The Other (1972)

Down in the farm country of the US twins are born. One of them turns out to be good, while the other becomes rather evil.

Director:

Robert Mulligan

Writers:

Tom Tryon (screenplay), Tom Tryon (novel)

Stars:

Uta Hagen, Diana Muldaur, Chris Udvarnoky

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Uta Hagen	...	Ada
Diana Muldaur	...	Alexandra
Chris Udvarnoky	...	Niles Perry
Martin Udvarnoky	...	Holland Perry
Norma Connolly	...	Aunt Vee
Victor French	...	Angelini
Loretta Leversee	...	Winnie
Lou Frizzell	...	Uncle George
Portia Nelson	...	Mrs. Rowe
Jenny Sullivan	...	Torrie
John Ritter	...	Rider
Jack Collins	...	Mr. P.C. Pretty
Ed Bakey	...	Chan-yu
Clarence Crow	...	Russell

Storyline

In the summer of 1935, 9-year-old twins Niles and Holland Perry live with their family on a Connecticut farm. Their loving grandmother Ada has taught them something called "the game." A number of accidents begin happening, and it seems to Niles that Holland is responsible. It is Ada who begins to see the truth, and she is the only one who can stop this macabre game of murder.

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Plot Keywords:

twin | accident | murder | child killing child | well | 

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Taglines:

Please don't reveal the secret of The Other. And DO see it from the start.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 September 1972 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

El otro

Filming Locations:

Murphys, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Benchmark, Rem, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min 100 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As the film needed to take place during summer, the small town of Murphys, California, was substituted for shooting instead of on location in Connecticut.

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Goofs

Holland laughs as he leaves the room with the hydrocephalic baby, but his mouth doesn't move.

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Quotes

[To himself]
Niles Perry: Geeze, someone outta tell her father's dead.

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Connections

Referenced in The Uninvited (2009)

User Reviews

Underrated Chiller From A Great Director

I remember very clearly that parts of the Thomas Tryon novel just about had me wetting myself, it was that scary, and I wondered if the movie version would do it justice. In many ways, it nearly surpasses the book...which is something that rarely ever happens. Some people don't care for the performances by Chris and Martin Udvarnoky as the twins, Niles and Holland, but the fact that they weren't typical "Hollywoodized" child stars enabled them to give more naturalistic performances, thereby making them more believable...and creepy.

And what can you say about one of theater's Grande Dames, Uta Hagen? I think this was the only film I've ever seen her in, and she's spectacular. Well before "bad kids" became a genre cliché, this one beats all the other like-minded thrillers by a mile, even THE OMEN. (Well, maybe not THE BAD SEED, though.)

And as the cherry-on-top, Jerry Goldsmith turned in one of his best scores on this one. And DP Robert Surtees' work is so beautiful in contrast to the sheer horror it has us bear witness to...

Director Mulligan deserved all the praise he got for THE OTHER, and more acclaim than he did get because of the fact that it was considered a "low-class horror movie." When you watch it, though, you may not think so by the chilling ending. See if this doesn't stay with you for weeks afterward, the way it did for me...