Another Face: When a gangster tries to go Hollywood

Is it worth your time?

If you like movies that feel like a breezy afternoon newspaper strip, then sure. It’s light, it’s fast, and it doesn't overstay its welcome. If you need a heavy, life-changing experience, look elsewhere. This is for people who enjoy seeing the gears turn in a studio system that churned out stories like this by the dozen.

Broken Nose Dawson is a real piece of work. He goes under the knife to hide from the law and winds up playing himself in a movie. The irony is so thick you could cut it with a prop knife. It’s got that classic 1930s snappy dialogue where everyone is talking just a little bit faster than real people ever actually do.

The whole setup feels like a dare. The publicity director at Zenith Studios is exactly the kind of guy who’d sell his own grandmother for a headline. Watching him try to turn a wanted man into a screen idol is pretty funny in a grim sort of way.

Odd bits and pieces

• There’s a scene where the makeup job is supposed to be revolutionary, but it just looks like the guy had a bad day at the barber.
• The way they frame Hollywood as a place where you can just walk in and be a star if you look wealthy enough is a nice, cynical touch.
• Keep an eye on the background extras; some of them look like they’re just waiting for lunch.
• The pacing is frantic. One minute he’s running from the cops in New York, the next he’s signing autographs.

It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in The Big Idea, where everything is just one step away from falling apart completely. It’s not trying to be a masterpiece. It’s just trying to fill an hour on a Saturday afternoon.

There's a moment near the middle where the film seems to forget it's a crime story and just becomes a comedy about making movies. It works, but it's jarring. You spend half the time waiting for the police to bust through the door, and the other half watching a PR guy lose his mind over a contract. 🤷‍♂️

It’s not a perfect flick. The plot holes are wide enough to drive a studio truck through. But there’s something honest about how cheap and cheerful it feels. Sometimes, you just want to watch a guy with a fake name try to trick everyone in Tinseltown.

If you’re into the history of how these old studios worked, this gives you a peek behind the curtain, even if it’s a curtain made of cardboard and glue. It’s a bit messy, but that’s the fun of it. Don't go looking for depth here. Just watch the guy try to keep his story straight while the cameras are rolling.