Yet other examples include Cocteau sketching drawings with a rag and unsmashing pottery, with fragments flying up into his hand and joining together. By the time of Le Testament d'Orphée, use of reverse action was endemic in Cocteau's work, with more than one critic declaring it so overused as to be an embarrassing personal tic.
In addition to other examples, Cocteau also employed sketching drawings using a rag and smashing pottery, where fragments would rise into his hand and merge. By the time of Le Testament d'Orphée, reverse action was a widespread feature in Cocteau's work, with more than one critic stating it had become so overused that it was an awkward personal quirk.