The Face Behind the Mask

Synopsis: Janos Szaby is a kind, innocent immigrant to America. Just after he arrives though, he is caught in a fire and his face is horribly burned and disfigured. Although a skilled craftsman his hideous features make it impossible for him to get work, and driven by despair he is forced to turn to crime to live. He finds himself very proficient at that, and soon makes enough money to buy a very lifelike mask to hide his scars behind. He hates what he does, but is he in too deep to get out?
Director(s): Robert Florey
Production: Columbia Pictures
 
IMDB:
7.3
APPROVED
Year:
1941
69 min
73 Views


Excuse me please, could I trouble you for a match?

Sure. Here you are.

Thank you very much. I do not smoke.

What time is it, please?

Quarter past ten.

Thank you very much. So it is.

Say, what is this?

I am practicing my english.

Oh, I see. Your first trip to the States?

Yes... Look.

She is beautiful.

Yes, I know how you feel. I get the same thrill

every time I come home.

She is very beautiful, too.

- Your wife?

- No.

Soon. When she comes to America.

Well, good luck.

Don't lose your passport.

New York is a very beautiful city, huh?

Do you wanna buy it?

Oh, no thank you. But...

Can you tell me where there is a good hot-and-cold-water hotel?

The Carlton Plaza.

It's six blocks up, one block over,

and two blocks to your left.

Thank you very much.

They're waiting for you.

Six blocks up... one block over...

two blocks to the left... Carlton Plaza.

Six blocks up... one block over...

two blocks to the left.

They are waiting for me!

Mr. Policeman... I'm gangstered!

- What?

- I'm stolen.

My 59 dollars... I give all my

pengos for dollars on the boat.

The boat bankman can prove it.

You take it up with the Lieutenant here.

He handles all the big cases.

No, not him! I need a policeman!

I'm a policeman.

Look, all the money I had, it is gone.

I'm lost.

I have no more.

- Take it easy.

- But you can see, it is all gone.

When was the last time you saw it?

I don't know...

Oh, yes. On the boat.

A man was talking about gangsters

and I was frightened.

I went to the washroom and...

I am found. I put it here.

Thank you, Mr. Policeman. Thank you.

You have found my money.

American police is wonderful.

Yeah, we're pretty smart, all right.

Yes. Thank you, Mr... Mr...

- O'Hara. Jim O'Hara.

- Thank you, Mr. Jim O'Hara.

One block to the left and

two blocks to the right...

One block to the left, two...

My hotel is lost!

- Now what are you talking about?

- My Carlton Plaza hotel.

- The Carlton Plaza!

- Yes, with hot and cold water.

I better straighten you out again.

How about a cold drink?

I will make more money so I can bring

my Mara over from Hungary.

And we will be married

and then we are going to have one boy, one girl,

One boy, one girl, one boy.

Five. All americans.

And the boys will be watchmakers like me.

All I have to do is find quick a job.

The first thing to do is to

find you a place to live.

Terry Finnegan's place, it's just the thing.

It's clean, comfortable and cheap.

Look. You just walk down that street

for five blocks.

Blocks, again?

You cannot come with me?

No. I'm due back at Headquarters.

But you'll find it easy enough.

Just walk five blocks.

Straight, no turns.

Five blocks.

It's the Excelsior Palace.

You can't miss it.

But if I am lost again,

I come to you, Mr. O'Hara,

to police headquarters and you

can find me again.

You're a very good friend.

I will never forget.

It was the Policeman O'Hara who sent me.

You know, the policeman without uniform.

Sure, I know the old hog-trotter.

I want a room please for my home.

Oh. For your home.

Well mister, we got 27 empty rooms.

Take your pick.

If it wasn't for the cafe, I'd.. have to close down.

How much, please, for my room?

Six bucks a week.

Bucks? Oh, I know you mean six dollars.

That's right. Now... here. Sign right there.

We only got two rules, and they go for everybody.

No ironing. Because it blows out the fuses.

No cooking in the rooms, because

it's very bad for the cafe business.

Thank you very much.

- What's your line?

- Please?

- Are you looking for employment?

- No, I want a job.

What's the matter?

That chicken-livered dishwasher!

Every time his wife has a baby, he walks out.

And she always has 'em when there's a wash on!

I can't leave the stove, and the dishes are piled up from here to...!

- The dishes are dirty?

- That's putting it mildly, mister.

- But I wash, I can wash dishes!

That's right, this guy wants a job.

Can you wash 'em without smashing 'em?

In America I can do anything.

Okay, let's go.

Oh, it is wonderful here, Mara.

Wonderful.

You know, Mara, we will be rich.

I have a job already, and very soon

we'll be together.

Not this time, Finnegan.

Mr. Finnegan partially identified him.

Ah, the poor little guy.

He was so... hopeful.

What are his chances?

Third-degree burns, 50/50 chance.

Well look, if anything happens,

will you please let me know? And...

Here, slip him that for extras.

Unfortunately I gotta go to

Chicago on a case and I don't know

when I'll be back.

But you can always reach me

in care of police headquarters.

It's Lieutenant James O'Hara.

Give him that. And don't let him

leave here without notifying me.

You see, I feel responsible for the little guy.

I sent him to that hotel.

Yes, Lieutenant O'Hara.

Doctor, really the bandages are coming off now?

That's right. Is everything ready, nurse?

- Yes, Doctor.

- Lower the windowshade, please.

Tell me, Doctor, and soon I can go and

look for work?

What kind of work do you do?

Oh, everything. Watchmaking, wood-carving...

I have very clever hands, Doctor.

I worked in an airplane factory, too.

I can do anything mechanical.

I am a mechanical genius!

It's a good thing the fire didn't get

your hands, isn't it?

Yes.

Now just relax. I have to cut this,

and it may hurt a little.

Get out!

Why did she scream?

What's the matter?

Why is that mirror covered?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes

Paul Jarrico

Paul Jarrico (January 12, 1915 – October 28, 1997) was an American screenwriter and film producer who was blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses during the era of McCarthyism. more…

All Paul Jarrico scripts | Paul Jarrico Scripts

0 fans

Submitted on August 05, 2018

Discuss this script with the community:

0 Comments

    Translation

    Translate and read this script in other languages:

    Select another language:

    • - Select -
    • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
    • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
    • Español (Spanish)
    • Esperanto (Esperanto)
    • 日本語 (Japanese)
    • Português (Portuguese)
    • Deutsch (German)
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • Français (French)
    • Русский (Russian)
    • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
    • 한국어 (Korean)
    • עברית (Hebrew)
    • Gaeilge (Irish)
    • Українська (Ukrainian)
    • اردو (Urdu)
    • Magyar (Hungarian)
    • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
    • Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Italiano (Italian)
    • தமிழ் (Tamil)
    • Türkçe (Turkish)
    • తెలుగు (Telugu)
    • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
    • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
    • Čeština (Czech)
    • Polski (Polish)
    • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Românește (Romanian)
    • Nederlands (Dutch)
    • Ελληνικά (Greek)
    • Latinum (Latin)
    • Svenska (Swedish)
    • Dansk (Danish)
    • Suomi (Finnish)
    • فارسی (Persian)
    • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
    • հայերեն (Armenian)
    • Norsk (Norwegian)
    • English (English)

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this screenplay to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Face Behind the Mask" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Apr. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/the_face_behind_the_mask_20180>.

    We need you!

    Help us build the largest writers community and scripts collection on the web!

    Watch the movie trailer

    The Face Behind the Mask

    Browse Scripts.com

    The Studio:

    ScreenWriting Tool

    Write your screenplay and focus on the story with many helpful features.