TWO-FACED WOMAN (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1941), directed by George Cukor, stars Greta Garbo in her second American comedy that was to become her final motion picture screen appearance. Working opposite again with Melvyn Douglas, her co-star in the now classic comedy, NINOTCHKA (1939), TWO FACED WOMAN, by comparison, is often labeled a disappointment. Disappointment as it may be, it's still a watchable item due to it being the only opportunity to see the dramatic Garbo skiing, swimming, laughing, cigarette smoking, getting tipsy with champagne, and having the time of her life doing a Rumba type dance, "La Chica Chaca." Aside from her forties hairstyle, Garbo also wears an assembly of costumes designed by Adrian. What movie can there be Garbo playing one woman with two different personalities rather than two faces? That's TWO-FACED WOMAN.
The plot opens at an Idaho Snow Lodge ("Ski your way to health') where Larry Blake (Melvyn Douglas), an overworked New York magazine publisher, who, at the advise of his doctor, comes for a rest. Almost immediately, he becomes attracted to Karin Borge (Greta Garbo), a ski instructress. Though she shows no interest in having Blake as her only pupil, his mishaps on both ski lift and mountain slopes are enough to have them married before the night is over. Their honeymoon is cut short with the arrival of Larry's executive partner, O.O. Miller (Roland Young), and his secretary, Ruth Ellis (Ruth Gordon), who come to take Larry back with them to New York the next morning to assist them with magazine matters. Because of this, an argument occurs, forcing Larry to leave without Karin, with intentions of returning to her once the assignment is completed. Though they continue to correspond by telegram, Larry's theatrical engagement with former flame and playwright, Griselda Vaughn (Constance Bennett) postpones his return for several more months. Through the arrangements with Miss Ellis, Karin secretly arrives in New York and surprise Larry. She's soon met with a surprise when finding Larry with Griselda at the 43rd Street Theater during rehearsals of her production, "Nostalgia in Chromium," to be more than just business partners. Attempting to flee the theater without being seen, she's then spotted by O.O.Miller but "introduced" to him by Miss Ellis as Mrs. Blake's twin sister, Kathryn. As the fictitious carefree twin sister, Karin assumes her masquerade by putting her husband to the test.
Reportedly a modern reworking to an old silent comedy, HER SISTER FROM Paris (First National, 1925) starring Constance Talmadge and Ronald Colman, this latest edition proved nothing new to audiences of 1941, with the exception of Garbo assuming the sort of role expected by possibly Irene Dunne, Carole Lombard or Katharine Hepburn to enact. While this was intended to be a welcome change for Garbo fans, it proved otherwise. Interestingly, this premise of deceit had already been done earlier, to a better degree, under Preston Sturges' amiable direction of THE LADY EVE (Paramount, 1941) starring Barbara Stanwyck playing look-alike characters to confuse and win back the man she loves (Henry Fonda). With the exception of the ski sloping finale that mirrors that of Abbott and Costello's 1943 comedy, HIT THE ICE (Universal), and Constance Bennett's hilarious shrieking bits, TWO-FACED WOMAN offers little cleverness and witty one-liners that had THE LADY EVE work out so well. Having the serious-minded Karin marry a complete stranger hours after their initial meeting seems out of character for Garbo. Script revision depicting her and Larry as a divorced couple remarrying and giving their marriage another try might have been better suited. The Douglas character is more on a two-faced level here, showing great interest in his new bride one moment and growing tired of her the next. He's first romantic, then domineering and critical the next, the latter that doesn't go well with any independent woman. Miss Ellis sums it up well by saying, "They're in love!" Without these marital mishaps, there could never be any situations leading to Karin's fictional gold-digging, man-chasing twin sister to liven things up. Though portions of this comedy misses the mark, it does have Garbo leaving the motion picture screen not in traditional tears, but with good humorous fun. Also look for the young Robert Sterling in this production.
Distributed to home video in the 1990s, TWO-FACED WOMAN often plays on Turner Classic Movies, home of the MGM film library, and those starring the legendary Greta Garbo. La Chica Chaca. (***)
The plot opens at an Idaho Snow Lodge ("Ski your way to health') where Larry Blake (Melvyn Douglas), an overworked New York magazine publisher, who, at the advise of his doctor, comes for a rest. Almost immediately, he becomes attracted to Karin Borge (Greta Garbo), a ski instructress. Though she shows no interest in having Blake as her only pupil, his mishaps on both ski lift and mountain slopes are enough to have them married before the night is over. Their honeymoon is cut short with the arrival of Larry's executive partner, O.O. Miller (Roland Young), and his secretary, Ruth Ellis (Ruth Gordon), who come to take Larry back with them to New York the next morning to assist them with magazine matters. Because of this, an argument occurs, forcing Larry to leave without Karin, with intentions of returning to her once the assignment is completed. Though they continue to correspond by telegram, Larry's theatrical engagement with former flame and playwright, Griselda Vaughn (Constance Bennett) postpones his return for several more months. Through the arrangements with Miss Ellis, Karin secretly arrives in New York and surprise Larry. She's soon met with a surprise when finding Larry with Griselda at the 43rd Street Theater during rehearsals of her production, "Nostalgia in Chromium," to be more than just business partners. Attempting to flee the theater without being seen, she's then spotted by O.O.Miller but "introduced" to him by Miss Ellis as Mrs. Blake's twin sister, Kathryn. As the fictitious carefree twin sister, Karin assumes her masquerade by putting her husband to the test.
Reportedly a modern reworking to an old silent comedy, HER SISTER FROM Paris (First National, 1925) starring Constance Talmadge and Ronald Colman, this latest edition proved nothing new to audiences of 1941, with the exception of Garbo assuming the sort of role expected by possibly Irene Dunne, Carole Lombard or Katharine Hepburn to enact. While this was intended to be a welcome change for Garbo fans, it proved otherwise. Interestingly, this premise of deceit had already been done earlier, to a better degree, under Preston Sturges' amiable direction of THE LADY EVE (Paramount, 1941) starring Barbara Stanwyck playing look-alike characters to confuse and win back the man she loves (Henry Fonda). With the exception of the ski sloping finale that mirrors that of Abbott and Costello's 1943 comedy, HIT THE ICE (Universal), and Constance Bennett's hilarious shrieking bits, TWO-FACED WOMAN offers little cleverness and witty one-liners that had THE LADY EVE work out so well. Having the serious-minded Karin marry a complete stranger hours after their initial meeting seems out of character for Garbo. Script revision depicting her and Larry as a divorced couple remarrying and giving their marriage another try might have been better suited. The Douglas character is more on a two-faced level here, showing great interest in his new bride one moment and growing tired of her the next. He's first romantic, then domineering and critical the next, the latter that doesn't go well with any independent woman. Miss Ellis sums it up well by saying, "They're in love!" Without these marital mishaps, there could never be any situations leading to Karin's fictional gold-digging, man-chasing twin sister to liven things up. Though portions of this comedy misses the mark, it does have Garbo leaving the motion picture screen not in traditional tears, but with good humorous fun. Also look for the young Robert Sterling in this production.
Distributed to home video in the 1990s, TWO-FACED WOMAN often plays on Turner Classic Movies, home of the MGM film library, and those starring the legendary Greta Garbo. La Chica Chaca. (***)