The odd couple: Michèle Morgan and Bourvil in Le Miroir à deux faces (1958) and Fortunat (1960)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Michèle Morgan starred twice alongside Bourvil, in 1958 in Le Miroir à deux faces (André Cayatte) and in 1960 in Fortunat (Alex Joffé). These films present the pairing of Morgan and Bourvil as an anomaly, casting them as a mismatched couple who could only have come together under exceptional circumstances. The contrast between the two characters, and between the two stars, provides the main narrative thrust and selling point of each film. This article analyses the contrast, especially in terms of class, at the centre of the pairing of Morgan and Bourvil. It also explores the roles assigned to male and female characters in each film as well as the sperformances of their main actors. The main argument is that this contrast acted in favour of Bourvil, a rising star whose encounter with Morgan allowed him to enrich his portrayal of an ‘imperfect masculinity’. On the other hand, Morgan was stuck in yet another performance as ‘Morgan the star’ in Le Miroir à deux faces, and, as she approached 40, as a grande dame and mother in Fortunat. Finally, a comparison between Le Miroir à deux faces and its remake The Mirror Has Two Faces (Barbra Streisand, 1996) highlights the limited latitude available to Morgan in Cayatte’s film, in terms of both her acting and the role she played.