For $20.00. This is important because it adds to the tension and drama--producing a stark but intense film. User Reviews Other Reviews Articles Money Awards Quotes Trivia Home Video Reviews Misc Notes Alternate Versions Theatrical Aspect Ratio Fan Sites. No pinholes or tape and has never been hung or displayed. 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. 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. Review Date January 25th, 2021 by David Krauss. Is it … 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. Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2017, The 2 stars is for the quality of the print. With Nancy Carroll, Frank Morgan, Paul Lukas, Gloria Stuart. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. 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. James Whale’s The Kiss Before the Mirror opens on familiar terrain for the director of Frankenstein—a moon-lit backroad littered with crooked trees and clutching branches. Too bad. Overview Full Credits Full Synopsis Notes Music Screenplay Info Original Print Info Genre Keywords. Starring Nancy Carroll, Frank Morgan, Gloria Stuart Cinematography by Karl Freund Directed by James Whale. The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933) TMDb Score. NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Joseph McBride . We work hard to protect your security and privacy. 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. While the jury deliberates, Paul meets Maria in his office, where she reacts in terror. Based on a Viennese play (by Ladislaus Fodor), photographed by a German (Karl Freund), and directed by an Englishman (James Whale), The Kiss Before the Mirror represents Junior Laemmle’s Universal at its most cosmopolitan. 1933. Usually, the Universal Vault Series does a bang-up job putting out renditions of pristine 35mm prints, but that's not the case here. 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. 57. 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). Directed by James Whale. Walter Bernsdorf (Lukas) shoots his wife (Stuart) as she is undressing in her lover's (Walter Pidgeon) bedroom. drama Find Similar Products by Category. ", 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. Directed by James Whale. 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). Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Write Your Own Review. EXCELLENT FILM! 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. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. 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. 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. Distraught, Walter tells his attorney, Paul Held (Morgan), that he had not suspected his wife until the afternoon he killed her. Ray Milland, Ann Todd, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Brian Aherne, Olivia De Havilland, Edward Everett Horton, Melville Cooper. The Kiss Before the Mirror on Blu-ray. Paul realizes that if this defense could work once, it might work a second time. Kino Classics has released the James Whale pre-Code infidelity drama "The Kiss Before The Mirror" on Blu-Ray. Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2017, This film has "jutter." The film was remade by Whale five years later as Wives Under Suspicion, starring Warren William and Gail Patrick. The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933) directed by James Whale • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd. Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2021. Unfortunately, the audio essay by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (a gender politics obsessed film critic) is about little more than convincing the viewer that women are victims of men due to being objectified. The Kiss Before the Mirror is a thoughtful suspenseful drama with cheating wives and their husbands being able to kill them without penalty. That day as she was sitting before her mirror carefully making up, he came from behind and kissed her. I was hoping to hear quite a bit about Freund and Whale, in regard to technical, piquant, and demonstrative filmmaking, in the commentary. 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. 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. "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). Awful! Attorney Paul Held is defending his friend, Walter Bernsdorf, who has been charged with the murder of his wife Lucy in Vienna. The Kiss Before the Mirror is contrived and a little silly, but that’s wholly by design. Get our thoughts inside! *** When a famous doctor kills his adulterous wife, he is defended by his best friend, an attorney who suspects that his own wife is … Description. The Kiss Before the Mirror Synopsis A lawyer defends his friend after he kills his adulterous wife. 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. Essential Film Noir: Collection 1 [Blu-ray], Sherlock Holmes Feature Film Collection [Blu-ray]. The Kiss Before the Mirror DVD Qty: Add to Cart. "The Kiss Before the Mirror" is a sophisticated, witty and, at times, unbearably suspenseful movie. But very good movie by James Whale whose films are right there if not better than early directors as Lewis Milestone & George Cukor. Despite the parallels between the circumstances of Lucy's murder and Maria's current liaison, she still continues to visit her lover. When Walter Bernsdorf (Lukas) kills his wife (Stuart) for having an affair, lawyer Paul Held (Morgan) takes on the case. 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. Walter is ultimately acquitted, and warns Paul against killing Maria, which he says he will regret. She then leaves their home. A great disappointment in terms of video quality: the same burned out 16mm print that has been broadcast on Turner Classic Movies a couple of times over the last decade. data from AFI catalog. 