everything is about sex

“In coming up...” A Freudian slip about six minutes into the film. Candy has sat down at the library presentation Greg’s giving about his book. Gregory is flustered by her presence and, more specifically, her legs. He quickly corrects his wording to “In summing up” but the damage is done.

A movie that deliberately avoids actual sex, The Mirror Has Two Faces is understandably full of references to sex, suggestive language... double entendre and innuendo.

Like, after Claire’s wedding, Rose tells Doris, “I’d like it if someone knew me...” And she pauses just long enough, for me, that I think biblically, before she gets more literal.

(Sidenote: I just wondered aloud if Gregory just picked Rose because she taught at the same school he does. And, I also asked where he put his ad. And, Saer says from nearby, “Stop Groundhog Daying this.”)

Gregory invites Rose up to his apartment. Not, of course, for sex.

“Not unless you’re planning to use it on something else other than his neck.” Doris’ response as to whether or not a tie is too personal a birthday gift.

The shared bedroom is rife with double entendre. For example:

Gregory: “So, what would you like to do?”
Rose: “Go to bed!” Beat. “To sleep. You go to the bed to sleep.”

And this, captioned with Gregory’s choice of video: “Lawrence of Arabia. It’s nice and long.”

Followed with, “Just, stick it in.”

And, he falls asleep before it’s even over. Such a guy move.

And, this exchange...

Rose: “Come on, don’t stop.”
Gregory: “What do you think, I’m a machine?”
Rose: “Come on, come on, you’re doing great, keep it up.”
Gregory: “Ok, ready?”

And, then we see that Gregory is just doing situps, Rose holding his feet. Then, she rubs on his back after he pulls something. And, abruptly, he has to leave the room.

But, the best exchange comes right as the actual attempt at sex gets going:

Gregory: The outline is actually...
Rose (opening his shirt): Is what?

Gregory: It’s coming along... almost there. It’s not at all what I expected. It’s harder than I thought. But, I’m sure I’ll...
Rose: What are you sure of?
Gregory: I’m sure I’ll get there.
Rose: I want you to get there.

Maybe this falls in line with Henderson’s (1978) notion that the romantic comedy doesn’t talk explicitly about sex.

Not a lot of words today. It has been a long day. We’re in the middle of TA training at school. I’ve got classes to teach starting in a week and a half, another day of training tomorrow, stuff to do this weekend and into next week to prepare for the beginning of the fall quarter.

And, like Moonstruck, I have neglected bookmarked articles relating to The Mirror Has Two Faces. Maybe I will get to them in the two days I have left with this movie. Then, one more romantic comedy.