The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933) User Reviews

A Strange Tale of Infidelity

[Bucs1960 · 7/10 · 27 April 2009]

If you only know Frank Morgan for the Wizard of Oz and his other comedic roles of the 30s and 40s, then you don't want to miss his performance here. It's an entirely different Morgan, as the love besotted lawyer married to Nancy Carroll,and defending his best friend Paul Lukas who is accused of murder. I had to look twice to be sure it was him and not his brother Ralph who might have been more at home in this type of role. It's hard to relate to Frank Morgan in a torrid embrace with Carroll who is the nominal star of the film. But that aside, he is rather attractive and does a pretty good job even though the film has the typical over-acting of the early talkies.

Gloria Stuart, in an all too short appearance, is simply gorgeous (why don't they make clothes like that anymore?) as the erring wife of Paul Lukas, and lover of Walter Pigeon (in a very small role). Lukas puts three bullets into her and the murder trial is on with Morgan as the defense lawyer. He uses the "unwritten law" defense and his client is acquitted. As all this is happening, Morgan discovers that his own wife, Carroll, is having an affair with Donald Cook (good grief!!) When Morgan learns of it, he contemplates putting a few of his own bullets into her and using the same defense at his own trial. But reason wins out and he abandons the plan Since this is a pre-code film, Carroll is forgiven, falls into Morgan's arms, and doesn't have to pay for her sins, as she would have in Code films beginning the following year.

If you can get past the sometimes hammy acting styles and the "dearest" and "darling" dialogue, this isn't a bad film. In fact, I rather enjoyed it but then I am a sucker for films of the early 30s.

This one sure is different.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 4 May 2009]

This film begins with a husband following his wife to a rendezvous with her lover. There, he savagely kills her with a revolver--shooting her repeatedly as she fell to the ground. The husband, Paul Lukas, immediately phones the police to turn himself in for murder. However, his lawyer (Frank Morgan) works hard for his acquittal or a lenient sentence, since the husband was driven to this by his wife's behavior. Morgan's insistence of Lukas' innocence is important, since Morgan himself realizes his wife is also committing adultery and proving Lukas' innocence is, in a way, vindication for Morgan if he, too, decides to kill his wife.

As for Morgan, his performance is quite atypical. Instead of the usual nice guy or comical figure, here he plays a highly emotional and almost unhinged man. He's a bit over the top in his acting, but his melodramatic behavior is fun to watch.

The film was directed by James Whale--the same man who directed Boris Karloff and Colin Clive in the first two of Universal's Frankenstein movies. Like these films, THE KISS BEFORE THE MIRROR is notable for having many quiet moments where there is no incidental music. This is important because it adds to the tension and drama--producing a stark but intense film. Additionally, the film manages to do a lot in only a little over an hour--a sign of excellent direction. The only negative is that the final scene with Morgan's wife is a bit too melodramatic--too shrill to be realistic.

Overall, rather entertaining and different.

James Whale courtroom drama about infidelity.

[mush-2 · 6/10 · 6 September 1999]

This racy pre code courtroom drama is not very good,but it is well acted by a good cast. Frank Morgan plays a Viennese lawyer who defends his friend, Paul Lukas, who has murdered his wife played by an absolutely beautiful, Gloria Stuart(who has a brief,surprising nude scene-we see her back as she strips).Morgan finds himself suspecting his own wife, played by Nancy Carroll,of infidelity. The film is wonderfully photographed and does a good job showing us the life of these wealthy Austrians.The boyfriend,played by an early Walter Pidgeon,is shown in the opening scene in a magnificent home which is sumptuously decorated.The visual style as in many Whale movies is striking.Unfortunately,the original play that this is based on,seems unbelievable and rather florid, although the infidelity elements are not that dissimilar from Kubricks,Eyes Wide Shut, also based on a Viennese original.

Flawed, but has its moments

[gbill-74877 · 7/10 · 9 July 2021]

Ah yes, the old "he killed her because he loved her" defense. A wife cheats on her husband and he has a "right to avenge his honor," a literal quote from the protagonist. The attitude this film takes (or the mirror it holds up to 1933, if you will) is unfortunate, because it mars an interesting premise, some fine performances, and skilled directing. Despite the misogyny, I thought this small pre-Code film which flies by in 69 minutes was worth watching.

To open things, a society woman cheating on her husband is followed by him and murdered. Despite her small part, Gloria Stuart at 23, 64 years before Titanic, is enchanting. There's something romantic and dreamy about her scene with Walter Pidgeon, even though she's committing adultery, which is a distinctly pre-Code impression. Her husband admits to the crime and is then represented by a sharp lawyer (Frank Morgan) and his crack team (Jean Dixon and Charley Grapewin).