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 … 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. 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). She screams in horror and loses consciousness, after which Paul finishes his speech. Overview -. The Kiss Before the Mirror is the closest an American studio picture from 1933 came to film noir. Report incorrect product info. Great cinematography. Paul heeds his advice, and asks Maria to leave the courthouse. A celebrated lawyer (Paul Lukas) defends his closest friend (Frank Morgan), who … James Whale directed it, sandwiched between two of his horror genre classics, The Old Dark House (1932) and The Invisible Man (1933). 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). There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Copied from a 16 mm print. 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). Excellent cinematography by Karl Freund, who was very much a pioneer of camera movement and ahead of his time. Is it … By Walter's account, Lucy was unfaithful to him during their marriage. Find Similar Products by Tag. But, then, Universal didn't, and still doesn't, have a sterling record with Whale's legacy, aside from the popular horror films. 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). After a court hearing, Paul returns home to his wife, Maria, and watches her as she applies make-up at her vanity. The paper size is approximately 11 x 14 Inches - 28cm x 36cm . The Kiss Before the Mirror Style A Single Sided, Decorative Wall Poster Print. The condition of this item is brand new - mint condition. I've wanted to see this James Whale film for years, along with "By Candlelight. When Paul attempts to kiss Maria, she rebuffs him, criticizing him for ruining her make-up. Upon returning home, Paul angrily smashes Maria's vanity mirror. USA. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. If the item details above aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it. Please try again. 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 Suspicioun.~Mark Deming. Share. 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. Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2016. Produced in 1933, The Kiss Before the Mirror is a pre-code film which means that when Stuart retreats to the bedroom to disrobe, she lets down her slip to allow the audience a leisurely look at her naked back, a startling bit of titillation that comes with instant retribution when her husband, waiting just outside the window, smashes the glass and fires three shots into her. He makes an impassioned closing statement, which he concludes by revealing a gun and pointing it at Maria in the audience. Additionally, the film manages to do a lot in only a little over an hour--a sign of excellent direction. 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). Another great film by a truly talented and original film director James Whale. She insists she still loves him despite her affair. It is a dark drama about morality, adultery and how one copes with it. Drama; Product Reviews. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! The Kiss Before the Mirror is contrived and a little silly, but that’s wholly by design. When Walter Bernsdorf (Lukas) kills his wife (Stuart) for having an affair, lawyer Paul Held (Morgan) takes on the case. Maria appears behind him, and the two embrace. Show Boat (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. 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). 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. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. Previous page of related Sponsored Products. 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. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. 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. The scene reminds him of the one Walter described leading up to Lucy's murder. Not Yet Rated 1 hr 7 min May 4th, 1933 Mystery. Paul insists that Maria be present during the final day of deliberations in Walter's trial. OUTSTANDING RESTORATION! Blu-ray Extras Include: Brand New 4K Master . The Kiss Before the Mirror, Blu-ray, Suspense-Film Noir, 738329250232 DVD Price: $20.95. Unable to add item to List. Paul follows Maria through the streets of Vienna, and observes her meeting with a male lover. 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. Poor audio commentary. 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. The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933) MAIN Links. Cast & Crew. 67 min. The Kiss Before the Mirror Synopsis A lawyer defends his friend after he kills his adulterous wife. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Please try again. This article about a 1930s crime drama film is a stub. The Kiss Before the Mirror DVD. 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. Like these films, THE KISS BEFORE THE MIRROR is notable for having many quiet moments where there is no incidental music. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. 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. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. 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. A figure tip-toes out of the darkness toward her … 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 Blu ray Kino Lorber 1933 / 1.33:1 / 69 min. To film Noir: Collection 1 [ Blu-ray ] sitting Before her Mirror carefully making up, he came behind. Bernsdorf ( Lukas ) shoots his wife, Maria, which he concludes by revealing a gun and pointing at! Interested in the streets of Vienna, and the two embrace at Maria the! 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