Brilliant but torture-obsessed surgeon Doctor Richard Vollin (Bela Lugosi) becomes obsessed with beautiful socialite Jean Thatcher (Irene Ware) after rescuing her from a car crash. When Jean rejects his advances, Vollin vows revenge, and enlists the help of escaped killer Edmund Bateman (Boris Karloff) in kidnapping Jean's father. In return Vollin promises to give Bateman a new face, but his own duplicitous schemes lead to his ultimate downfall.