Where the film gets interesting is when the lawyer's wife (Nancy Carroll) begins acting in ways that eerily resemble those of the woman who was killed - that is, as she's getting dressed up, it seems as if she's going out to meet a lover, not her friends. His client described his wife at her dressing room table in front of the mirror, humming a tango, getting upset with his affections because it would muss her up, and so it happens with the lawyer, him knowing by her expression in a shocking moment that she reviles him. The transformation Carroll affects is very well done, as her pretty face goes from tenderness to anger brilliantly, and I liked the use of many mirrors in the scene as well. Even the two pairs of lovers (Stuart/Pidgeon and Carroll/Donald Cook) resemble one another, mirror images if you will.

The angst of the two men when they confer as lawyer and client, but also as two cuckolds, is amplified by the light and shadows that director James Whale gives us, which makes the film seem like a forerunner of film noir. The case takes on very dark tones as he pledges to get his client off even if he has to lie to do so, and then to kill his own wife.

While the setup is strong, it falters in how it plays out. As I mention above, there's a theme of women cheating on their husbands and then deserving to die, which is unpleasant. Even in its minor characters we see this. Early on, a prisoner looking out of a strange subterranean cell has no qualms over having killed his wife, and hopes she's now in hell. Later, when a man showing up to the court for his own case involving his longtime sweetheart's lawsuit involving "breach of promise" is told by the bailiff that this case involves murder, he says it's a "very good idea." Women are also shown to be crowding the courtroom and amorously clamoring to see the murderer. Women, ya gotta watch 'em and keep 'em in line, right?

It's in Morgan's character and his impassioned defense of the murderer that we see it most of all, however. He talks about a "personal law," an "unwritten law" of vengeance a betrayed husband may mete out, and then challenges the jury:

"Most of you, perhaps all of you, believe you know at this moment where your wife or husband is, for faith is the greatest element in love. And exclusiveness of possession is all that makes marriage worthwhile. Therefore, ask yourself, what you would do if both of these were destroyed, and if upon leaving here you found the one you loved and trusted disrobing at the bedside of a lover. What would you do?"

There are great performances here - Morgan in his vulnerable, hurt moments as well as his courtroom speech (much as I disliked its contents), and Carroll's as well, showing fear and guilt. Her character itself needed more depth, and the way she has to perform it has to match the way the film ends, but she did very well with the role she had. I just wish this thing had gone some other route, maybe something supernatural based on the similarities of the infidelity and all those mirrors, but unfortunately it slips into becoming a morality tale, something that should be apparent from the title of its 1938 remake, "Wives Under Suspicion."

James Whale and Gloria Stuart

[kevinolzak · 7/10 · 1 January 2014]

James Whale's "The Kiss Before the Mirror" (1933) came in between "The Old Dark House" and "The Invisible Man," all three of which feature the lovely actress Gloria Stuart, chiefly remembered by today's audiences for her award-winning performance at age 86 in 1997's "Titanic." For those who dismiss her early film work in weepy heroine parts (such as "The Prisoner of Shark Island"), this role is quite a revealing eye-opener; a sensuous performance as Lucy Bernsdorf, married to wealthy doctor Walter (Paul Lukas), but possessing a younger lover (Walter Pidgeon). Playful, kittenish, exquisitely dressed, well coiffured, a luscious sight to behold, is it any wonder how any man could resist? We watch as Lucy removes her dress, revealing her nude silhouette through the window, completely unaware that her husband has followed her, roused by her 'kiss before the mirror,' knowing that her careful primping is not on his behalf. Walter takes out his revolver, shoots her dead (three times), then immediately phones the police to confess his guilt. Luckily, Walter's best friend is attorney Paul Hold (Frank Morgan), who prepares a stirring defense for his client, listens to his description of how he discovered the truth about his faithless wife, then goes home to his beautiful wife (top billed Nancy Carroll), who displays the very same reaction to his own 'kiss before the mirror.' Cast against type, Morgan is surprisingly good, as is the Hungarian Lukas, soon reunited with Gloria Stuart in "Secret of the Blue Room," and with James Whale for "By Candlelight." With a supporting cast that includes Donald Cook (as Nancy Carroll's lover), Jean Dixon and Charley Grapewin (both part of Morgan's team), nothing can top the unforgettable nude image of the lustrous Gloria Stuart, in an all-too-rare change of pace not surprising from director Whale, who previously presented her in a similar light in "The Old Dark House." Add to that sets already familiar from "Frankenstein," and you have a fascinating pre-code drama that must surely rank as superior to Whale's 1938 remake "Wives Under Suspicion" (which this author admits never to have seen).

