LOVE HAS MANY FACES (1965)

Title: LOVE HAS MANY FACES

Year of Release: 1965

Director: Alexander Singer

Genre: Drama, Romance

Synopsis: When a man is found washed up on the beach in Acapulco, a wealthy American woman with prior connections to him is suspected of his death.

Within a film history context: Movies set in Acapulco were not a common sight on cinema screens, with little more than a handful in number. Jacques Tourneur's film noir OUT OF THE PAST (1947), had an important meeting between a private investigator, and a mystery woman in Acapulco in this classic movie. Another film noir, THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI (1947), directed by Orson Welles, in which a sailor becomes entangled with a femme fatale, featured a number of sequences set in Acapulco. Edward L. Cahn's SILENT FEAR (1956), was predominantly set in Acapulco, and told the romance of a miner and a nightclub singer, with many ups and downs along the way in their relationship. Film noir territory, and Acapulco once again meshed in A WOMAN'S DEVOTION (1957), directed by Paul Henreid. A couple's honeymoon in Acapulco is interrupted when the husband is suspected of the murders of two women. In an entirely contrary mode was Richard Thorpe's FUN IN ACAPULCO (1963). In this Elvis Presley vehicle, a young man has a number of adventures, and finds romance, with music also featured. LOVE HAS MANY FACES was entirely set in Acapulco, and this is where it diverted from some of the other examples.

LOVE HAS MANY FACES, as with SILENT FEAR, A WOMAN'S DEVOTION, and FUN IN ACAPULCO, had Acapulco as its main locale where all the action transpired. It was a place of relaxation and leisure in LOVE HAS MANY FACES, with a minor element of peril included. This was unlike OUT OF THE PAST and THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI, where a small part of the narrative occurred there. These two films were also of a suspense orientation, whereas LOVE HAS MANY FACES had a minor component in this respect. The death of a gigolo, found on the beach, was just a small segment of the movie. All the films had romantic leanings, with OUT OF THE PAST and THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI both showcasing dangerous temptresses with more to them than meets the eye. The women in LOVE HAS MANY FACES, though, were controlled by passion and their devotion to men and love, rather than criminal exploits. LOVE HAS MANY FACES was geared more toward a female audience than the others, in that strong female characters, and male-female relationships were placed under the microscope. 

In LOVE HAS MANY FACES, contrasts were drawn between three very different women, and how they looked at life in their individual manners. The male characters, on the other hand, were the object of the female gaze in this film, as were the women with their garments, but the men were highly sexualized. The men were handsome, tanned, muscular, and, in one instance, given to wearing swimwear on a regular basis. This was worlds away from how male characters were portrayed in OUT OF THE PAST, THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI, and SILENT FEAR. A WOMAN'S DEVOTION was possibly closest to LOVE HAS MANY FACES in the depiction of its male protagonist, appearing shirtless with regularity. The female character in this, though, was unlike Kit in LOVE HAS MANY FACES, her attire demurer than the showy, expensive wardrobe of Kit. An interesting look at life in Acapulco, LOVE HAS MANY FACES provides an agreeable, if plush, perspective on this.

Overview: Alexander Singer was an American director who helmed five feature films in his career. The majority of these centred upon their female characters, and their interactions with the opposite sex. Mr Singer presented their flaws, foibles and strengths, warts and all to viewers to sympathize and understand, if not necessarily to agree with. Alexander Singer was particularly adept at showcasing actresses in strong roles. His first film, A COLD WIND IN AUGUST (1961), was the character study of a stripper who falls in love with a seventeen-year-old young man. Lola Albright in the lead part bolstered the movie, which had its leaden moments. Next came PSYCHE 59 (1964), an elegant, suspenseful drama about a woman's loss of memory, and the impact this had on her life, and that of her sister and husband. This time, Patricia Neal was a standout as the pained woman. 

Mr Singer's fourth movie, and entirely different from his others, was CAPTAIN APACHE (1971). A western about an American Indian, and his involvement in political intrigue, was a change of pace, albeit not a successful one. Lee Van Kleef, Stuart Whitman, and Carroll Baker did their best to bring the film to life, but it was not enough to save it. Alexander Singer's final feature, GLASS HOUSES (1972), was the story of a California family on the brink of breakdown. Mr Singer's best film, an unjustly forgotten, and original movie with much emotional detail and nuances, unfortunately, it has all but disappeared from view. LOVE HAS MANY FACES was Alexander Singer's third effort, and a satisfactory, but unspectacular picture. 

In the case of LOVE HAS MANY FACES, Alexander Singer has made a diverting, slick motion picture. Taking as its focus a wealthy American woman, Kit Jordan, living the high life in Acapulco with her husband, and the various interactions she has with others in this resort city, it is a glossy entertainment that passes the time well. The movie has a partiality to portraying Acapulco as a playground of the rich, complete with their hangers-on, which is pleasing to the eye. It affords views of beaches, beautiful vistas, attractive people, and their melodramatic lives, something akin to a combination of a travelogue, and the machinations in a juicy bestselling novel. While the movie is to be commended for offering eye candy and easy-going intrigues in this manner, when examined closer, it starves the viewer in other areas intellectually where it should have been much stronger.

