The Mirror Has Two Faces (1958) (Film Review)

Le miroir à deux faces (The Mirror Has Two Faces) (1958) Stunning acting, impeccable direction and excellent dialogue. Le Miroir à deux faces is an Italian-French drama film directed by André Cayatte. The screenplay is by André Cayatte & Gérard Oury.

That’s it for those who don’t want to know more about this film. But for the rest of you… Based on a news item, André Cayatte attempts to describe the moral consequences and the danger, for the couple’s solidarity, of this surprising physical transformation. In ‘Le miroir a deux faces’, there is of course the great Bourvil as a mediocre and very ordinary character, but also Michèle Morgan who reveals her beauty by putting her couple in danger! Rendered unrecognisable during the first part of the film, the make-up on this woman with an unattractive face is perplexing! Fortunately, Morgan’s composition is good, and she lends herself to this ‘ugly device’ with a prosthesis, a false nose and thick eyebrows! That’s all there is to it!

Gérard Oury plays the surgeon at a time when he had not yet managed to shake off his acting image before becoming the comic director we know and the discreet companion of the ‘Quai des brumes’ actress. Sylvie (Louise Pauline Mainguené known as Sylvie or Louise Sylvie), Julien Carette and Pierre Brice complete the main cast of this classic French film. Cayatte signs yet another excellent drama, helped by a striking Bourvil lost to the ravishing Michèle Morgan. Simple in appearance, the film turns out to be subtle in its emotions and the modern theme of intelligent surgery. A very good dramatic film, cruel and deeply sad. Happiness sacrificed. And what is the price of all this?A devastated man, admittedly not very elegant in his manners, but can we understand him? His life is transformed when his wife’s face changes… It’s another woman standing in front of him. A cold and tragic role for Bourvil. He is just as good in this drama as he is in a comedy. As serious and serious as we sometimes like him to be, he plays a petty and ultimately vile character with great naturalness. Just the thing to remind those who have forgotten how good he was in dramatic films! We’re not really used to seeing him in this kind of role, and yet it suits him perfectly.

It’s a topical subject, with cosmetic surgery transforming people and upsetting those around them. The emphasis on cosmetic surgery is remarkable for its time, especially as the subject was still taboo not so long ago. An intelligent, dark and sad story with a very well written script. When you compare this kind of film with today’s new French movies, you’d think a lot of screenwriters could learn a thing or two. The dialogue and lines are superb, and the two great actors, Bourvil and Michèle Morgan, do it again and again. The couple’s descent into hell becomes inevitable, not least because of the unforgivably jealous behaviour of the character played by Bourvil. At the same time, neither of the protagonists is right or wrong. They are each stubborn, at the risk of seeing their relationship fall apart. This tension is perfectly conveyed on screen and is a real treat for the viewer.

The film has not aged too much. Some will criticise the film’s lack of tension. To each his own. But it’s a good film from start to finish, even if it does drag on a bit and I’m not convinced by the very end! Michèle Morgan and Bourvil’s acting is captivating. For a good part of the film, you wonder where he wants to go. The journey doesn’t disappoint! A very fine film that I recommend. A dark film that’s quite pleasant to watch. An interesting film to recommend to film buffs. Worth seeing and seeing again!

My Rating