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Wildly improbable but seldom less than absorbing, The Man With My Face has the distinction of being the only film noir set in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. That's where Barry Nelson settled down after the war and where he runs a little business with his old army buddy, now his brother-in-law, John Harvey. But one evening he returns home to his cozy bungalow only to find his tough-faced wife (Lynn Ainley) staring at him as if he had suddenly grown a second head. In a sense he has, because there in his living room is his exact double, having drinks and playing cards. And as far as Ainley and Harvey are concerned, this newcomer is the real husband and business partner, respectively. Even his little pooch bites Nelson on the hand.

Turned out into the Caribbean warm, Nelson enlists the help of an old girlfriend (Carole Mathews) whom he had thrown over for the blonde if shopworn Ainley. Mathews' protective brother (Jack Warden) stays wary, but soon joins in trying to figure out the puzzle. It doesn't take long, because Nelson's face is on the front page - as a Miami bank robber who got away with half a million. This robber - the double - has been in league with the wife and brother-in-law since long before the marriage. Rounding out the gang is another war veteran, but as a member of K-9 corps - a Doberman trained to kill; his slavering maw turns several hapless victims into bowls of Alpo.

Edward Montagne directed, who the year before had made The Tattooed Stranger, a starvation-budget police procedural shot on location - then a rarity - in New York City. Like that strange and seedy movie, The Man With My Face shares a cast that, apart from Nelson, had few credits behind them (or ahead of them); it shows little visual dimension, either, having been shot entirely in flat subtropical sunshine. But the doppelganger theme holds attention, despite the fact that its ironies and perversities are never pursued to real satisfaction. It's pure plot, and far-fetched at that, but in its modest way it works.

The premise, as others point out, is wildly improbable, yet the visuals, direction, and acting prove enough to compensate. Poor Chick Graham (Nelson, in a dual role). On an utterly routine work day he returns home, only to find an exact double has taken his place in the household. Even his wife (Ainley) says the real Chick is an impostor, and the officials believe her, not Chick. In fact everything he does to verify his identity backfires, including fingerprints. So what's going on since Chick's just an ordinary working stiff.

Frankly, I wish the screenplay hadn't tipped its hand so soon by explaining the reason behind the impersonation. Withholding the key would have set up a good mystery. Nonetheless, Nelson's dual role is well handled. Catch the vertical line created by door-frames that indicates where the split screen divides when the two Nelsons appear in the same shot. The split screens are well done without being obtrusive. Also, the climactic chase through the old Spanish coastal fort is excitingly picturesque. In fact, the movie makes good use of the Puerto Rico locations, even if in b&w. These lend an exotic flavor to an exotic story.

All in all, the movie certainly doesn't lack for imagination, including the assassin canine and its scary handler (Jim Boles). Speaking of the Doberman, I'm glad the besieged Chick finally figures out the tactical use of a door. Anyway, with some basic work on the screenplay, this could have been a B-film that's more than novel entertainment, which it is.

Barry Nelson comes home from a business trip. His wife doesn't pick him up. He calls home, but she does not recognize his voice. He takes a cab, and finds his wife, his brother-in-law (his business partner), his dog (who bites him) and his exact double, who insists he is Nelson. They call a cop, but his ID has the other guy's fingerprints. The cop takes him to the police station, but a Doberman Pinscher attacks him and he flees in the confusion.

It's a very nice done movie version of a novel by Samuel W. Taylor. Director Edward Montagne keeps things going along at a good clip, with the doubling handled by a skilled combination of editing and masking by cinematographer Fred Jackman Jr.; there's also some good location shooting of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It's also Jack Warden's first credited role; he had had uncredited bits in three earlier movies.

It's not a bad movie. The pacing is good. The good guys/gals are likeable. The action is not bad. The actual Puerto Rico locations look great. As another reviewer stated the premise is intriguing , but the execution is sloppy. If you have about and hour and 10 minutes to kill and like these type of movies, it's worth the time.

