I’ve decided to post these as they come up: a continuation of my ongoing collection of (mostly) men looking at themselves – and having private moments – in the mirror.
Here’s James Cagney in Picture Snatcher, about a former gangster who decides to “go straight” and become a newspaper reporter. He gets a job at a filthy tabloid rag and becomes a photographer – the kind of guy who shows up at murder scenes and takes photos of the grisly massacre. He’s completely unethical and always being chased by people who are furious at being taken advantage of. Here, he hides out in an apartment in Syracuse, waiting for the brou-haha to blow over, and he’s going stir-crazy playing Solitaire. He turns on some music, and dances around the apartment, pretending he has a partner. He gets a glimpse of himself in the mirror and stops dead in his tracks. He is caught by his own reflection. Then, he begins to box, dancing around. Then he picks up his camera, and takes a picture of himself – a selfie! – but it’s more than that. He takes a picture of himself taking a picture of himself. This is what I mean when I say – ad nauseum – that mirror moments allow characters who may not be self-reflective or self-expressive – to reveal themselves in ways they never would if anyone was watching. This is a great mirror moment.
