Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Corridor of Mirrors Blu-ray Movie Review

Portrait of Mifanwy.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 12, 2021

Corridor of Mirrors is another one of those films where both the backstage finagling to get the film made as well as some "meta" information about various participants may frankly be of more interest than the actual story being depicted. My hunch is few if any viewers, even diehard movie trivia fans, will have much acquaintance with the name of star Edana Romney (I know I didn't), but one of the first things even casual perusers of the credits will notice, and which will probably raise an eyebrow or two, is that Romney didn't just star in this film, she also co-wrote and co-produced it, certainly something at least a bit unusual for the film's 1940s production era. Corridor of Mirrors was evidently a pet project for Romney and her producing partner Rudolph Cartier, who was evidently initially supposed to direct as part of their deal. Cartier was reportedly nixed in that role due to a lack of experience, which might beg the question as to why another newcomer to film directing, Terence Young, was appointed to the task, though Young had amassed at least a few screenwriting credits by that point. As Cohen touts in its trailer for the film (included as this disc's sole supplement), Young went on to find considerable acclaim decades later as the director of three of the best remembered James Bond films from the Sean Connery era, including franchise opener Dr. No , From Russia with Love and Thunderball, as well as the equally well remembered film version of Wait Until Dark. Cohen's trailer makes a perhaps fitful attempt to link Young's work on Corridor of Mirrors to such iconic pieces as Beauty and the Beast, but while there is a certain fantasy element to some of the visuals, the story is really more of a tale of psychological obsession that in some ways is rather reminiscent of another film from 1948, Portrait of Jennie.

Mifanwy Conway (Edana Romney) would seem to have it all, or at least a loving husband and three adorable children, and yet the film opens with her awakening from a recurring nightmare of some kind, and soon enough it's revealed that she has to travel to London on a secret mission of sorts, which Edana's own voiceover discloses to be a visit to her lover. When that lover turns out to be a wax figure in Madame Tussaud's legendary museum, some may feel if this film is about to tip over into some really strange territory, though of course this whole introductory sequence is simply a setup to get the audience to a flashback, which then details how Mifanwy became involved with the actual man now consigned to being a wax dummy in a museum, Paul Mangin (Eric Portman).

In the flashback which takes up the bulk of the film's running time, Mangin is a man about town who becomes fascinated with Mifanwy, believing her to be the reincarnation of a 15th century woman in a painting that Mangin has become obsessed with. Mangin believes he is also a reincarnation, namely of this mystery woman's lover, and he more or less ensnares Mifanwy in his delusion, keeping her, if not a prisoner, then at least a captive, in his vast mansion which features the titular corridor of mirrors. The two end up basically cos-playing as their supposed 15th century counterparts in just one totally peculiar element to the tale.

Playing into this psychological cat and mouse game is a bit of a murder mystery (remember, Mangin's "now" part of Madame Tussaud's house of horrors), but the film never really works up much sense of angst about it all, so that when a late revelation tips perilously close to Grand Guignol territory, it may come off as unintentionally funny. Romney is an interesting if not always totally effective presence (she has a bit of a Loretta Young-ish quality), but Portman plays his part to the second balcony a lot of the time, and manages to inject the film with considerable doses of energy. Yet another newcomer to the world of films, some guy named Christopher Lee, shows up briefly in a supporting role.

It would seem based on the years it took Romney and Cartier to get this project funded and ultimately made, that Romney was not one to give up easily, but rather interestingly in that regard, she has virtually no further credits after this film, aside from what were evidently semi-regular television appearances in the United Kingdom. She apparently became better known as a kind of "Dear Abby" type, offering advice on various broadcasts or in print. Kind of hilariously, at least for those of us who may have a slight HGTV habit, she also evidently did home renovations.

Corridor of Mirrors Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Corridor of Mirrors is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Cohen Film Collection, an imprint of Cohen Media Group, with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.37:1. Cohen tends not to provide any definitive information on its restorations and simply states this is "newly restored" on the back cover of this release. This is by and large another rather impressive looking presentation, especially given the scarcity of this film, and there's a nicely organic look to the grain field, as well as generally consistent contrast which helps to support the really evocative chiaroscuro lighting the film employs (some may feel the overall look of this presentation is just a bit too dark). Fine detail levels can also be excellent on things like fabrics. There is some damage on hand, some of which looks like it's been ameliorated (i.e., scratches that look minimized if not outright eliminated), and there are some curious recurrences of blurriness in the very corners of the frame at times that are perhaps due to some kind of faulty lens during the shoot.

Corridor of Mirrors Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Corridor of Mirrors features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track which capably supports this dialogue heavy film. Occasional sound effects like trains or horse hooves are rendered without any issues, and the film's increasingly manic score by Georges Auric also sounds fine for the most part, if just a tad brash in the uppermost registers. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Corridor of Mirrors Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer (HD; 2:01)

Corridor of Mirrors Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There are a number of plot elements at play in Corridor of Mirrors that would seem to be at cross purposes with each other, some of which I have to assume were inherent in the source novel the screenplay is based on. The underlying premise here would seem to be a woman trying to prove that her erstwhile lover was not a mad serial killer, but instead the film tips over into the completely peculiar sidebar of a 15th century painting and Mangin's obsessions with it and Mifanwy. That unusual name for the heroine along with a few passing establishing shots would seem like Wales is supposed to play some kind of part in the story, but if it was, that particular aspect eluded me. If the film's narrative is a little fractured at times, Terence Young and cinematographer Andre Thomas have style to spare throughout the feature. Technical merits are generally solid for those who are considering a purchase.