Dead Ringer (1964)

Director:

Paul Henreid

Writers:

Albert Beich (writer)
Rian James (story)

Release Date:

19 February 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, now who's the fairest twin of all?

Plot:

The twin sister of a callous wealthy woman murders her out of revenge and assumes the identity of the dead woman.

Plot Keywords:

Twins | Los Angeles | Funeral | Revenge | Murder

Cast

Bette Davis	...	Margaret DeLorca / Edith Phillips
Karl Malden	...	Sergeant Jim Hobbson
Peter Lawford	...	Tony Collins
Philip Carey	...	Sergeant Hoag
Jean Hagen	...	Dede Marshall
George Macready	...	Paul Harrison
Estelle Winwood	...	Dona Anna
George Chandler	...	George, Chauffeur
Mario Alcalde	...	Garcia
Cyril Delevanti	...	Henry, the Butler
Monika Henreid	...	Janet
Bert Remsen	...	Daniel 'Dan' Lister, Bartender
Charles Watts	...	Apartment Manager
Ken Lynch	...	Captain Johnson

Also Known As:

Dead Image (UK)
Who Is Buried in My Grave? (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:16 | Italy:VM14 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Greystone Park & Mansion - 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Bette Davis declined a role in 4 for Texas (1963) to do this film.

Goofs:

Continuity: Edith arrives at her apartment above the cocktail lounge in broad daylight, but when her boyfriend Jim comes to visit less than fifteen minutes later it is dark outside.

Quotes:

Paul Harrison: Too bad I called and woke you last night. This might not have happened.
Margaret DeLorca: It wouldn't have mattered when you called. I've gotten so I'm afraid to turn around for fear of what will happen next.
Paul Harrison: Oh, just one of those rough patches, Margaret. Things will look better in a few months.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Chappaqua (1966)

Soundtrack:

Shuffle Off to Buffalo

"You haven't got that much!"

Some movies are just too enjoyable not to watch, especially if you enjoy thrillers with a unique twist and Bette Davis. I like to think of this as the second half of "A Stolen Life" where Bette replaces her mean sister and takes on her life. The story is essentially the same, but we see more of the dilemma of trying to pass as the other sister. Even though Bette's character is a murderess, we hope she gets away with it. The poker scene always has me squirming in my seat. The supporting cast is good too, Karl Malden was never one of my favorites, but he's not bad in this movie. On a side note, did anyone else notice the bar singer as the same singer in Pillow Talk?