Twickenham and Julius Hagen in the 1930s were synonymous with quota quickies.However this has far superior production values together with2 America actors,Edward Everett Horton and Genevieve Tobin as the leads.Everetts alter ego comes out of the mirror and replaces him.He actually makes loves to his wife,is friendly to his mother in law,shows great financial acumen and outwits his partner Garry Marsh.Horton gives his usual first class performance.The sets are absolutely marvelous a riot of art deco.Maybe it was investing in films of this quality that sent Hagen into bankruptcy and the end of his film career in little more than a year after this film was made
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malcolmgsw5 July 2015
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mark.waltz8 September 2018The mirror definitely has two faces for Edward Everett Horton in this amusing British comedy where a shy milquetoast finds out what life is like on the other side through his reflection who comes to life. Married to the beautiful Genevieve Tobin, he has zilch in the romance department, that is until his mirror spirit comes alive. When his other half begins making public appearances, this creates some confusion for those who know him and see these strange changes. This gives veteran character actor Edward Everett Horton a lot of meaty material to work with and he does it perfectly.
This is very similar in nature to "The Whole Town's Talking", an American comedy released the year before where Edward G Robinson played a milquetoast clerk at a gangster who used his look alike for his own nefarious purposes. Horton doesn't commit crimes here , but simply just shows Horton how to take control of his own life and become respected in business. A minor subplot deals with mirror Horton discovering a business fraud and exposing it, making the real Horton stand up and be noticed. It's sweet and amusing, but beyond Horton's outstanding performance nothing really special. -
Prismark105 December 2023American actor Edward Everett Horton stars in this quota quickie British comedy.
He plays meek mild mannered stockbroker Jeremy Dilke in the city of London.
Jeremy is hen pecked at home by his wife Helen and his mother in law.
At work his business partner Tarkington is more affirmative. Taking over an impending deal with the Bogus of Bokhara.
Meanwhile Veronica Tarkington has the hots for Jeremy. Always flirting with him.
One evening after Jeremy's had another argument with his wife. His more confident and assured alter ego steps out of the mirror. Vowing to put things right at home and at work.
This is a pretty laboured comedy, the split screen stuff was good. The Bogus subplot was obvious. The Bogus is a fake! -
Maurice Elvey had been one of the major European film makers of the teens but the British industry was unable to supply him with projects of comparable ambition and he spent a lot of the thirties taking on vehicles for visiting US stars - here dithery second banana Horton. The actor's comic skill and his ability to differentiate the unturning worm business partner and his go getter dopelganger, emerging from the looking glass, show that Horton could carry a leading role - though hardly this one where the script wants us to believe the film's glamorous women see him as an object of desire.
The mounting is elaborate - studio constructed tube train station, exclusive London West End hotel and Chinese restaurant etc. The English cast are superior, though they waste Alisair Sim and Elvey's handling is accomplished. Watch the wide shot of the office where the two Hortons move round conducting a conversation with the correct eye lines and timing.
Elvey did better sound films than this SALLY IN HER ALLEY, PHANTOM FIEND, THE LAMP STILL BURNS but MAN IN THE MIRROR passes the time well enough.
Edward Aperson's US release has been sloppily titled - Gary Marsh is passed off as Gary Walsh and Felix Aylmer is missing.