same steel to Lady Scarface as she would later to Lady Macbeth. (The movie could have settled for a lesser villain, and Anderson should have held out for a better movie.) The last scene, in which she steals into the Leonard Sheldon Hotel disguised as a chambermaid, looks very much like the final confrontation between James Bond and Rosa Klebb in From Russia With Love. Was that an hommage, or just a steal?

Nice Surprise!

[jrgirones · 7/10 · 11 September 2002]

Here's one more little jewel from the RKO collection. An exciting thriller, well plotted, amusing and concise (it hardly arrives to 70 minutes!).

But what makes this film so special is its revolutionary treatment of the noir's conventions and the advanced-for-its-times feminist touch: here, the devious gangster is a woman (fantastic Judith Anderson)instead of a man, opposite to a brave female journalist who will help the police to catch her. The film deals admirably with the confusion game, relaying on the male centric point of view in noir's genre only to turn it down: the male main characters appear here as incompetent (those policemen who think they go after a man because they can't bear the idea of being defeated by a woman) and weak (the whole male gang is completely dominated by the powerful lady Scarface).

Without doubts, "Lady Scarface" is one to watch! Don't miss either "The Curtain Call", from the same director, Frank Woodruff, and a funny screenplay by Dalton Trumbo.

Judith Anderson as a scar-faced gang leader!

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 11 November 2017]

B-movies like "Lady Scarface" from 1941 are all of a piece. The basic plot usually concerns an ambitious female reporter and the good- looking police detective in her way; they're in love but don't know it yet.

This film, starring Dennis O'Keefe as the detective and Frances Neal as the reporter, is no different with one exception. Dame Judith Anderson stars as Slade, the the scar-faced head of a robbery gang. This isn't the first time I've seen Anderson go off-type - in the film Blood Money, a precode, she plays a glamorous bejeweled nightclub owner. When you think about one of the great stars of the theater getting these kinds of roles, it's laughable, particularly after her performance in Rebecca as Mrs. Danvers.

Anyway, the film concerns robbery money mistakenly picked up by newlyweds (Mildred Coates and Rand Brooks) and detective O'Keefe following the money in an attempt to trace the crooks.

Rand Brooks of course was Charles Hamilton in "Gone with the Wind". A little bit of trivia - despite enjoying a long career in films and television, Rand owned a private ambulance service, recognized as one of the best in the country.

Entertaining film, worth seeing for Anderson.

Early Judith Anderson Gem

[OutsideHollywoodLand · 28 September 2011]

Sometimes pre-war movie propaganda can take a strange turn, when they surface decades later. Lady Scarface, starring veteran actress Judith Anderson, as Slade, (long before she was tapped as a real "Dame"), gives us a tough female gangster boss, who rules with an iron fist over her small posse of cheap crimesters.

This movie, directed by Frank Woodruff, spins a tale of murder and mayhem, bringing Dennis O'Keefe (Lt. Bill Mason) and Frances Neal (Ann), together as the cutie-pie couple who bring down Slade and her crew with surprising wit and affection.

This film was clearly made to send the message that women should "toughen up", and be strong - especially in the face of approaching war. Writers Arnaud d'Usseau and Richard Collins, focus on juxtaposing newspaper reporter Ann and crime queen Slade. Ann is much braver and more honest than our hero cop, Bill, and she literally saves the day. Slade, for all of her ruthless nature, spends most of her time trapped – like a wild animal - in a tiny claustrophobic hotel room, pacing about and tersely snapping orders to her male minions. Like many women of the period who stayed home, Slade comes off weaker than her plucky female counterpart, Ann, who freely moves about the city to gather clues and get her woman (so to speak). A strange pairing, indeed!

Lady Scarface is a rare prize found among the TCM film archives, so enjoy it the next time it comes to late-night TV.

On the trail of the unknown scarface, a real gender-bender.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 22 January 2015]

Although she only has perhaps half of the film's running time, the future Dame Judith Anderson really shines in this bottom of the bill crime drama which mixes some uncomfortable domestic comedy that seems somewhat out of place with some really violent action sequences. Looking like an outtake from a Leon Errol or Edgar Kennedy RKO short, this sequence is amusing, but it distracts from the really exciting stuff. Fresh from her movie success as the evil Mrs. Danvers in "Rebecca", Judith is truly scary as the mysterious Slade whom the FBI is aware of, but what they don't know is that she is a she. While it's obvious that Judith is aware that this movie is beneath her massive talents, she plays it with gusto and steals every moment she is on.

When first seen, Judith is her shadowy profile, holding a gun on a victim while dressed as a scrubwoman. She has no remorse of doing what she needs to do to get away with the loot she forces the frightened man at gunpoint to open up his safe. Only 42 when this was made, Judith had already taken Broadway by storm in the 1930's, winning raves in such Broadway hits as "As You Desire Me", "The Old Maid" and "Family Portrait". She had also achieved great acclaim as Gertrude (Hamlet's mother) and later in 1941 would become one of the most praised actresses to portray Lady MacBeth. Like Tallulah Bankhead, she was "too big" for film, but unlike Tallulah, she achieved great acclaim in the movies in supporting roles while Tallulah attempted only leads. Their similar voices and strong features lacked vulnerability on camera, but Judith used that to her advantage by playing some of the most wonderfully domineering evil women on film.