Nice Drama, Better Sets

[Michael_Elliott · 6 June 2009]

Kiss Before the Mirror, The (1933)

*** (out of 4)

An attorney (Frank Morgan) defends his best friend (Paul Lukas) accused of killing his wife (Gloria Stuart) after learning she's having an affair. The attorney soon discovers that his own wife (Nancy Carroll) is having an affair so the trial because a learning process so that he can discover whether or not he could get away with murder. Fans of the director will certainly want to check this film out as it features some of his typical comedy as well as stylish director. The film is a rather dark one about madness and this comes through with the performances. Some might call the performance of Lukas over the top but I see it as pure madness. The scene where he goes over what he has done before breaking down has a nice intensity to it. Several other scenes also have this including the final courtroom scenes as well as the opening murder. The opening murder sequence is brilliantly filmed by the director who makes this one of his most stylish scenes. The way the camera captures everything in a couple rooms then cuts to the outside looking in was very well handled. Whale also mixes in some black comedy with most of it coming from an unmarried woman working with the defense who makes several jokes about women being killed. Morgan and Carroll are both very good as is Stuart in her small role. Walter Pidgeon and Donald Cook play the lovers in the film. Fans of Whale's FRANKENSTEIN will also be very interested in watching this because this film uses the same sets as the horror classic. It's was rather funny seeing the jail cell being the same place that the monster was tied up. The village is the same and several sets take place inside Frankenstein's castle. Ted Billings, a bit player in FRANKENSTEIN and THE INVISIBLE MAN, appears here briefly. Whale would remake this five years later in WIVES UNDER SUSPICION.

The cast goes against type

[HotToastyRag · 7/10 · 2 February 2020]

In The Kiss Before the Mirror, both male leads are given the opportunity to play against type. Paul Lukas plays a murderer, and Frank Morgan plays a responsible lawyer who gets influenced by Paul's power of suggestion and starts to have very dark thoughts. This movie might not stand the test of time in many ways, but if you like the cast, you might want to rent it.

Paul starts off married to Gloria Stuart, but when he catches her with her lover, a very young Walter Pidgeon, he kills her. He tells his best friend and lawyer Frank that he started to suspect Gloria was being unfaithful when she dolled up in front of the mirror and he could tell it wasn't for him. As he describes his motives to Frank and the emotional torture he felt before the murder, Frank starts to notice similar behaviors in his own happy marriage to Nancy Carroll. . .

Yes, the subject matter and directing style is a bit dated in this film. Modern audiences might not find it appealing to watch a movie about a man killing his wife and justifying it; a gender-reversal would perhaps be more tempting. However, it is fun sometimes to curl up on a rainy afternoon and watch a very old movie to see how people acted back them and how films were made. Frank Morgan wasn't always the Wizard of Oz, and Gloria Stuart wasn't always the old lady who survived the Titanic. If you like this type of courtroom thriller, check out Night Court for a plot with three times as many twists and turns.

THE KISS BEFORE THE MIRROR (James Whale, 1933) ***

[Bunuel1976 · 7/10 · 17 February 2011]

Though Universal had acquired prestige with the Oscar-winning ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930), it was still not regarded as a major studio at the time; consequently, most of their productions were allotted a B-movie budget and barely lasted over an hour and a quarter (this one, in fact, clocks in at 68 minutes) – even those made by their top director of the era, Whale! In fact, this one is partly filmed on the memorable Expressionist sets from his first great success FRANKENSTEIN (1931) – notably the forest, laboratory and university auditorium, converted here to a private garden, prison cell and courtroom – which lends the whole added texture and renders it fascinating viewing for horror buffs!

Even so, this proves a melodrama with a uniquely tense and compelling premise: a lawyer defending his best friend, accused of killing his faithless wife, begins to suspect that his own spouse is cheating on him – so that his impassioned (and sensationalistic) speech, tinged with personal angst, results in the acquittal of the murderer! Marked by elaborate camera-work (courtesy of the renowned Karl Freund), the film also features constant mirror imagery (playing on the all-important theme of duplicity). The acting often resorts to histrionics (Paul Lukas, in his first of 3 roles for the director, as the defendant virtually spends the whole trial with face buried in his hands!) but is nonetheless impressive – especially Frank Morgan's protagonist lawyer, since he is mostly known for befuddled comedy roles!; also on hand are Gloria Stuart (appearing as the murder victim and, thus, killed off in the very first scene!: she also worked 3 times with Whale, including 2 of his horror classics), Walter Pidgeon (an early role as her lover) and Charley Grapewin (as Morgan's assistant, who is something of a frustrated philosopher!).

