Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		2.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		2.0

The Kiss Before the Mirror Blu-ray Movie Review

A pre-code Hollywood thriller that fails to muster-up much enthusiasm.

The Kiss Before the Mirror is an early pre-code Hollywood thriller. The feature-film is based on the play by Ladislas Fodor. The film is produced by Carl Laemmle Jr. (Frankenstein, All Quiet on the Western Front). Starring Paul Lukas, Frank Morgan, and Nancy Carroll.

Walter Bernsdorf (Paul Lukas) is an evil man: ruthlessly murdering his spouse for having an affair with another man. Unsure of what to do with himself as a future court battle looms, Bernsdorf enlists the help of his close friend, expert lawyer Paul Held (Frank Morgan). The lawyer suggests Bernsdorf suggest temporary insanity to the court-room. Yet the lawyer finds himself in his own similar pickle soon: Maria Held (Nancy Carroll), Paul's spouse, begins her own unfaithful affair with another man as well. What happens next?

The performances are all over-the-map. There is a sense of over-acting throughout the production. The lead actor, Paul Lukas, doesn't imbue much creativity in to his performance. The supporting cast isn't that impressive, either: Frank Morgan and Nancy Carroll do little to sway the filmmaking towards a more enjoyable experience.

The production does have some noteworthy merits, though: the cinematography by Karl Freund (Key Largo, Metropolis) is breathtaking at times and is a great example of how strong of an artist Freund was. The silky-black cinematography is infused with a Noir-like sensibility that makes the film an impressively lensed experience. The art direction by Charles D. Hall (City Lights, Frankenstein) isn't bad either.

The kiss.

The costumes by Eugene Joseff (Gone with the Wind, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex) and Joseff-Hollywood (Road to Morocco, The Locket) are impressive to behold. The gowns worn by the female cast are especially impressive and well-detailed. Each costume fits the respective role and character nicely. A strong effort by Joseff and Hollywood.

The original music score composed by W. Franke Harling (Penny Serenade, The Bitter Tea of General Yen) doesn't make a big impression. The music was rather forgettable and didn't imbue the film with interesting character themes and the like. The score simply provided a “adequate” backdrop to the proceedings. Nothing too exciting.

Edited by Ted. J. Kent (Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Bride of Frankenstein), The Kiss Before the Mirror is a bit of a bore. The editing could have been much tighter. For a thriller, the film seems unimaginative and poorly paced. The editing of each scene is often drawn-out (even with a short run time). The cut simply lacks imagination.

The screenplay by William Anthony McGuire (The Kid from Spain, The Great Ziegfeld) is nothing to write home about. The Kiss Before the Mirror is an over-the-top genre film. Thriller die-hards might find some elements of the story compelling but the execution leaves one wanting more. There isn't anything about the script to make the characters more engaging. An uninspired effort by McGuire.

Directed by James Whale (Show Boat, The Bride of Frankenstein), The Kiss Before the Mirror is surprisingly lackluster for a production from a Hollywood heavy-hitter. The director made many classics and this (unfortunately) isn't one of them. A disappointing effort by a great filmmaker.

The Kiss Before the Mirror Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, The Kiss Before the Mirror is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. The presentation comes from a brand new 2K master. The print quality is decent overall and has some impressive elements: black-levels are solid for a 2K master and there are only occasional signs of damage to the print. The degree of wear to the presentation is relatively light and the print looks nice overall. While a 4K restoration might have yielded even better results, the 2K scan is perfectly fine. Viewers will be pleased with the high-definition upgrade.

The Kiss Before the Mirror Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio mono. The lossless audio track provided on the release is surprisingly lackluster and disappointing compared to the video-presentation. The audio could have used a thorough restoration effort. The track sounds muffled during several sequences. The track is thin and lacking in clarity. Even if the volume control is turned up to an unusually high volume, the track still struggles, and thin background hiss can be heard. This was certainly a underwhelming audio track.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

The Kiss Before the Mirror Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Film Historian Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

Lastly, the release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases made available from distributor Kino Lorber: Supernatural (SD, 2:04), The Undying Monster (SD, 1:05), The Lodger (SD, 2:16), The Spiral Staircase (SD, 2:01), and The Queen of Spades (HD, 2:51).

The Kiss Before the Mirror Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Kiss Before the Mirror is an underwhelming pre-code Hollywood thriller. The production has an average-at-best story and the production merits aren't uniformly great: the screenplay is uninspired. There are a lot of disappointing elements to the film. The Kino Lorber Blu-ray release features an impressive 2K scan (from a new restoration) but the audio track is below-average and sounds a bit muffled throughout the entire presentation. A particularly weak audio track makes the release even harder to recommend. Skip It.