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.
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.