Interestingly, Whale felt he could improve upon the film and remade it just 5 years later as WIVES UNDER SUSPICION (in which Morgan's brother Ralph played the accused!); however, though I recall liking it quite a bit when I watched it 5 years ago {sic}, I feel this is the superior version (if still some way behind his seminal horror work)...since, by then, the director's career was already in decline and, so, the resources were even more meager!

A very Macabre Murder Trial Movie

[jayraskin1 · 9/10 · 9 August 2016]

The only other James Whale movie that I have seen, except for his classics, "Frankenstein," "Bride of Frankenstein" and "Invisible Man," was "the Old Dark House." I liked "the Old Dark House," but it wasn't a masterpiece like the other three.

I have never seen "Wizard of Oz" title character Frank Morgan in a leading role, so I always assumed he was a character actor, but he easily carries the film in this case. His wife is played by Nancy Carroll who starred in some 35 films from 1928 to 1935. She is quite fine. Gloria Stuart, famous for the Titanic (1997) has appears briefly in the film. Jean Dixon, as a very sharp statuesque woman lawyer nearly steals the picture with a sharp sense of humor.

The movie is about obsession, love and murder. Whale does a wonderful job of balancing comedy with tense scary moments as he did in "Bride" and "Invisible Man." The movie is very humanist and really solidifies the idea of him being a great auteur director. There's an hilarious scene of two gay newspaper men commenting on the trial. The movie is tight and short, barely over an hour, so it can't be called a masterpiece, but it does manage a lot of emotional intensity for a film of this length and this time period.

Heavy emoting by Frank Morgan is a surprise...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 26 April 2009]

James Whale directed this courtroom melodrama about a lawyer (FRANK MORGAN) defending a man (PAUL LUKAS) on trial for murdering his unfaithful wife (GLORIA STUART). Stuart was having an affair with a very briefly seen WALTER PIDGEON. Morgan soon suspects his own wife (NANCY CARROLL) of infidelity.

Although it has only a brief running time of one hour and seven minutes, it seems longer than that. It drags in places and there's a funeral silence on the soundtrack which is devoid of a musical background almost all the way through. Bursts of melodrama are not accompanied by the usual orchestral flourishes and this deadens some of the material and dates the film and the dialog badly.

CHARLES GRAPEWIN, DONALD COOK and Christian RUB have very small roles. The film revolves entirely about the behavior of Morgan, Lukas and NANCY CARROLL. By the time the plot moves to the courtroom defense of Lukas, we get to see Frank Morgan do some serious emoting. He's up to the chore but, as usual in films from the early '30s, the style is overly melodramatic. Hollywood never could resist resorting to overkill for courtroom histrionics.

Interesting treatment of a theme so often played out in films over the years--but not unusual enough to be distinctive. The miracle is that it manages to tell a complex story in such a brief running time.

GLORIA STUART's beauty is striking. She stands out impressively in a minor role.

James Whale melodrama

[Shotsy · 5/10 · 2 April 1999]

Some overacting in this Whale drama. Still fascinating to watch. Lukas and Morgan should have exchanged roles. Definitely one for the ever-growing James Whale fans to savor. Others might have a hard time with it.

A rare James Whale shocker

[Handlinghandel · 8/10 · 13 July 2009]

This is not a horror movie. James Whale is best known for those. (His 1936 "Showboat," on the other hand is my absolute favorite movie musical, bar none.) This one is a brief but insightful character study.

Frank Morgan plays a famous lawyer engrossed in a murder case. He finds himself identifying with the jealous husband of a beautiful woman.

He identifies a little too strongly. He begins to see in his own wife the behavior of his client's wife.

Morgan's wife is played by one of the most charming of early movie actresses: Nancy Carroll. I've seen her primarily in light comedy, where she is absolutely charming. She has a quirkiness that resembles that of Janet Gaynor. And she physically resembles the ultra-sexy Clara Bow.

Her career was short, apparently by her own choice. This is one of her best roles. And, though it's atypical and little known, it's a very fine example of James Whale's masterful touch.

