The Faceless Man (1993)

Movie
German title	The man Without a Face
Original title	The Man Without a Face
Country of production	United States
original language	English
Publishing year	1993
length	110 minutes
Age rating	FSK 6
Rod
Director	Mel Gibson
script	Malcolm MacRury
production	Bruce Davey
music	James Horner
camera	Donald McAlpine
cut	Antony Gibbs
occupation
Mel Gibson : Justin McLeod Nick Stahl : Charles E. Norstadt Margaret Whitton : Catherine Palin Fay Masterson : Gloria Norstadt Gaby Hoffmann : Megan Norstadt Geoffrey Lewis : Chief Wayne Stark Richard Masur : Professor Carl Hartley Michael DeLuise : Douglas Hall Ethan Phillips : Todd Lansing Susan Hoffman : Mrs. Cooper Zach Grenier  : Dr. Lionel Talbot

The Man Without a Face (original title: The Man Without a Face ) is an American film drama made in 1993 . The Director led Mel Gibson , the writer wrote Malcolm MacRury based on a novel by Isabelle Holland . Mel Gibson played the main role.

action

A small town in the US in the late 1960s . Justin McLeod, formerly a teacher, has lived lonely and withdrawn since a few years earlier his face was disfigured in a car accident and one of his students was killed. It is rumored that he deliberately let the student die in order to cover up a sexual relationship with him.

The student Charles E. Norstadt, who lives in the neighborhood, dreams of admission to the Holyfield Military School , but his academic achievements are nowhere near enough. Inadvertently he comes into contact with McLeod and later asks him for tutoring. He initially refuses, but later agrees at Charles' insistence, and slowly a deeper friendship develops between the two beyond the lessons.

However, some misleading incidents as well as the inevitable gossip soon point to the renewed and unjustified suspicion of a sexual relationship between McLeod and Charles. The past that was believed to have been overcome is judged anew, any further contact between friends is prevented as a precaution. Finally, one sees Charles after successfully completing military school. Only from afar does McLeod attend the ceremony. Charles recognizes him, holds up his palm in delight, and McLeod, whom Charles has trusted so well, greets back in the same way.

Reviews

James Berardinelli described the beginning of the film as "uninspired" on ReelViews . However, he praised the portrayal of Mel Gibson.

Roger Ebert praised the "intelligent", "complex" characters in the Chicago Sun-Times of August 25, 1993. He also praised the direction as well as the portrayal of Mel Gibson.

The SZ said: "In this psychodrama, Mel Gibson relies more on emotions than on arguments, more on moods than on lessons, more on atmosphere than on sermon."

Awards

The film, Nick Stahl and Gaby Hoffmann were in 1994 for the Young Artist Award nominated.

backgrounds

• In this film, Nick Stahl made his debut as an actor and Mel Gibson as a director.
• The poem about aviation mentioned is High Flight by John Gillespie Magee .
• The song Megan sings in the cemetery is Born a Woman by Sarah Posey.

Web links

• The Man Without a Face in theInternet Movie Database(English)
• The Man Without a Face atRotten Tomatoes(English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ James Berardinelli: The Man Without a Face on reelviews.net, August 25, 1993 (English), accessed July 19, 2011
2. ↑ Roger Ebert: The Man Without a Face on suntimes.com from August 25, 1993 (English), accessed July 19, 2011
3. ↑ indirect quote about the mirror: WEDNESDAY 29.5. on spiegel.de on May 27, 1996, accessed on July 19, 2011