Crime

Lady Scarface

- Marked Woman! Gun-Moll! Killer Queen!

A Chicago gang led by Slade carries out an audacious brokerage robbery. Lieutenant Bill Mason takes the case, continuing his friendly-enemy relationship with crime reporter Ann Rogers. One gang member is caught; eventually, others follow. But Mason hasn't a clue to Slade, principally because he's unaware she's a woman.

Release Date : 1941-09-26

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : RKO Radio Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Lieutenant Bill Mason

Original Name : Dennis O'Keefe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Slade

Original Name : Judith Anderson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ann Rogers

Original Name : Frances E. Neal

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mary Jordan Powell

Original Name : Mildred Coles

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mr. Hartford

Original Name : Eric Blore

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lefty Landers

Original Name : Marc Lawrence

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lieutenant Onslow

Original Name : Damian O'Flynn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Art Seidel, Hotel Detective

Original Name : Andrew Tombes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ruby / Mary Jordan

Original Name : Marion Martin

Gender : Female

Character Name : James 'Jimmy' Powell

Original Name : Rand Brooks

Gender : Male

Character Name : Matt Willis

Original Name : Arthur Shields

Gender : Male

Character Name : George Atkins

Original Name : Lee Bonnell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Big 'Sem' Semenoff

Original Name : Harry Burns

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mullen

Original Name : Horace McMahon

Gender : Male

Character Name : James A. Pierce

Original Name : Huntley Gordon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Pinchback

Original Name : Charles Halton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pinchback's Secretary

Original Name : Ruth Dietrich

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Tuckerman

Original Name : Bert Howard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Tuckerman

Original Name : Claire McDowell

Gender : Female

Character Name : Police Captain L. Andrews

Original Name : Stanley Andrews

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Captain Lovell

Original Name : Robert Middlemass

Gender : Male

Character Name : Detective Frank

Original Name : Frank O'Connor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joe, Police Clerk

Original Name : Kernan Cripps

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Secretary

Original Name : Douglas Spencer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Radio Announcer

Original Name : Dale Armstrong

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Barlowe

Original Name : Joey Ray

Gender : Male

Character Name : Room Service Waiter

Original Name : Eddie Conrad

Gender : Male

Character Name : Messenger with Package

Original Name : Ross Forrester

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bellhop #1

Original Name : George Noisom

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bellhop #2

Original Name : Paul Le Pere

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tied-Up Watchman

Original Name : Harry Humphrey

Gender : Male

Reviews

waltzma

@waltzma

2021-06-23

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