Riveting, interesting, unusual film

[gridoon2024 · 7/10 · 6 January 2023]

"The Kiss Before The Mirror" boasts an unusual story, very interesting subtexts (the theme of male possessiveness towards women remains frightfully contemporary), ample doses of black humor (the funniest scene has the jury members suddenly caught in a panic, wondering if they know where their spouses REALLY are at that time), some impressive 180- and 360-degree camera rotations, an early feminist if secondary female character (played by the little-known Jean Dixon), and a riveting courtroom climax, with Frank Morgan pulling out all the stops. Not the kind of film you'd expect from the director of "Frankenstein" - but that only goes to show his versatility. *** out of 4.

Vanity, Thy Name Is Woman?

[wes-connors · 5/10 · 2 May 2009]

Attorney Frank Morgan (as Paul Held) is called upon to defend a friend, doctor Paul Lukas (as Walter Bernsdorf), who has just shot his wife ) to death. After listening to Mr. Lukas describe how he discovered his wife was having an affair, Mr. Morgan sees similar behavior in his own beautiful young wife, Nancy Carroll (as Maria Held). "All men suspect their wives," Morgan says. So, secretly, Morgan follows Ms. Carroll to her lover's arms. Then, Morgan decides to clear his client, and use his closing argument as a rationale for murdering his own unfaithful wife...

"The Kiss Before the Mirror" is a strange, almost offensive, and downright dumb story; but, it's done with a fine director (James Whale) and an interesting cast. Jean Dixon (as Hilda) almost saves it, with her pointed courtroom comment to Morgan. Donald Cook, Walter Pidgeon, and Gloria Stuart are good-looking lovers. From now on, viewers, you must carefully watch how women put on their make-up - it could help you decide whether or not to shoot them (just kidding).

***** The Kiss Before the Mirror (5/4/33) James Whale ~ Frank Morgan, Nancy Carroll, Paul Lukas

Sight, insight.

[tedg · 28 July 2010]

We used to have such a thing as a courtroom movie. The lawyer — usually the lawyer for the defense — would make a presentation designed to affect us while it affects then, often in the same way. Think Atticus Finch. These projects revolve around a central courtroom event, usually a dramatic speech, delivered theatrically.

The setup here is unusual. A man has followed his young wife as she meets her lover. As she disrobes prior to having sex, he shoots and kills her. He then calls the police and confesses. His best friend is a lawyer, determined to get him off. In finding out what happened, the murderer tells how he discovered his wife was having an affair. He is watching her lovingly; she is preparing her hair and face in front of a mirror, wearing a new dress. He cannot control himself; comes and kisses her. She violently pushes him away because he has undone her work. At this point, he knows the preparations are for someone else.

Meanwhile, we discover that the lawyer also loves his wife. He repeats the same exercise, of the kiss in the mirror and to his horror discovers the same effect. His wife is having an affair, which he confirms by following.

Now the setup is that he decides that if he can make a case strong enough to get his friend released, he will murder his wife based on the same justification. This is not because of fear of prosecution, but internal justification. His friend is against it. The lawyer has two assistants; a woman who is carefully blending her womanness with her professional intellectualism and an older guy, an alcoholic who is frustrated that no one ever listens to his pronouncements on life.

Our lawyer does indeed give the speech of a lifetime in the courtroom. It is effective enough for the jury to dismiss the charges, though we cannot fathom why other than a combination of "she deserved it" and the opinion a man's love can be so intense that it transcends reason and the law. During his courtroom speech, he pulls out a gun and says that he would do the same thing, at which point his wife knows she has been found out. Subsequently she offers herself to be killed. You may notice she has some power over what happens when she says that he never loved her as much as the friend loved his wife.

This, or perhaps general fear mean that he does not go through with it, and soon they are kissing in front of the mirror.

The misogynist drivers in this thing are pretty hard to take. But the subtle structure is pretty good. It is built around the notion of actions and circumstances that allow you to see yourself and what you do. The filmmaker is James Whale and if you allow the crass assumptions and the childish mirror metaphor, this is a wonderful piece of visual storytelling. The American invention of noir is often supposed to have been most strongly influenced by so-called German expressionism. But look here for more profound control over the camera and the light — and integration of visual effect with the narrative, such as it is.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.

"The Greater the Love, the Greater the Hate"

[view_and_review · 6/10 · 15 November 2023]

Walter Bernsdorf (Paul Lukas) found his wife Lucy (Gloria Stuart) at her lover's home and he shot her dead. It was a crime of passion, yet it was premeditated. He then called the police and turned himself in. It became the duty of his lawyer and friend Paul Held (Frank Morgan) to defend him and get him acquitted.

