Horror film icon James Whale directed this well-detailed thriller about a man questioning his wife's honesty after a friend begins to doubt his own. Despite the parallels between the circumstances of Lucy's murder and Maria's current liaison, she still continues to visit her lover. Review Date January 25th, 2021 by David Krauss. If the item details above aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it. It is a dark drama about morality, adultery and how one copes with it. When Paul attempts to kiss Maria, she rebuffs him, criticizing him for ruining her make-up. The Kiss Before the Mirror is a riveting pre-Code thriller beautifully shot in glorious black-and-white by the great Karl Freund (The Last Laugh, Metropolis, Key Largo). Drama; Product Reviews. The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933) MAIN Links. Awful! Ambesonne Asian Curtains, Basalt Stone and Orchid Flower with Dew Harmony Therapeut... To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. It’s remarkably tense for a film with a simple premise, and a wonderfully cagey exploration of emotional infidelity from one of the most stylish directors of the early 30s. She then leaves their home. She insists she still loves him despite her affair. When a famous doctor kills his adulterous wife, he is defended by his best friend, an attorney--who suspects that his own wife is having an affair. Unable to add item to List. 1933. A celebrated lawyer (Paul Lukas) defends his closest friend (Frank Morgan), who … Get our thoughts inside! By Walter's account, Lucy was unfaithful to him during their marriage. Ray Milland, Ann Todd, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Brian Aherne, Olivia De Havilland, Edward Everett Horton, Melville Cooper. The Kiss Before the Mirror. James Whale‘s The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933) is an elegant pre-Code flourish that reveals more bite than suggested by its initial appearance as fattening bonbon. Directed by James Whale. After doctor Walter Bernsdorf (Paul Lukas) slays his unfaithful wife (Gloria Stuart) in a fit of jealous rage, his best friend and attorney Paul Held (Frank Morgan) promises to do all he can to spare him from the gallows. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. This enrages Paul, and he fantasizes about murdering Maria; he also becomes obsessed with vindicating Walter of killing Lucy, hoping to prove in court that Walter's extreme love for her drove him to a crime of passion. James Whale‘s The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933) is an elegant pre-Code flourish that reveals more bite than suggested by its initial appearance as fattening bonbon. data from AFI catalog. Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2016. After a court hearing, Paul returns home to his wife, Maria, and watches her as she applies make-up at her vanity. The Kiss Before the Mirror Style A Single Sided, Decorative Wall Poster Print. DVD Price: $20.95. Usually, the Universal Vault Series does a bang-up job putting out renditions of pristine 35mm prints, but that's not the case here. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. She screams in horror and loses consciousness, after which Paul finishes his speech. drama Find Similar Products by Category. Poor audio commentary. Show Boat (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]. User Reviews Other Reviews Articles Money Awards Quotes Trivia Home Video Reviews Misc Notes Alternate Versions Theatrical Aspect Ratio Fan Sites. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Walter is ultimately acquitted, and warns Paul against killing Maria, which he says he will regret. Great cinematography. "The Kiss Before the Mirror" is a sophisticated, witty and, at times, unbearably suspenseful movie. The Kiss Before the Mirror is a riveting pre-Code thriller beautifully shot in glorious black-and-white by the great Karl Freund (The Last Laugh, Metropolis, Key Largo). I was hoping to hear quite a bit about Freund and Whale, in regard to technical, piquant, and demonstrative filmmaking, in the commentary. Report incorrect product info. The Kiss Before the Mirror DVD. Upon returning home, Paul angrily smashes Maria's vanity mirror. The film was remade by Whale five years later as Wives Under Suspicion, starring Warren William and Gail Patrick. Dr. Paul Held (Frank Morgan) is an attorney who has been asked to come to the aid of his old friend Walter Bernsdorf (Paul Lukas); Bernsdorf has been accused of killing his wife, and he wants Held to defend him in court. Synopsis, historical analysis, personnel profiles, contemporary reviews, and discussion of the film The Kiss Before the Mirror, released in 1933 by Universal Pictures, starring Nancy Carroll, Frank Morgan, Paul Lukas, Gloria Stuart, and Jean Dixon, and directed by James Whale. Maria appears behind him, and the two embrace. Description. The Kiss Before the Mirror on Blu-ray. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Whale frames this crime story with the same dark shadows and Expressionist lighting effects he brought to the Frankenstein films and would come to define many of the noir flicks of the following decade. The Kiss Before the Mirror Synopsis A lawyer defends his friend after he kills his adulterous wife. USA. The scene reminds him of the one Walter described leading up to Lucy's murder. I've wanted to see this James Whale film for years, along with "By Candlelight. Not Yet Rated 1 hr 7 min May 4th, 1933 Mystery. Kino Classics has released the James Whale pre-Code infidelity drama "The Kiss Before The Mirror" on Blu-Ray. Previous page of related Sponsored Products. Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2021. For $20.00. That day as she was sitting before her mirror carefully making up, he came from behind and kissed her. Walter Bernsdorf (Lukas) shoots his wife (Stuart) as she is undressing in her lover's (Walter Pidgeon) bedroom. The paper size is approximately 11 x 14 Inches - 28cm x 36cm . But very good movie by James Whale whose films are right there if not better than early directors as Lewis Milestone & George Cukor. Please try again. Suggesting that Walter could be acquitted by means of temporary insanity, Paul not only realizes that this defense may work but that also some of the behavioral patterns Walter’s wife showed in regard to her infidelity also are appearing in his own wife, Maria (Carroll). The Kiss Before the Mirror is a riveting pre-Code thriller beautifully shot in glorious black-and-white by the great Karl Freund (The Last Laugh, Metropolis, Key Largo). It’s remarkably tense for a film with a simple premise, and a wonderfully cagey exploration of emotional infidelity from one of the most stylish directors of the early 30s. