Strange Impersonation (1946) DVD

Hard-boiled film noir masquerading as a women's melodrama, Strange Impersonation is a twisted tale of jealousy, murder, revenge and facial disfigurement from director Anthony Mann (T-Men, Raw Deal).

Brenda Marshall stars as Nora Goodrich, a single-minded scientist who spurns marriage for the sake of her pioneering work with anesthetics. When her jealous lab partner (Hillary Brooke) sabotages an experiment, Nora's face is badly scarred, and - through a twist of fate - she swaps identities with a devious blackmailer (Ruth Ford), letting the world believe she is dead. Under the guise of Jane Karaski, Nora has her face surgically altered, establishes a new career and works her way back into the lives of her former enemies and lovers, where she can carry out her carefully planned revenge.

On the surface, Strange Impersonation resembles an ordinary B-movie, but beneath its melodramatic exterior are all the dark ironies, violent outbursts and dynamic visuals that would become the trademarks of director Anthony Mann, perhaps the most influential director of American film noir.

With: Brenda Marshall, William Gargan, Hillary Brooke, Lyle Talbot, George Chandler, Ruth Ford, H. B. Warner.