Paul insisted on hearing every detail of the night of the murder to better acquaint himself with the case. He heard how Lucy dolled herself up to the nines and when Walter kissed her she shrieked at him, her own husband, for daring to mess up her make-up. Why would she be reacting this way when only an hour before she was behaving so kind and lovingly? She put on her brand new dress and then went out.

Something was wrong. Her behavior made no sense. Walter decided to follow her and that's when he found her with her lover.

After a day or more of hearing Walter's story Paul was sitting in his wife's room one afternoon while she painstakingly made herself up. Why would she be going through such lengths just to go play bridge? When Walter attempted to kiss her she reacted angrily. How dare he mess up her make-up. Then she put on her brand new dress and went out. This was eerily similar to what Walter narrated. Paul then followed Maria and found exactly what Walter had found from his wife, except Paul had no revolver on him.

Paul's plan from that point on was to defend Walter the best he could because if he could get Walter off, then he would also have a chance at acquittal when he killed his own wife. It was an intense affair full of suspense. As for me, I wanted Paul to get Walter off and then if need be kill his wife as well, but I operate by a totally different set of laws and a totally different code. I knew that wasn't the civilized ending, but it was an ending I would be satisfied with.

"The Kiss Before the Mirror" was cliche and different at the same time. Lucy Bernsdorf and Maria Held having lovers was incredibly cliche. They were both married to professional men who gave them a good life, but probably also spent a lot of time at work giving them the opportunity to go out and play. Standard 30's operating procedure. What wasn't standard was the murder and I liked it. Oooh I'm so tired of seeing the cheating aristocrats deal with infidelity in their civilized manner. I want to see some raw emotion, and if it's accompanied by violence, so be it. As Paul passionately stated in court:

"Faith is the greatest element in love. And exclusiveness of possession is all that makes marriage worthwhile... The greater the love, the greater the hate. The bitterer the illusion the more serious the wound. The shrewder the woman the more lustful the revenge. The more we love the more we want to destroy the woman we loved."

So true. So true.

Free on Odnoklassniki.

"Would you come over and arrest me? I just killed my wife!"

[mark.waltz · 9/10 · 16 April 2017]

The murdered woman is played by Gloria Stuart, best known as "old Rose" in the 1997 smash "Titanic", fresh from a series of classic horror movies, and as a favor to the now legendary James Whale, playing the unfaithful wife of Paul Lukas. Catching her with her lover Walter Pidgeon, Lukas offs both and quickly confesses. His defense attorney is a non-blithering Frank Morgan, as far from being the Wizard of Oz as he can be. Morgan defends Lukas with great care, learning what set Lukas off was "the kiss before the mirror", a metaphor for women's vanity that made Lukas both love her and despise her.

Years ago when I first began collecting rare classics, one of my trading buddies highly recommended this, insisting on getting me a copy in no uncertain terms, and seeing it again some 20 years later, I can see why. This film is a masterpiece of suspense and style, masterfully put on celluloid by James Whale who certainly deserves to be better known as an artist rather than just a director of horror films. The wise script draws you in almost immediately, and for attorney Morgan is a look into the future as he learns that his distractions by the case has lead his wife (Nancy Carroll) into the arms of another man (Donald Cook).

Future "Wizard of Oz" co-star Charley Grapewin joins Morgan in a showy minor role as Morgan's outspoken butler. Carroll, one of the great (although almost forgotten) stars of the early talkies, is more than just another gorgeous clotheshorse. In fact, she's exquisite, with sumptuous photography on her as she stares into the mirror. Whale, the Josef Von Sternberg of Universal studios, took filmmaking to the point of being pure art, directing his actors with great fitness, making them subtle one moment and dramatic and filled with fury out of nowhere. The metaphor of the mirror is a powerful one, and this is a film that really deserves an art house rediscovery. "Wives Under Suspicion", a decent remake also directed by Whale, lacks the finesse of this version, but being in the public domain, is easier to find.

Free-range American wives are thwarting "the Pursuit of Happiness" . . .

[tadpole-596-918256 · 8/10 · 24 May 2021]

. . . Constitutionally guaranteed to all U. S. men, documents THE KISS BEFORE THE MIRROR. Horrible harlot spouses such as Lucy and Maria must be dispatched with absolute finality (three shots minimum), KISS recommends. Any guy who would allow his spouse to leave his home by herself for hours on end should have his head examined, KISS reveals. If a gentleman lacks a mother who is able to chaperone his wife when the latter female ventures outside the home, he's well-advised to remain a bachelor, KISS suggests. All the U. S. wives pictured during KISS are dead-set upon primping and posing in front of mirrors as they plot whose VeeDee germs they can cart home to their marriage bed next. Such faithless varmints can bring a man only heartbreak, despair and disease. Just as every school, church and library comes equipped with fire alarms, every marriage contract MUST include a trusty revolver with plenty of ammo for the prospective groom in order to keep inherently deceptive, vacillating and pox-ridden brides toeing the line.