When the whole issue of identity theft began getting increased visibility several years ago, this is where my pre-cyber world mind went. You come home one day from work and there's somebody that's you in your place. We get some hints that Nelson suspects that things aren't perfect at home as he leaves for work on that fateful morning. This initially plays out like a good Twilight Zone episode. The cops are called in to arrest the good guy, he's carted off, he somehow escapes; but then it's all ruined as the nefarious plot is disclosed. The remainder of the movie becomes a manhunt and an explanation of how and why. Nice shots of Puerto Rico help to relieve the routine. Nelson is very good in the dual roles. This is an okay time waster.

The Man with My Face (1951)

Wow, this is built on such a fun and totally ridiculous premise it might be hard to see that really well done aspects to the film. Here it is: a man and wife are bickering a bit. She's a bombshell, he's a nice regular guy. What gives? Well, the man comes home one day to find an exact duplicate has taken his place (played by the same actor, sometimes with split screen done quite well).

So, is he crazy? Is this the twilight zone? Who is the double? Oh, and his wife and dog both don't recognize him. I mean, the wife we get, wives in movies are made out to be as unpredictable as husbands. But the dog, now that's huge clue. And the brother-in-law doesn't know him other--or worse, believe the impostor is the real guy.

So our hero is in a quite a pickle. Not only is he homeless and disparaged, and eventually even hunted by the law, he doubts his sanity. It seems impossible.

The problem is that it is, truly, impossible, and yet the movie plays it all as if it were quite reasonable, if at least daring. And we aren't talking plastic surgery or alien forces here, just go old greed and extraordinary luck.

So, swallow it in a gulp and enjoy the dual role played, really well (in a B-movie way) by Barry Nelson. Who's he? Yeah, exactly--he did mostly 1950s television, and some war flicks before that. So here's the one film he snuck in his t.v. career. Some of the rest of the cast is fun in the same B-movie way, though the femme fatale (if the word isn't an exaggeration here) is unconvincing.

A quirky fun film. It's not underrated, but it's better than a lot of other overrated genre movies. Once you swallow that pill, that is.

Barry Nelson starred or guest starred in about 60 T.V. shows from the 1950's to the 1980's. He even starred in three different television series in the 1950's, none of which lasted a full season. His triumphs on television included being the first James Bond on film/video in a 1954 "Climax" episode based on Ian Fleming's "Casino Royale" and an excellent made for television suspense movie called "The Borgia Stick" (1967). Three "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and a "Twilight Zone" episode also adds to his reputation.

This is only one of four theatrical features that he starred in. "Undercover Maizie" (1947), "The First Traveling Saleslady" (1956) and "Mary Mary" (1963)were the other three. In truth, the female leads: Ann Sothern, Ginger Rodgers, Debbie Reynolds were the stars of these three movie. Thus this is really the only theatrical movie where Nelson was the main star.

It is a showy part with Nelson being both the protagonist and antagonist. He handles both part well. Nelson was never a flashy actor, but he always brought sincerity and charm to his roles.

Carole Matthews also was known mainly as a television actress from the 1950's and 1960's. She was in about 50 television shows, but only playing leading roles in a half dozen or so. She also starred in about half a dozen low budget movies like this one. Like Nelson, she is also a fine actress who is quite believable even in unbelievable movies like this one. It is sad she never got better roles and never became a star.

Like D.O.A., this film noir starts with a totally fantastic plot and then tries to convince you that it is possible. A man arrives home one day to find that a double has taken over his life. Unlike D.O.A., this one doesn't convince you that such a thing is possible, but it is fun, nevertheless and you have the give the script credit for trying.

Perhaps the real star of the movie is a Doberman Pincher who does his best to convince you that he is a trained assassin. He doesn't quite make it, but he is a handsome and well trained dog.

The movie is nicely photographed and has lots of great shots of Puerto Rico circa 1954. This is no masterpiece, but it is interesting and original enough to keep one watching for its short length of 70 minutes.

