Stolen Face 1952

Lady Harringay, Everley Gregg arrives in her chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce at the offices of plastic surgeon, Dr. Philip Ritter, in central London. He tells her he can do no more for her, since she has already had too many facelifts.

Ritter drives with a friend to Holloway Prison and interviews Lily Conover, Lizabeth Scott, a female convict whose face is badly scarred. He believes her disfigurement is the cause of her criminality and begins to consider treating her with plastic surgery. After almost having a car crash on the way back, he decides to take a holiday in the countryside.

At a country inn, he meets and soon falls in love with Alice Brent, Lizabeth Scott, a gifted and beautiful concert pianist. However, Alice is already engaged to be married to her manager David, André Morell, and, afraid to tell Ritter, she runs away.

Ritter is devastated.

Back at his surgery, Ritter receives a phone call from Alice, who finally tells him of her engagement. Meanwhile, Ritter’s new patient is Lily, now released from prison. The love-struck surgeon believes he can change her criminal ways by constructing her new face to resemble that of Alice. He does so, and they marry.

However, Lily has not changed. She grows bored with Ritter’s sedate lifestyle, returns to a life of crime and wild partying. She is reckless in her behaviour, and unabashedly flirtatious with other men, and he comes to despise her. Lily tells him she will never grant him a divorce.

As Alice completes her latest concert tour, David knows there is something wrong. He guesses she is in love with someone else, and calls off the engagement. Alice goes to see Ritter and tells him she is free to marry him now. She is stunned when he confesses what he has done.

Later, Ritter leaves London for Plymouth, believing that the situation can never be reversed. Lily follows him, however, and takes the same train, where she becomes drunk and aggressive towards Ritter. Alice believes Ritter is so upset he may harm Lily, or even kill her if provoked, and she too boards the train. She arrives just as the two are arguing and engaged in a physical struggle as Ritter tries to prevent the intoxicated Lily from falling out of the carriage. As Alice enters, Lily accidentally falls against the loose carriage door, and falls out of the train to her death. Lily is discovered dead at the side of the tracks, and Ritter and Alice are reunited.