Dead Ringer (1964)

Director:

Paul Henreid

Writers:

Albert Beich
Rian James (story)
(more)

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:

Twin | Funeral | Bar | Murder | Sergeant

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Henry Beckman	...	Prosecutor (uncredited)
Perry Blackwell	...	Electronic Organist in Bar (uncredited)
Sayre Dearing	...	Juror (uncredited)
Charles Fredericks	...	Tom Marshall (uncredited)
Jon Lormer	...	Alonzo (uncredited)
Renny McEvoy	...	Man at Bar with Sweepstakes Tickets (uncredited)
Charles Meredith	...	Defense Lawyer (uncredited)
Bryan O'Byrne	...	Mr. Beemas (uncredited)
George Petrie	...	Eddie Krauss, Loan Company Officer (uncredited)
Richard X. Slattery	...	Court Bailiff (uncredited)
Claude Stroud	...	Courtroom Witness (uncredited)
Hal Taggart	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Chauffeur at Funeral (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Henreid

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Albert Beich
Rian James		story "La Otra aka Dead Pigeon"
Oscar Millard

Produced by
William H. Wright	....	producer

Original Music by
André Previn

Cinematography by
Ernest Haller

Film Editing by
Folmar Blangsted

Art Direction by
Perry Ferguson

Set Decoration by
William Stevens

Costume Design by
Donfeld		(as Don Feld)

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup artist
Florence Guernsey	....	hair stylist
Gene Hibbs	....	makeup artist
Jean Burt Reilly	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chuck Hansen	....	assistant director (as Charles L. Hansen)
Phil Ball	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Lee White	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Weldon H. Patterson	....	prop (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert B. Lee	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Gibby Germaine	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Bert Six	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Kenneth B. Taylor	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Geoffrey Alan	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Ruth Hancock	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Other crew
Connie Cezon	....	stand-in: Bette Davis during twin scenes (uncredited)
Irva Mae Ross	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Bert Steinberger	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1964) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1964) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1969) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Home Video (????) (Spain) (video)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vidéo (2004) (France) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• DePatie-Freleng Enterprises (DFE)  titles (uncredited)

Also Known As:

"Who Is Buried in My Grave?" - UK (alternative title), 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:

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

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

Bette Davis originally wanted James Philbrook of "The New Loretta Young Show" (1962) to play the role that eventually went to Karl Malden.

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 Double Take: A Conversation with Boze Hadleigh (2004) (V)

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?