Great concept unfortunately it doesn't work as well as in face off with Travolta and Cage.

The plot for "The Man With My Face" is 100% ridiculous--there's no better way to describe it. It's so ridiculous, you'll probably have a hard time suspending disbelief in order to enjoy the film. It's mildly enjoyable...but stupid.

The setting for the film is very unusual--Puerto Rico. I can't recall another film set there other than "Mr. Moto in Danger Island" and for some odd reason the island hasn't been used as a setting very often. Barry Nelson plays two roles. One is a cold-blooded crook who has stolen a HUGE amount of money in a robbery in Miami. The other is married and has a business partner. Unfortunately, this nice Barry Nelson doesn't realize that the wife and 'friend' are working with the crook--and are more than happy to let the evil Barry assume the nice Barry's life. And so, when nice Barry returns home, the wife throws him out and calls the police--saying evil Barry is her husband. The setup is pretty complete and they are able to convince everyone amazingly quickly that the phony Barry is the real McCoy. This doesn't make sense for two reasons. First, you do NOT have 100% exact duplicates out there--not completely like you in every freaking way. Second, you'd think the police would take BOTH men in to headquarters and take better efforts to ascertain the truth. It just doesn't make any sense. For the rest of the film, nice Barry runs about trying to get help from friends and family as well as tracking down people who know the evil Barry. The film does have some snappy dialog--as well as a ridiculous doggy that seems A LOT smarter than nice Barry! Is the film worth seeing? Well, if you are crazy like me and watch a bazillion films a year, sure....you could do a lot worse. It is oddly watchable despite the silly plot and flat acting. But for the average person, this is an imminently forgettable and VERY flawed film--one that just isn't worth your time unless you are a family member of Barry Nelson or if you are a Puerto Rican living in the continental US and want to see a glimpse of home.

By the way, although the film was made in Puerto Rico, it was VERY odd--as NO ONE seemed to speak Spanish and the accents were minimal. I've spent time in Puerto Rico and I sure would have loved it if everyone spoke English and had very slight accents--but instead, I mostly had to speak Spanish (very poorly) because fluency in English is not all that common in this part of the United States.

Doppelganger topic features have always provided much suspense, have always grabbed you, stuck your attention to details, each move, each dialogue. This one is not widely known, it is not an Alfred Hitchcock's film either, but it is enough to be a little gem to discover again, at all costs. The director is totally unknown to me, so are the actors and the Puerto Rico settings are also unusual. It is a performance to shoot such a story, where an actor plays two characters, especially because of the confusion elements that may provoke this scheme for the audience. And above all, it is not long, it is not two hours length, so you can't get bored. Good little gem.

First thing I want to do with this review is state who femme fatale Lynn Ainley really was. This was a name used only for a few projects by actress Betty Lou Gerson. There were financial reasons why she had to be hired in Puerto Rico where this was filmed and they made it seem like she was "discovered" there by this name.

At any rate, this is an above average crime thriller based on a doppelgänger premise. Chick Graham is married to the blonde femme fatale Cora. He had a dog named Jiggs. They pretty much have a normal life in Puerto Rico. Then everything goes haywire when Chick finds his wife and brother-in-law don't recognize him and neither can his dog.

Everyday Everyman Chick Graham has an unrelated man who looks just like him, indeed, who could easily pass as his twin brother. That fellow is psychopathic Albert Rand who has cooked up an elaborate plot to commit a big time heist and then fade into the woodwork as Chick Graham. It turns out that wife Cora and her brother Buster are in on the nefarious plot. Most of the movie shows our hero trying to get things sorted out as he is on the lam from the cops who have him down as robber Rand.

It might have benefitted from being shot in color but the makers of the film do as much as possible in black and white with the lush setting of Puerto Rico. I think Barry Nelson did a fine job of playing nice guy chick vs. Route to the core psychopath Albert Rand. The other performers do well. Perhaps the canine performers deserve a special nod. There is the little one who plays Jiggs and then there is the doberman who plays the trained killer dog. Betty Lou Gerson/Lynn Ainley is attractive in a tough way as the femme fatale wife who suffers pangs of conscience and Carole Matthews is endearing as the forgiving ex-girlfriend.

