THE MAN WITH TWO FACES

US, 1934, 71 minutes. Black and white.
Edward G. Robinson, Mary Astor, Ricardo Cortez, Mae Clarke, Louis Calhern, Arthur Byron, Henry O’ Neill.
Directed by Archie Mayo.

The Man with Two Faces is a brief theatre drama, based on a play by George S. Kaufman and Alexander Woollcott (The Man Who Came to Dinner).

The film is dialogue-directed, rather stagey in its presentation. However, it gives an interesting role to Edward G. Robinson, playing a vain and alcoholic actor-director as well as his disguise as an entrepreneur from Montreal. Audiences may not notice the makeup at first – but will discover it before the other characters.

The rest of the cast are very much in supporting roles, especially Mary Astor as the sister of the director, an actress who is under the rather hypnotic spell of her conman husband, played over the top by Louis Calhern. Ricardo Cortez is the producer. Mae Clarke is one of the actresses who tags along with the director. There is a strong supporting cast of character actors.

The film shows the success and the congratulations all round. The action takes place mainly in the family home – as well as in the hotel room taken by the mysterious entrepreneur from Montreal.

It was thought that the actress’s husband had died, but he reappears after a time in jail and proceeds to exercise his power over his wife, wanting to capitalise on his part ownership of the play, tempted by the man from Montreal. However, the man from Montreal is Damon Welles in disguise and he murders the husband. It seems to be the perfect crime – except for a rather pedestrian policeman who remembers a performance and is suspicious of actors, resolving the mystery – although allowing the play to go on (with the probably that the actor might be spared a sentence because of his service to humanity in ridding the human race of the obnoxious conman).

1. An Edward G. Robinson film? His double performance? The film based on a play? Interesting dialogue, characters, situations?

2. The black and white photography, film-making in 1934? The musical score? The strong cast?

3. The title, the reference to Damon Welles and his performance? The murder?

4. The world of the theatre, the play itself? Jessica and her acting with Damon, being directed by him? Her success and its effect on her? Her comeback after the seeming death of her husband?

5. The gathering at the house, the banter amongst the characters? Damon and Daphne tagging along, his insulting her, her dependence on him, rehearsals? The older generation and their welcoming the actors? The producer, his courting Jessica after the death of her husband? The playwright – and the jokes about his name? The doctor and his presence? The rather cantankerous housekeeper?

6. The phone call from Stanley Vance, his arrival, the reactions against him? His taking over, his hold over Jessica, her seemingly in a trance, obeying his orders, doing what he wanted?

7. The visit to the mysterious man from Montreal? The phone calls? Vance and his greediness, wanting to sell his part of the play? Going to the room, the talk, Jessica going home? The murder, Welles and his covering all his tracks, no fingerprints, the empty room? The clerk and the taking of the cases? The irony of the false moustache in the Gideon Bible?

8. The reaction to Stanley Vance’s death? Jessica and her collapse? Ben Weston and his delight? Damon coming to him, taking off his makeup? The carefree attitude towards the death of Vance?

9. The police investigations, the inspector, the interrogations? Sergeant Curtis, the examination of the room? Hard-headed and practical? The moustache, going to the theatre, the confrontation with Damon? Damon’s smooth talk? Curtis allowing him to go on – and even congratulating him on Vance’s death?

10. The character of Vance, the heightened villain for this kind of story? The audience against him? His death? A small entertainment from the 1930s?