The movie has a habit of introducing plot threads, but their follow up is never fully developed. LOVE HAS MANY FACES has a storyline which initiates the action, being that a gigolo is found dead washed up on the beach, but the delivery of the mystery behind this is anything but compelling. Kit Jordan is suspected of this crime, but nothing much comes of this. It appeared she had a connection to him, but this is dumbed down in the film. This plotline facilitates, though, the entrance of the man's girlfriend who comes to see what happened to her boyfriend. She stays for a spell, strikes up a rapport with Kit's husband Pete but, leaves when he elects to stay with his wife than be with her. The fact that one never sees flashbacks of the dead man, which would have explained much about him, renders the story stagnant, and unemotional. Other parts of the film also needed more attention than they received.

Backstory for the two beach boys Hank and Chuck is, unfortunately, largely non-existent. Both have a presence in the film, but further insight into their lives would have been helpful. Of the two older ladies who seek male companionship in Acapulco, one is severely underdefined. Margo has her snappy retorts and attitude, but Irene hardly says a word. A nice contrast could have been set up between the two ladies, and what led Irene to come to Acapulco for male company, but this is never clarified. These examples, though, appear to be a tendency on the film's part of the lackadaisical lives of the characters intruding on the writing of the movie. It is one thing to go with the flow, but not having a sturdier story does make the picture come unstuck. A watchable but lacking movie, LOVE HAS MANY FACES is a passable picture, but not the best film from Alexander Singer.

Acting: LOVE HAS MANY FACES contains a number of interesting acting performances from its cast. As lead character Kit Jordan, unfortunately, Lana Turner is not in one of her best parts. While she does a serviceable job as Kit, the writing of the character lets her down considerably. In addition, the insistence of the film on presenting various costume changes for the actress does her a disservice, making her acting take a back seat to the visual frou frou. In complete contrast, Cliff Robertson, as Kit's husband Pete, radiates integrity, and authority, as her loyal spouse. An actor whose commanding presence brought conviction to many movies, here does likewise with the sturdy, wary Pete. Kit's long-ago lover Hank comes alive with the inimitable Hugh O'Brian. Despite appearing in the film bare-chested, and swimsuit clad for much of its running time, Mr O'Brian gives his gigolo a humor, and realism, that make him a charming figure. 

As one of the two American women seeking company in sunny Acapulco, Ruth Roman's Margot is another distinctive portrayal. With her husky voice, and seen it all before demeanor, she makes the role hers, and feelings understandable. Virginia Grey, as Margot's friend Irene, though, is not as lucky. The actress has been completely wasted in her tiny role, and it would have been interesting to hear another perspective on loneliness from her character. The part of Carol Lambert, girlfriend of the dead man, is comfortably inhabited by Stefanie Powers. With her clear diction and agreeable personality, Miss Powers' Carol clashes dynamically with Lana Turner's Kit in the movie. The final acting of note was by Ron Husmann as Chuck, friend, and fellow beach boy to Hank. Although his appearances are limited in the movie, Mr Husmann has a quietly arresting aura, and whose seething anger sears Hank in Chuck's final scenes.

Soundtrack: The soundtrack for LOVE HAS MANY FACES supports the visuals in an unobtrusive, yet telling way. As always, David Raksin provides a reliable score which ably underlines scenes without being over the top. It is subtle during the quieter scenes of character interaction, and suitably punctuates the more dramatic sequences with flair. Both the opening, and closing credits feature the song 'Love Has Many Faces' performed by Nancy Davis, which is serviceable, but not particularly spectacular. Its main purpose is a musical comment on the tangled love lives of the protagonists which it delivers in a sound manner.

Mise-en-scene: LOVE HAS MANY FACES offers a credible onscreen experience for viewers. Joseph Ruttenberg's Eastmancolor cinematography captures Acapulco, and Mexico City, in a naturalistic way, allowing the eyes to graze the scenery in a relaxed manner. Mr Ruttenberg is adept at showing differences between the sunny Acapulco and its environs, and the darker tones of Kit and Pete Jordan's home, in particular, their bedroom. The living room of Kit and Pete appears slightly artificial, though, with the garden at the top of the room extremely faux. Costuming by Edith Head is stylish, and suited to the environments in which the characters find themselves. The one element which stands out for the wrong reason are some of the outfits worn by Lana Turner in the movie. Several of these are elegant, but others are flashy, and make some of Miss Turner's dramatic scenes risible to witness. The intention may have been to be striking, but it is distracting at times, and unnecessary in retrospect.

Notable Acting Performances: Cliff Robertson, Hugh O'Brian, Ruth Roman, Stefanie Powers, Ron Husmann.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Adult themes.

Overall Grade: C

Link: IMDB Page