Doctor Genessier

Doctor Genessier

Background

Doctor Genessier runs a hospital in France. His daughter is Christiane Genessier. His wife died four years ago. Doctor Genessier's father was an attorney.

During the events of Eyes Without a Face (1960) played by Pierre Brasseur

After giving a presentation on the possibilities of physical rejuvenation using the heterograft procedure, or taking skin tissue from individuals and transplanting them to another, Doctor Genessier is told that he received a call from the morgue. At the Office of the Medical Examiner, Doctor Genessier arrives and is greeted by the Forensic Surgeon and Inspector Parot. They take him to the identification room and Doctor Genessier identifies the body as being that of Christiane. As Doctor Genessier is leaving the office, he passes Henri Tessot, who asks him if he is sure that the body belongs to Christiane and not Simone. Doctor Genessier tells Tessot, the body is that of Christiane and tells Tessot that at least he has hope of finding Simone alive.

At Christiane's funeral, Doctor Genessier tells Christiane's fiance, Jacques Vernon to go home and after he leaves, Louise asks Doctor Genessier to leave, but he refuses. They drive to Doctor Genessier's villa and after dropping off Louise, Doctor Genessier parks the vehicle to the loud sound of barking dogs. He goes to Christiane's room, who is still alive, and chastises her for not wearing her mask after finding a notice of her funeral by her bed. She asks him what he has done and he tells her, it is all for her. He says that one day he will succeed in repairing her face, but she doesn't believe it. Louise and Edna Gruber drive to Doctor Genessier's villa. Louise introduces Edna to Doctor Genessier and when Edna seems suspicious, Doctor Genessier uses a chemical to make her unconscious. Her body is dragged to a medical lab in the basement of the villa and Doctor Genessier tells Louise, this time the surgery will work.

After dinner, Doctor Genessier performs surgery and removes the face of Edna and transplants it onto Christiane. He gets a new dog from The Man in the Pound and then takes it down to the basement and places it in a cage. Louise tells Doctor Genessier that the operation seems to be a success, but Doctor Genessier is hesitant to believe it. Edna wakes up from surgery and knocks Louise unconscious with a bottle when Louise brings her food. She tries to escape, but commits suicide when she can't escape. Doctor Genessier and Louise drive Edna's body to the cemetery and bury it in the family crypt. At dinner, Doctor Genessier applauds his success and tells Christiane she can soon get a new identity and continue her life. She asks about Jacques, and Doctor Genessier tells her he will tell him about her being alive, but it will pose a problem. He is called away for a medical reason and as he kisses Christiane's head, he notices it has started to change color in one spot. As he and Louise walk to the hospital, Louise tells him she noticed he looked anxious and he tells her he failed once more. As the days go by, Christiane's face starts to rot away.

Doctor Genessier continues his experiments on the dogs, transferring patches of skin from one to another which succeeds. While visiting a patient, Doctor Genessier sees Paulette and becomes interested in her. He then visits a child patient and tells the Mother of Sick Child that the child will be okay, but tells Jacques the child will not recover. Paulette has tests run on her and Doctor Genessier notes she seems healthy. Paulette is released and as she is leaving, Louise drives up to her and offers to drive her to the train station and she is kidnapped. During surgery to remove Paulette's face, Louise tells Doctor Genessier that Parot and the Inspector are there to see him. He tells them that Paulette was released and they then leave. As Doctor Genessier opens the basement door he is attacked by the dogs and killed.