Mistaken identity is at the heart of the newly-released film Phoenix, a notion that has fuelled Hollywood dramas and comedies from Face/Off to Victor/Victoria.
Movies about mistaken identity or protagonists impersonating another character are a staple of Hollywood. From classics like Victor/Victoria to the Richard Gere star vehicle Sommersby and the cult hit Fight Club, these stories consistently manage to entertain, terrify and teach potent lessons.
Even the Bard, Chaucer and Homer weren’t immune to such contrivances – consider A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice, The Miller’s Tale and The Odyssey – when Odysseus in disguise kills Penelope’s suitors.
Continue reading...