That Deadly Kiss!!

[kidboots · 9/10 · 29 August 2012]

By the time Paramount had found a couple of good films to put Nancy's career back on track ("Hot Saturday" and "Undercover Man") other studios were beckoning. Columbia had found "Child of Manhattan" and critics were discovering Nancy all over again. Univerdal then offered her the unexpected role as the faithless wife in "A Kiss Before the Mirror". Set in Vienna and stylishly photographed by Karl Freund it was directed by Universal's top director, James Whale and both of them gave the film a distinctly continental flavour. Nancy more than justified her top billing with a superlative performance and she also looked wonderful with a chic wardrobe and a new hairstyle.

Dr. Bernsdorf (Paul Lucas) suspects his wife (Gloria Stuart) of being unfaithful so when she leaves the house after an altercation he follows her - all the way to the house of her lover (Walter Pidgeon). He then kills his wife and surrenders to the police. He is defended by his good friend Dr. Paul Held (Frank Morgan) but as he tells his story, Paul realises that his wife, Maria (Carroll) often takes the same amount of attention to detail when she goes out and he begins to wonder.

He also follows her and realises that she has a lover (Donald Cook) but unlike Lucy, she is already regretting her decision. Paul begins to obsess and brood and to realise he will also take the same murderous measures as his friend Walter who can see what is happening and begs him not to be rash. On the day of the trial he orders Maria to be present in the courtroom and when he makes an impassioned speech and vehemently asks the jury do they know where their respective spouses are, at the same moment he draws a pistol and Maria faints. Walter is acquitted and Maria and Paul have an intense talk - he is going away but not with her. However when he arrives home from court Maria, who has always loved him, is waiting.

Nancy Carroll was impressive but the two people who stood out for me were Paul Lucas and Frank Morgan. Both of them gave emotional, highly wrought performances. Lucas, as the husband who realises he has made a dreadful mistake, has a couple of intensely charged scenes in the prison - when he is describing how, with the kiss before the mirror, he first came to the realisation that his wife had a lover and, also, when he realises that his friend has the same irrational feelings as he had. Frank Morgan spent most of his career perfecting the lovable, absent minded scatterbrain but in this movie he got a chance to give a vibrant, show stopping performance. Jean Dixon as his capable secretary Hilda also doesn't disappoint. Even though she was killed during the first ten minutes, Gloria Stuart had a nice scene with Walter Pidgeon who, as her lover, was trying to kick start his career as a dramatic actor after being a casualty of the early musical cycle.

For real Frank Morgan fans

[abitrowdy · 10/10 · 7 June 2021]

First of all you should know that I will watch any movie Frank Morgan is in. Some have been great. Some perhaps less so. But Frank Morgan has never failed to entertain me. His avuncular, bumbling, inept con man film persona is so well known that I sometimes remark on a movie "oh, Frank Morgan is playing the Frank Morgan role". It wasn't always so. You will be surprised at his superb performance in "The Kiss Before the Mirror" (1933). I consider it a tour de force performance. Other reviewers will tell you the plot, or comment on the other actors, or explain its dated social shortcomings ad nauseam. I am not here to defend the social attitudes of the 1930's. I am here to urge you to watch a masterful performance in a riveting courtroom drama. If you like it and want to see another surprising Frank Morgan dramatic performance, then you should watch "The Vanishing Virginian" (1942). Again, you will need to suspend your modern preconceptions of social morality and accept that you are watching a story about a different time when people not only thought differently, but struggled with concepts of morality and justice that we take for granted today. It is the results of their struggles that we enjoy our so-called enlightened attitudes today.

How to murder your wife....

[AlsExGal · 8/10 · 25 May 2021]

With a very serious and leading role by Frank Morgan. Not a trace of the harmless blithering bumbler he played over at MGM in the 30s and 40s.

Morgan plays Viennese attorney, Paul Held. Paul is called to be defense attorney to his good friend, Walter (Paul Lukas) who has shot his wife to death when he finds out she is having an affair. More than this, his wife was undressing in her lover's home in preparation for some passion when Walter sent her to her maker under most embarrassing circumstances. Paul tries to get out of Walter exactly what made him suspect his wife. Walter says it was how she was admiring herself in her mirror in a way that only a woman meeting a lover would do. So he followed her, and when he actually saw her infidelity he killed her.

