The Man in the Mirror 1936

Jeremy Dilke, a withdrawn, mild-mannered man who works in the city, is preparing an important report on nitrates. His partner Tarkington believes he is too weak-willed to seal the deal, casting doubt on his ability to close the business in time.

On the Underground train home, Veronica Tarkington, the flirtatious wife of Tarkington, contrives to alight at his stop and persuade him to walk her home. Her ploy is foiled by Dilke’s wife, Helen, who escorts him home in a taxi. A confrontation with his wife follows, and Helen leaves the Dilke residence, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Alone in the house, his reflection in the mirror steps out and declares that it is his alter ego, the version of himself he secretly longs to become. The alter ego embodies boldness and confidence, and he begins to live the life Dilke always dreamed of. The man who remains in the real world sees the transformation in front of him: the other self flirts with his wife, takes charge at the office, and bends people to his new, assertive will, notably startling Tarkington into submission.

The real Dilke can no longer return home in the same way. He stays in town, trying to avoid his doppelgänger, and checks into a hotel under the name Thompson to keep the two selves from colliding. Veronica spots him and suspects he could be open to an affair under the assumed name.

Meanwhile, Tarkington is determined to seal the nitrates deal with two visiting potentates, and he schemes to squeeze Dilke out of his rightful share. Dilke, keenly aware of the manipulation, sees through the deceit and counters Tarkington’s moves, outplaying him at his own game. The partnership is reshaped by this clash, with the real Dilke finding a path to success and personal happiness.

Back at home, the two versions of Dilke—one real, one imagined—come to an uneasy but hopeful reconciliation. With the alter ego now willing to cooperate rather than clash, the two halves of Dilke pursue a new, united future, balancing ambition with affection and redefining what it means to be truly in control.