False Face (film)

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False Face (also released as Scalpel) is a 1977 American psychological horror film directed by John Grissmer, starring Robert Lansing and Judith Chapman. With a budget of about $400,000, it was filmed in Atlanta and Covington, Georgia, using the Turner mansion in Covington as a stand-in for the family home and Oakland Cemetery as a location. The movie was first released regionally in 1977 and re-released in 1979 as Scalpel with a PG rating.

Plot in simple terms:
Phillip Reynolds is a handsome but unstable plastic surgeon who murders his daughter Heather’s boyfriend after catching them together. Heather runs away, and a year later, Phillip learns that Heather’s inheritance from her grandfather—a $5 million estate—will go to Heather, his daughter, because no one has heard from her in a long time. Phillip and his brother-in-law Bradley decide to exploit Heather’s absence. They hire a severely beaten stripper, Jane, to pose as Heather and claim the money. Jane is coached to imitate Heather’s voice and mannerisms, then brought to the family home for a party where most relatives believe Heather has returned.

Jane/Heather collects the inheritance and begins a relationship with Phillip. Bradley is suspicious and dies after a confrontation, and Phillip cruelly manipulates the situation. Heather eventually returns and is suspicious of Jane. Phillip lies about the grandfather’s will, while Jane continues to impersonate Heather. Heather plans to see the family lawyer, and Phillip hires a hitman to kill Jane—and then tries to rape Heather himself. Jane escapes, knocks Phillip out, and Heather and Jane realize there never was a real Jane. Dr. Dean, a family friend, explains Heather had been staying in a sanitarium the whole time to understand her father’s actions. Phillip is placed in a straitjacket in a sanitarium, while Jane, still posing as Heather, departs with $2.5 million.

After release:
Scalpel was released in cinemas with mixed reviews, with some critics calling the ending unconvincing and others praising Judith Chapman’s performance and Grissmer’s direction. The film has since gained some cult notice, and Arrow released a Blu-ray edition in 2018.