"The Man With My Face" grabs and holds interest. It is a slightly above average crime drama.

This is one of those films where premise is intriguing but execution is sloppy. Chick Graham (Barry Nelson) comes home on one day to find out his doppelganger has taken his place. The police shows up and his wife Cora (Lynn Ainley) and business partner Buster (John Harvey) confirm that doppelganger is real Chick and Chick is fake. Chick escapes and tries to prove his identity. The plot turns more and more ridiculous and implausible, but energetic direction, fast pace action and enjoyable double performance by Barry Nelson turn 'The Man with My Face' passable time waster entertainment.

Premise for a My Three Sons episode. Easy fix: Have them drop their pants and shorts. She should know which one is the real one. But then she may like the imposter if he's endowed with a better appendage. Hmmm, what a dilemma.

One thing he was not---was a movie star. During a long and interesting career, Nelson's movie output was rather limited. His work in The Man with My Face (TMWMF) is rather unusual, being a rare leading man part in a (sort of) "B" film noir in which he played dual roles (one good guy and the other bad). Other reviewers have attempted to explain TMWMF's convoluted and sometimes illogical plot. In any event, this movie is a modest entertainment from someone who has done better work elsewhere, and is also noteworthy as containing an early acting opportunity by Jack Warden in a supporting role. Today, Nelson's movie period may be best remembered for his supporting role in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining which starred Jack Nicholson. Notwithstanding a pleasant appearance and a breezy and likable persona, Nelson never was able to achieve a successful career in the movies.

Nelson was also active in television during its Golden Age, and as most IMDB folks know---he starred in the Climax! 1954 series as the first visual James Bond via a live presentation of Casino Royale by Ian Fleming. This show preceded Sean Connery's breakout effort as Bond in Doctor No by eight years. In addition, Nelson was often a guest panelist on early TV quiz shows---notably To Tell the Truth.

Where Nelson did his most successful acting was on Broadway. He scored high marks in two well regarded comedies with co-star Barbara Bel Geddes--The Moon Is Blue and Mary, Mary. Nelson re-created his role in the film version of the latter play opposite Debbie Reynolds, but the result is considered inferior to his Broadway effort. In addition, he co-starred with Lauren Bacall in the stage version of Cactus Flower to considerable acclaim. But Walter Matthau ended up playing the part in the film version of the play.

So who was Barry Nelson? He was a more accomplished actor than he was able to demonstrate in TMWMF. Apparently, Nelson was one of those primarily stage actors whose charisma, charm and appeal before a live audience did not seem to translate with equal results in other media. There is no doubt about his success on Broadway. Mary, Mary was a huge hit. It ran for almost three years and 1572 performances, and much of that popularity was due to Nelson's leading man contribution.

What is it that enables some stage actors like Fredric March, Paul Newman and Marlon Brando to become major Hollywood stars while others like Barry Nelson fail to similarly make it? Perhaps if Nelson had had better luck in his few film opportunities, the outcome might have been different. We will never know.

Charles "Chick" Graham (Barry Nelson) comes home from work to discover that an identical "twin" has replaced him. His wife, Cora (Lynn Ainley) is convinced that the impostor is the real Chick. Maddeningly, the more Chick tries to prove his identity, the worse his situation becomes.

What the hell is going on?

Enlisting the help of his ex-girlfriend, Mary (Carole Matthews), Chick sets out to uncover the truth.

THE MAN WITH MY FACE is a noir thriller, complete with somber narration. It boasts a paranoiac atmosphere and interesting characters, including Graham's doppelganger, a blackmailing salesman, and a man with a killer Doberman. Nelson is very good in his bewildered-then-determined role.

Watch for an impossibly young Jack Warden as Walt...