The remainder of the screen time is devoted to detective Dennis O'Keefe's attempts to find her and newspaper photographer Frances Neal's assistance in helping him discover who Slade really is. Comic moments featuring Eric Blore as a dog salesman who answers an add meant as a contact for Slade's pick-up person leads to the revelation of two people named Mary Jordan, one of whom gets an envelope filled with money by mistake. That fantastic hard-boiled blonde bombshell Marion Martin plays the Mary Jordan meant to receive the package, and she is involved in a fantastic car chase sequence. Mildred Coles, the innocent trained by Kay Francis to be a proper "Play Girl", plays the innocent young bride who gets the money by mistake, leading to all sorts of confusion. In spite of the distraction by these entertaining but unnecessary subplots, "Lady Scarface" is a fun low budget crime drama that truly shines with Judith in the spotlight.

A Shame The Title Character Has So Little To Do

[Handlinghandel · 5/10 · 23 December 2005]

Judith Anderson is lots of fun as the gangster of the title. She's a bad woman, all right. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark: Anderson. (References and allusions to "Hamlet," in which she played the Melancholy Dane on stage, abound here.) She is beautifully shot in shows by Nick Musaraca. But alas! The movie is for the most part a routine romantic faux thriller. It's kind of a riff on the Torchy Blane series: A police detective investigates a case. A female reporter is after the same story. Which of them will get it? Will they get each other? These concerns (never mysterious in any incarnation) are the primary concerns.

Alas poor Judith! She did so well.

Sounds More Interesting Than it Is

[richardchatten · 4/10 · 15 March 2022]

Obviously swiftly dashed off by RKO to exploit Judith Anderson's recent notoriety as Miss Danvers; although in the title role she's (androgynously named Slade, improbably teamed with Arthur Shields and at the conclusion dressed as a maid and brandishing a gun like Rosa Klebb) sadly onscreen for only a few minutes.

Although there are a couple of noirish moments atmospherically lit by veteran cameraman Nicholas Musuraca, the presence of Eric Blore indicates that little of it is to be taken too seriously; and most of the action actually consists of talk in hotel rooms.

"You've got a heart like an ice cube"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 5/10 · 10 July 2022]

The film should not have been called 'Lady Scarface' but 'Bickering couple, one a detective Lt. Bill Mason and one a reporter Ann Rogers , who really are in love but don't admit it, solve a crime together' because the actual 'Lady Scarface' has much less screen time than them. Particularly galling as 'Lady Scarface', the leader of the criminal gang, is played vividly by the great Judith Anderson who owns every scene she is in. The film went more for comedy than reality which was a shame. They should have reduced the comedy (Eric Blore with his dogs was just silly) and ramped up the footage given to Ms. Anderson playing the tough gangster Slade. What a waste of a compelling character!

Poor Dennis O'Keefe!!! He deserved so much better!

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 23 November 2007]

This is a totally forgettable film thanks to poor writing and a clichéd female character. Even worse, fans of Film Noir (like myself) might mistakenly think that this is Film Noir because it stars Dennis O'Keefe--an actor who made his mark in this genre. Considering that O'Keefe plays a cop, it is natural to assume this is yet another example of this exciting style of film. Unfortunately, instead of the great camera work, snappy dialog and dark content, this is an occasionally insipid film that is very forgettable.

The film begins well--with a nasty lady and her gang committing robbery and murder. So far, it SEEMED like Noir. But, despite the title, the emphasis in the film was not on this evil wench but on police work done by O'Keefe and the other cops to catch the gang. This wasn't necessarily a bad choice, but the addition of a "spunky" (think OBNOXIOUS) female reporter to tag along with O'Keefe for most of the film was a big mistake. Her character was a giant walking cliché--you know, the 1940s "petulent woman who THINKS she can make it in a man's world". In fact, she's a lot like Lois Lane but without Superman to save her butt every time she stupidly blunders into trouble. This character single-handedly set back women's equality for a decade.

So what you are left with is a film that is at best a time-passer due to poor writing. Do NOT assume that just because the ever-capable O'Keefe is in this film that it is a winner--it definitely isn't.

"Come a pinch and you'll fold up. A dame'll do it every time."

[utgard14 · 5/10 · 2 August 2014]

Police lieutenant (Dennis O'Keefe) and a nosey reporter (Frances Neal) pursue bank robbers led by a scar-faced lady gangster (Judith Anderson) named Slade. Disappointing because it's less about Anderson's character than O'Keefe's. It's a nice change of pace for Judith Anderson, who is more well-known for her serious parts in films like Rebecca. She gets to sling some snappy gangster lingo, which I'm sure was fun for her. I just wish there was more of her. For their part, O'Keefe and Neal are okay if a little bland. The grumpy cop/lady reporter dynamic had become a cliché by this point, done best perhaps by the Torchy Blane series. The supporting cast is good, featuring the likes of Arthur Shields, Marc Lawrence, Eric Blore, and pretty blonde Marion Martin. Short runtime helps but focus on the boring cop/reporter plot rather than the gangster stuff is a major flaw.

A Different Kind of Dame

[LeonLouisRicci · 5/10 · 30 May 2014]

The Film is Highlighted by Every Scene with the Dame known as Lady Scarface (Judith Anderson). There is Early Noir Inspiration in the Choice of Showing the Dark Character's Entrance in Striking Shadow. When the "Lady" is in Person the Flesh Crawls. Her Voice is a Siren from Hell.

But when She is Off Screen the Movie Sinks to Comedy Relief and Cartoonish Romantic Boredom. It is Gut-Wrenchingly Awful at Times and comes off as Less a Crime Thriller and more like Nancy Drew. Talk about a Misfire.

Worth a Watch for the Lady Scarface Scenes and Little Else. A Curiosity at Best and is Burdened Beyond Belief by All of the Rest of the Sickly, Smarmy, Sappiness.