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. Horror film icon James Whale directed this well-detailed thriller about a man questioning his wife's honesty after a friend begins to doubt his own. When Walter Bernsdorf (Lukas) kills his wife (Stuart) for having an affair, lawyer Paul Held (Morgan) takes on the case. The Kiss Before the Mirror is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film adapted from the 1932 play by Ladislas Fodor, directed by James Whale and starring Nancy … It is a PAL tape transferred to an NTSC format WITHOUT being converted, so when panning, the picture "jutters" as if you were watching it when you'd had too much to drink. Starring Nancy Carroll, Frank Morgan, Paul Lukas and Gloria Stuart, The Kiss Before the Mirror is a riveting Pre-Code thriller from acclaimed director James Whale (Frankenstein). The Kiss Before the Mirror is a thoughtful suspenseful drama with cheating wives and their husbands being able to kill them without penalty. Starring Nancy Carroll, Frank Morgan, Gloria Stuart Cinematography by Karl Freund Directed by James Whale. Paul follows Maria through the streets of Vienna, and observes her meeting with a male lover. Paul realizes that if this defense could work once, it might work a second time. OUTSTANDING RESTORATION! Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2017, This film has "jutter." Description After doctor Walter Bernsdorf (Paul Lukas) slays his unfaithful wife (Gloria Stuart) in a fit of jealous rage, his best friend and attorney Paul Held (Frank Morgan) promises to do all he can to spare him from the gallows. This is important because it adds to the tension and drama--producing a stark but intense film. Blu-ray Extras Include: Brand New 4K Master . When Walter Bernsdorf (Lukas) kills his wife (Stuart) for having an affair, lawyer Paul Held (Morgan) takes on the case. ", Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2017, Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2017, I liked Nancy Carroll, the old ones like Clara Bow. Paul heeds his advice, and asks Maria to leave the courthouse. The Kiss Before the Mirror is a riveting pre-Code thriller beautifully shot in glorious black-and-white by the great Karl Freund (The Last Laugh, Metropolis, Key Largo). This article about a 1930s crime drama film is a stub. A decidedly offbeat murder-courtroom drama, The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933) is one of those fiendishly obscure titles presumably chosen for Blu-ray release because of the talent involved. Excellent cinematography by Karl Freund, who was very much a pioneer of camera movement and ahead of his time. Additionally, the film manages to do a lot in only a little over an hour--a sign of excellent direction. Like these films, THE KISS BEFORE THE MIRROR is notable for having many quiet moments where there is no incidental music. James Whale directed it, sandwiched between two of his horror genre classics, The Old Dark House (1932) and The Invisible Man (1933). When Walter Bernsdorf (Lukas) kills his wife (Stuart) for having an affair, lawyer Paul Held (Morgan) takes on the case. Overview Full Credits Full Synopsis Notes Music Screenplay Info Original Print Info Genre Keywords. Is it … The condition of this item is brand new - mint condition. "The Kiss Before the Mirror" starts with Lucy (Gloria Stuart) being murdered by her husband Walter Bernsdorf (Paul Lukas) as she is undressing for her lover (Walter Pidgeon). 57. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. A figure tip-toes out of the darkness toward her … Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Find Similar Products by Tag. Write Your Own Review. Paul insists that Maria be present during the final day of deliberations in Walter's trial. No pinholes or tape and has never been hung or displayed. *** When a famous doctor kills his adulterous wife, he is defended by his best friend, an attorney who suspects that his own wife is … A Kiss Before The Mirror also features actress Gloria Stuart; James Whale would remake the same story six years later, under the title Wives Under Suspicion. The Kiss Before the Mirror is the closest an American studio picture from 1933 came to film noir. Is it … It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Joseph McBride . Starring Nancy Carroll, Frank Morgan, Paul Lukas and Gloria Stuart, The Kiss Before the Mirror is a riveting Pre-Code thriller from acclaimed director James Whale (Frankenstein). With Nancy Carroll, Frank Morgan, Paul Lukas, Gloria Stuart. Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2017, The 2 stars is for the quality of the print. The Kiss Before the Mirror is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film adapted from the 1932 play by Ladislas Fodor, directed by James Whale and starring Nancy Carroll, Frank Morgan, Paul Lukas, and Gloria Stuart. Distraught, Walter tells his attorney, Paul Held (Morgan), that he had not suspected his wife until the afternoon he killed her. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! The Kiss Before the Mirror Synopsis A lawyer defends his friend after he kills his adulterous wife. The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933) directed by James Whale • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd. Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Kiss_Before_the_Mirror&oldid=1009297952, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from January 2021, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 27 February 2021, at 20:52. Share. Copied from a 16 mm print. The Kiss Before the Mirror is contrived and a little silly, but that’s wholly by design. He makes an impassioned closing statement, which he concludes by revealing a gun and pointing it at Maria in the audience. Essential Film Noir: Collection 1 [Blu-ray], Sherlock Holmes Feature Film Collection [Blu-ray]. 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