TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

MoPoshy Absolutely brilliant

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

classicsoncall Some neat twists and turns in this story make it an enjoyable couple of hours, particularly when Edie (Bette Davis) gets what's coming to her - even if she was convicted of the wrong murder! That was one of the ironic things about this picture; as the viewer one likes to see things wrapped up in a nice, neat little package, but if that doesn't work out, well at least justice was served in a roundabout fashion.This film reminded me of a couple others, the first being Bette Davis's own "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" which also featured a pair of sisters in a dysfunctional relationship. The other was "Sunset Boulevard", in the respect that the butler Henry (Cyril Delevanti) here remained loyal to the phony Margaret DeLorca (also Davis) in somewhat the same manner Erich von Stroheim's character traded his loyalty for individuality while maintaining a façade for Gloria Swanson's Norma Desmond. Granted, that situation was a bit different, but you get my drift.And then there was Duke. Right off the bat I had a pretty good idea Duke would know the score with Edie masquerading as her sister. For a minute, I thought Edie might have given herself away when Sergeant Hobbson (Karl Malden) first came calling, and I was surprised he was never let in on Edie's little secret, although he came pretty close. Good detective work though, getting the goods on Tony Collins (Peter Lawford) and figuring out the old arsenic gambit. Come to think of it, if you wanted to make the case for Edie getting away with a second murder, she had a pretty competent accomplice.If you can overlook some of the pitfalls in the story and just take it as it plays out, it's a pretty good one. I got a kick out of the opening scene when a sign for Rosedale Cemetery comes into view stating 'Graves, Niches, Cremations and Undertaking - All in One Place'. I thought about that for a while before asking myself, where else would they be?

mark.waltz While she scored better in 1964 with a Tennessee Williams like heroine in "Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte", Bette Davis also shined with dual roles (for the second time in her career) in this update of the type of film she had been appearing in for 20 years. Having played rivals of sisters, cousins and old acquaintances of such divas as Olivia de Havilland, Mary Astor and Miriam Hopkins, she now finds the toughest competition of them all-herself! A re-tread of "A Stolen Life" (where she also played two twins, one good and one bad), here the rivalry is one more evenly matched. Maggie is a wealthy widow with many secrets; Eadie is the well-liked owner of a pub in a poor section of Los Angeles where she is known for giving hand-outs to those less fortunate than herself. (And believe me, she is not so fortunate, so this is supposed to tell us that she is extremely kind hearted). When she goes to the funeral of her sister's husband (who happened to be the love of her life), all the old resentments come out, and Eadie decides to play just like her to get even for all the past hurts. Those include man-stealing and lying, especially about what caused the late husband to marry Maggie in the first place.Davis is convincing in making us believe the differences between each of the sisters. Neither is alike in common characteristics. Davis fans will be amused by the wealthy Maggie's declaration that she quit smoking years before while Eadie puffs like a locomotive. It is the poor but resourceful Eadie who gets the upper hand, taking over her sister's life and discovering that Maggie had a few horrifying secrets of her own that render her actually quite evil.As the police officer in love with the simple living Eadie, Karl Malden is excellent, her down-to-earth protector who is awestruck when he meets "Maggie" after Eadie has assumed her life. Peter Lawford is the hideously sleazy gigolo lover of Maggie's who guesses the truth and uses it to his advantage, his life eventually literally going to the dogs. A religious freak in-law played by Estelle Winwood, a pre-historic looking butler played by Cyril Delavanti and a gossipy socialite played by Jean Hagen round out Maggie's social set, with director Paul Henreid's real-life daughter playing Maggie's suspicious maid.Davis helps the plot rise above the obviousness of it, especially with how she arranges to switch lives, something too delicious to spoil. The result shows how an apparent kindly woman can turn to ruthlessly evil when pushed to the edge. While Davis is matronly looking as both characters, she makes you realize that neither character is someone that you'd want to mess with. Thanks to her performance, this film rises above predictability and silliness and is totally satisfying with a delightful denouncement at the ending.

bkoganbing Among her contemporaries Bette Davis is the only one I know who managed to carry off playing twin sisters twice in films. The first time was in A Stolen Life and in 1964 she did it again in Dead Ringer. The first time she was a good and a bad twin, but in Dead Ringer both twins commit evil acts during the course of the movie.Bette's former co-star Paul Henreid directed her in Dead Ringer with co- stars Karl Malden and Peter Lawford. Back in the day one twin stole the man the other was in love with because he was rich, prosperous, and part of old California society. That one got rich, the other never married and now lives owning a bar that she's way behind in debt with.When the husband dies the bar owner learns that back in the day he was tricked into marriage with a false pregnancy story and as the family was Catholic he married her and couldn't divorce. That sets the bar owner into a murderous frenzy and she kills the widow and then assumes her place while she also fakes a suicide story.With a few bumps along the way Bette settles into the other Bette's life. Then a lowlife boyfriend played by Peter Lawford comes back in the picture. Lawford is a gigolo/golf pro and he and society Bette have some deep secrets. The rest you can see for yourself.Oddly enough A Stolen Life also involved a twin taking another's place and as for the rest of the story, if you know what happens in The Postman Always Rings Twice you know what happens here.With the possible exception of Whatever Happened To Baby Jane, Dead Ringer maybe Davis's best film of the Sixties. She throws herself into both roles so well that it like watching twins in action. She also has a nice group of supporting players in roles they are well cast in. But this one is Bette's show.Watch her steal another life.

MarieGabrielle Bette Davis here excels in "Grand Guignol" version of melodrama.She looks intimidating and beautiful, has several lovers, and a life of deception. This is a must not miss film, which I watched with my mother as a child.Ms. Davis plays Edie, the understated down at heel bar owner who is in love with modest detective Karl Malden. She is tired of her life, and after owing a great deal of money, attempts to reconcile with her wealthy sister, Mrs. DeLorca.Mrs. DeLorca (also Davis) is an opportunist. Not happy, but wealthy. Somehow a change of identity occurs, and Edie ends up dead.Beautiful cinematography as Edie's sister in her Beverly Hills Mansion. Duke, the Great Dane ( great dog) adds a nice nuance to the story. There are also some amusing scenes with Peter Lawford as an ex-lover, now discarded.All in all this is a superior film which you will want to watch more than twice. Highly recommended. 9/10.