This week’s mystery movie was the 1933 Universal picture The Kiss Before the Mirror, with Nancy Carroll, Frank Morgan, Paul Lukas, Gloria Stuart, Jean Dixon, Donald Cook, Charles Grapewin, Walter Pidgeon, Wallis Clark, May Boley, Christian Rub and Reginald Mason.
Screenplay by William Anthony McGuire. From the stage play by Ladislaus Fodor.
Art direction by Charles D. Hall. Musical score by W. Franke Harling.
Photography by Karl Freund. Edited by Ted Kent.
Directed by James Whale.
Produced by Carl Laemmle Jr.
The Kiss Before the Mirror is available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.
More on the history of the film is available from the AFI catalog.
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This is another film in MOMA series Dames, Janes, Dolls, and Canaries.
I’m going to say Mordaunt Hall reviewed it and didn’t care for it.
Yes, it is Mordaunt Hall (New York Times, May 15, 1933):
He liked it!
An agreeable surprise awaits those who visit the RKO Roxy this week, for the film feature, The Kiss Before the Mirror, is an intelligently conceived story which hinges chiefly on a murder trial. it was directed by James Whale, who again reveals his respect for drama in handling a cinematic offering, and its beautiful photography is ascribed to Karl Freund, the German cameraman who attracted the attention of Hollywood by his artistic work on such productions as The Last Laugh, Variety and Metropolis.
For Monday, we have a mystery fellow.
Note: Updating for a better image.
Update: This is Robert Adair.
We also have this mystery woman and a mysterious companion.
Note: Updating for a better image.
Update: This is Michael Mark and May Boley.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery gent. His companion has been cropped out due to insufficient mysteriousness and will appear later.
Update: For Friday, adding a mystery woman.
Update: This is Nancy Carroll and Donald Cook.
We also have this unfortunate fellow.
Update: This is Richard Cramer.
And this striking mystery woman.
Update: This is Caroline Rankin.
Brain Trust roll call: Mike Hawks (Monday’s mystery man No. 2) and Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery gent No. 1 and Monday’s mystery woman).
Note to Skretvedt1958: No, but the era is correct.
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have this mystery woman.
Update: This is Jean Dixon.
And this mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Charles Grapewin.
Brain Trust roll call: Floyd Thursby (mystery movie, Monday’s mysterious court official and Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery women), Howard Mandelbaum (Monday’s mystery gent No. 2 and Tuesday’s mystery guests), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Anne Papineau (Tuesday’s mystery man No. 1), Sheila (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery fellow No. 2 and mystery woman, Tuesday’s mystery gent No. 1 and mystery woman), and Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have this mysterious gent.
Update: This is Walter Pidgeon.
Also, this mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Wallis Clark.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Anne Papineau (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Sylvia E. (mystery movie, mystery director and all mystery guests) and Blackwing Jenny (Wednesday’s mystery guests).
For Friday, we have a mystery fellow.
Update: This is Paul Lukas.
We also have a mystery woman, accompanied by Thursday’s mystery gent.
Update: This is Gloria Stuart and Walter Pidgeon.
And finally, we have our mysterious leading man and leading lady.
Update: This is Nancy Carroll and Frank Morgan.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Tucson Barbara (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery fellow), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery guests) and Sylvia E. (Thursday’s mystery guests — peering into the future to predict Friday’s mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
Is this from a Spanish-language film? The actors look to be of Hispanic origin. Judging from the lady’s hat, I’d say this from about 1931.
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Louis Calhern today?
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Two votes for Louis Calhern! But, alas….
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Photo #2. man at right is Michael Mark.
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BRITISH AGENT. Walter Byron Monday, Zosia Tania and Tenen Holtz today.
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An excellent guess! But no Kay Francis this week.
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A youthful Louis Calhern, methinks.
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A good guess! But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Robert Emmett O’Connor
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No. It’s Robert Adair in THE KISS BEFORE THE MIRROR (1933). With May Boley.
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Robert Adair, May Boley, and Caroline Rankin in the courtroom in “The Kiss Before The Mirror.”
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Is the Tueseday mystery man (with the companion cropped out) Humphrey Bogart?
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Donald Cook.
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Monday: Michael Mark
Tuesday: Richard Cramer; Caroline Rankin.
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Robert Adair, May Boley, Donald Cook, Richard Cramer and Caroline Rankin in THE KISS BEFORE THE MIRROR.
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In the fedora, Donald Cook?
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Michael Mark, May Boley, Donald Cook, Caroline Rankin, ‘The Kiss Before the Mirror’?
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A KISS BEFORE THE MIRROR. Robert Adair, Michael Mack, and May Boley Monday, Donald Cook with Gloria Stuart? out of frame, Richard Cramer, and Caroline Rankin today.
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Jean Dixon; Charley Grapewin.
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Jean Dixon and Charley Grapewin.
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Jean Dixon and Charley Grapewin.
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“The Kiss Before the Mirror,” featuring Robert Adair as a courtroom officer, May Boley, Richard Cramer as a prisoner, Caroline Rankin as a courtroom spectator, Jean Dixon and Charley Grapewin behind the mutton chops.
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Looks like a young Victor Jory on Twosday
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The Kiss Before the Mirror 1933
Directed by James Wale (who apparently got a good deal on reusing some of his Frankenstein sets)
Monday – Robert Adair (just a guess since he’s the ‘courtroom officer’ in the credits)
Tuesday – Donald Cook, I think is the profile guy. Michael Mark and Mary Boley are the couple in the courtroom, I think. Caroline Rankin (striking mystery woman,) I think.
Wednesday – my ‘keys’ into the mystery movie. Jean Nixon and Charley Grapewin.
Interesting to see some of the future “Wizard of Oz” cast in this movie.
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Wed: Jean Dixon and Charley Grapewin?
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Wed: Jean Dixon & Charley Grapewin
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Walter Pidgeon and Walis Clark.
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Walter Pidgeon in “The Kiss Before the Mirror”
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Walter Pidgeon; Wallis Clark.
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Walter Pidgeon and Wallis Clark.
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On Thursday, Walter Pidgeon and Wallace Clark
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Thursday – Walter Pidgeon and Wallace Clark
There really are a LOT of mirrors in this movie!
Friday – will bring, I think, Frank Morgan, Nancy Carroll, Paul Lukas and Gloria Stuart
Looking forward to the Saturday breakdown.
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The leading man has to be Frank Morgan, right?
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Nancy Carroll on Tuesday, today it’s Pau Lukas, Gloria Stuart with Walter Pidgeon, Nancy Carroll with Frank Morgan.
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Paul Lucas; Gloria Stuart, Walter Pidgeon; Frank Morgan, Nancy Carroll.
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Frank Morgan is the back of the head.guy.
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Paul Lukas, Gloria Stuart, Walter Pigeon, Frank Morgan and Nancy Carroll.
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Paul Lukas, Gloria Stuart, Frank Morgan and Nancy Carroll
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