The Face behind the Mask plot
"What fiendish fury turns man into monster?"
Hungarian immigrant Janos Szabo (Peter Lorre), is a newcomer to New York who pursues a good life according to the American Dream. That dream is quickly shattered when he experiences a hotel fire that disfigures his face. He can no longer build a decent life and can only work as a dishwasher. Szabo becomes frustrated and offended by the discrimination he experiences. He befriends the gangster Dinky and becomes part of his gang. Szabo meets and instantly falls in love with Helen (Evelyn Keyes), a blind woman who sees Szabo's inner beauty and encourages him to leave the gang.