Just like the duality of the title, one can see that movie two ways: as a piece of the Garbo filmography or as one of the many comedies of the forties.
As the former, it is rather disappointing. Gone is the mystique of the actress, gone are the looks too. Gone is the depth and on and on and on... Garbo is clearly ill at ease in this, and I mean Garbo, not her character! What happened? A bad direction? Impossible with Cukor! A bad script? Not as bad as it has been said. I don't know...perhaps Garbo was really not ready to plunge in another film at the time. All I know is that Constance Bennett stole the movie, period. Good for her. So, it is not that Garbo is bad in it, but she just had us get used to much more from her with all her previous efforts.
As the latter, Two-Faced Woman is a good comedy. When one is able to forget the usual mystique of Garbo in all her previous work, one has a great time watching this movie. Douglas character's attraction and subsequent love for the «sisters» may be irritating to some, but it can also «get you hot under the collar» as the English say! All in good taste, I precise. One only wishes his character wouldn't know the trick his wife is playing on him. More than Garbo uneasiness in her part, THAT is the main flaw of the movie. And one also wishes a more handsome leading man for Garbo! Before that movie, she already have had that Melvyn Douglas twice! Besides his good voice, Douglas was rather plain-looking though not a bad actor.
Anyway, as for every Garbo movie, it is worth watching. And what better way to judge a movie than seeing it for oneself?
As the former, it is rather disappointing. Gone is the mystique of the actress, gone are the looks too. Gone is the depth and on and on and on... Garbo is clearly ill at ease in this, and I mean Garbo, not her character! What happened? A bad direction? Impossible with Cukor! A bad script? Not as bad as it has been said. I don't know...perhaps Garbo was really not ready to plunge in another film at the time. All I know is that Constance Bennett stole the movie, period. Good for her. So, it is not that Garbo is bad in it, but she just had us get used to much more from her with all her previous efforts.
As the latter, Two-Faced Woman is a good comedy. When one is able to forget the usual mystique of Garbo in all her previous work, one has a great time watching this movie. Douglas character's attraction and subsequent love for the «sisters» may be irritating to some, but it can also «get you hot under the collar» as the English say! All in good taste, I precise. One only wishes his character wouldn't know the trick his wife is playing on him. More than Garbo uneasiness in her part, THAT is the main flaw of the movie. And one also wishes a more handsome leading man for Garbo! Before that movie, she already have had that Melvyn Douglas twice! Besides his good voice, Douglas was rather plain-looking though not a bad actor.
Anyway, as for every Garbo movie, it is worth watching. And what better way to judge a movie than seeing it for oneself?