Paul returns home and finds his wife (Nancy Carroll) doing the exact same thing - saying she is going out with girlfriends, but dressing and admiring herself in her big vanity mirror in a way a woman would only do for another man. Paul follows her just as Walter followed his wife, and discovers that his wife Maria is meeting another man.

Paul returns to Walter, says that he now knows what Walter feels and that he intends to use every argument available to get Walter out of jail. If he is a successful and Walter is acquitted, then he knows the argument works and he will kill Maria and know that he too can be acquitted. Lukas plays this well as the tortured killer. Paul's mistake is to think that the fact that they both have cheating wives gives them comradery, when in fact Walter is consumed by guilt.

It is so odd to see Frank Morgan playing such a dark vengeful character, tormenting Maria by wanting her in court each day, to tell her that death is the just fate of all such unfaithful wives. She knows he knows, she knows he might kill her, and yet he hasn't come out and threatened her or accused her.. It's all very Hitchcockian a decade before many people knew about Hitch.

There is a really interesting attorney who works for Paul - Jean Dixon as Hilda Frey. She has a kind of tough exterior with a wise cracking and confident persona that matches Eve Arden. She is somebody I would have liked to see more of, but she has a very small part. It seems like the film is hinting that she could be gay, but that was all you could do at this point in history was hint.

There is a very good score and art design in this one. Even Walter's prison cell is interesting to look at with excellent cinematography by Karl Freund.

What did I not like? The commentary on the Kino Blu talks of absolutely nothing but how the women characters in the film are such victims! OK, Walter's wife and her bullet riddled corpse - maybe some room for argument there. But both Paul's wife and Walter's wife seem to have married money and taken lovers because they were bored. But they had no intention of leaving their walking paychecks. To me this film was more about the strong connection between obsession and love. I guess I should be glad that Kino actually put a commentary track on this rather obscure film.

Mirror reflects a broken marriage

[jarrodmcdonald-1 · 14 October 2023]

The Kino Lorber company issued a restored print of this Universal precode directed by James Whale. Mr. Whale, known more for horror classics, not only directed this adaptation of the stage play, he also remade it a few years later as WIVES UNDER SUSPICION (1938). In the remake, a lot of the salacious dialogue was softened and the immoral tendencies of the main characters were corrected. At its core Ladislas Fodor's tale is a commentary on the brokenness of a marriage, and a justice system, once whole but now in pieces.

We start with attractive Gloria Stuart as a married woman on the prowl. She meets up for a tryst with her handsome lover (young Walter Pidgeon against type). There is plenty of sexy banter, with the lustful lady heading into the bedroom. But before she can finish disrobing, her cuckolded husband (Paul Lukas) shows up. In a moment of rage, he shoots and kills her.

Miss Stuart's character dies at the eight minute mark, though she is seen in a brief flashback later when Lukas mentions to his lawyer (Frank Morgan) how he first realized his wife was a cheat.

The rest of the drama that unfolds concerns itself with Morgan's character realizing that he's in an unhappy marriage. Lukas describes a kiss he had with his wife in front of a fancy bedroom mirror. Lukas says he realized Stuart was getting dolled up not for him but for a lover. It made him insane with jealousy. This is partially repeated with Morgan and wife Nancy Carroll, in a scene that takes place in the bedroom of their home. One marital situation about infidelity begins to mirror the other, pun intended.

There are a few nicely presented supporting characters. One is a female office manager (Jean Dixon) with a law degree, working alongside Morgan as he prepares to defend Lukas in court. She is said to be single and on the prowl herself. The other notable supporting figure is an older law clerk, wonderfully played by Charley Grapewin, billed as Charles Grapewin. He gets some of the best lines and reactions.

I wasn't entirely sold on Nancy Carroll's performance as the second cheating spouse until near the end of the film. She waits until a dramatic courtroom scene to convey her most potent acting. In that moment her character realizes Morgan has discerned her own adultery and that he feels akin to Lukas, wanting to kill her the same way Lukas had killed Stuart.

A very strange bit of dialogue occurs in this film. Morgan says to Lukas during private counsel: "Let's confess the truth to each other. You are a murderer, and I am a murderer." Director James Whale was gay, and this line kind of feels like one man admitting his homosexuality to another. Despite the oddness of that declaration in the middle of a film about justice, this is still a fairly logical drama. THE KISS BEFORE THE MIRROR is about how one couple's failings affect the wellbeing of another couple.