THE NAKED FACE (1984)

Well damn, this is the first time the movie's title font

actually matches my post title font.

Adapted and directed from Sidney Sheldon's 1970 novel by Bryan Forbes (The Stepford Wives), The Naked Face is an odd movie on paper. Roger Moore as a psychoanalyst! And teaming up with Art Carney! With Golan-Globus producing!

Of course, hearing the latter (and the name Sidney Sheldon) would make one expect this film to be total melodramatic cheese. Does it fulfill that expectation? Or is it better than a film of its kind deserves to be?

Roger Moore as Dr. Judd Stevens

Anne Archer as Ann Blake

Rod Steiger as Lt. McGreavy

(And yes, he makes many faces like this throughout the entire movie.)

Elliott Gould as Det. Angeli

David Hedison as Dr. Peter Hadley

Frankie Hill as Carol Roberts

Art "Malawillyoucomeinthekitchenandhelpme" Carney 

as Norman Z. Morgens, P.I.

Chicago psychoanalyst Dr. Judd Stevens, after unknowingly escaping an unknown assassin while visiting the grave of his wife and daughter, is drawn into the murder investigation of one of his patients, who was killed while wearing the doctor's raincoat.

Phillip Shaw's editing wastes no time in setting up Stevens' job

and the well-prepared, looming threat out for him.

On the case are Lt. McGreavy (Steiger) and Det. Angeli (Gould), who soon suspect Stevens when his secretary Carol is brutally murdered.

This Silent Partner / In the Heat of the Night crossover is really weird.

Things only escalate further when Stevens survives several more attempts on his life, and finds himself entangled in the life of his patient Ann (Archer).

With TNF being a result of Moore wanting to play a rare leading dramatic role (and Golan and Globus wanting to cash in on his popularity), it could have really gone south, but Moore enlisting the help of his friend Forbes (who also co-wrote the screenplay for Moore's 1970 film The Man Who Haunted Himself) turned out to be the most instrumental decision of all.

Joe D. Lauck as Mr. Boyd

A heartbreakingly-sympathetic bisexual character trying to make sense

of his sexuality while married with two kids was likely not a popular portrayal 

in 1984, but Forbes' script treats him far better than the book did, 

and his murder is portrayed as a terrible tragedy.

Stevens' response to McGreavy calling Boyd "a f** with a family".

Needless to say, this viewer cheered.

Moore may not look like anyone's idea of a real-life 

psychoanalyst, but his age helps the believability of this story.

Playing the obvious "red herring asshole", Steiger is so over-the-top eccentric as McGreavy that it borders on the absurd. His initial questions to Stevens are so wrong on an ethical level ("Do any of your patients love you?" and his ensuing tirades), but almost funny because of said absurdity and Steiger's delivery.

Steiger's "accent" and line delivery in this film

are so unusual that they make his character stand out even more.

(Steiger's recent plastic surgery at the time may not have been

the reason, but it sure as hell sounds like it.)

Hedison is great as Stevens' brother-in-law Hadley,

and his scene "diagnosing" McGreavy is downright amazing.

James Spinks (Car Wash, A Rage in Harlem, Mo' Money)

plays a prison supervisor who provides a vital clue to Stevens.

Casting Carney, in an ode to The Late Show (1977),

is highly appreciated. And yes, Morgens also has a cat.

Moore is a great lead, and Forbes' script and direction allow him to go in many directions to make him a likable, relatable hero. Kind, gentle, empathetic, and snarky to those who deserve it, Stevens as a character has aged a lot better than many male leads in these kinds of stories.

Given how Cannon slashed TNF's budget and filming schedule, 

it's truly a miracle how Moore, Forbes, and company 

delivered a film that comes through completely unscathed.

As a whole, TNF takes its time in letting us get to know the characters, letting their behavior and dynamics "sink in". It might be considered "slow" for those expecting a film closer to other Sheldon adaptations, but it's still a refreshing change in a film that should have gotten its due in 1984.

Moore once said that this film would have been successful

in the U.K. had it not been rated an "18" there.

THE ROLE OF ADAPTATION (AND THE SCRIPT)

I've said that Forbes is a pivotal force with this film, and the script is its largest indicator. Seemingly devoid of the melodramatic, sensationalist dialogue characteristic of Sheldon's work, Forbes' direction helps this along by providing a laid-back, natural energy, letting the actors relax and move things along, all the while not treating the audience like idiots who need everything explained to them.

Gould and Steiger are quite natural together,

and Steiger has an amusing bit where he addresses

an old lady listening in on their conversation.

Morgens "analyzes" Stevens in his own way, to make him feel at home.

Through shrewd thinking, Morgens saves Stevens from a car bomb.

Cynthia Baker Schuyler as Teri Goldman

Stevens' other patients do appear, but not for so long that

they come off as tangential or needless to the story.

"Showing" more than "telling", and its needed exposition not stilted or emotionless, TNF definitely rises above its genesis and treats its characters with dignity and respect, while showing just how ridiculous attitudes like McGreavy's truly are.

THE STUFF OF TRAVELOGUES

Filmed on location with many local actors, TNF shows Chicago in considerable glory. Cinematographer David Gurfinkel does so well, that I wish his filmography had more films like this one, rather than stinkers such as The Apple and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III. Fellow Chicago-set psych-themed work The Bob Newhart Show would be proud.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

Wait, what?

(And no, Steiger does not actually emphasize the word "as".)

The closest thing to a "Roger Moore Eyebrow Raise" in this film.

No, Steiger's not ripping off David Wayne in The Front Page (1974).

His clothing is just diametrically opposed to his personality, that's all.

Hah?

Having exhausted all my crossover and Late Show jokes,

one can easily think of more with the help of this scene.

(Also, kitteh!)

Moore's "Barney Martin on Murder, She Wrote" glasses

deserve a spot all their own.

*pauses movie*

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Not getting its due praise on initial release, The Naked Face is a great non-Bond film for Roger Moore fans, and a surprise for those expecting an exploitative Cannon film or a melodrama typical of the Sidney Sheldon name.

Copyright © Chynna Moore