Sisters (1972)

A fledgling Staten Island journalist witnesses a brutal murder in the neighboring apartment of a French-Canadian model, but the police do not believe that the crime took place. With the help of a private detective, she seeks out the truth.

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writers:

Brian De Palma (screenplay), Louisa Rose (screenplay)

Stars:

Margot Kidder, Jennifer Salt, Charles Durning

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Margot Kidder	...	Danielle Breton / Dominique Blanchion
Jennifer Salt	...	Grace Collier
Charles Durning	...	Joseph Larch
William Finley	...	Emil Breton (as Bill Finley)
Lisle Wilson	...	Phillip Woode
Barnard Hughes	...	Arthur McLennen
Mary Davenport	...	Mrs. Peyson Collier
Dolph Sweet	...	Detective Kelly
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bobby C. Collins

Storyline

The Staten Island apartment of lovely model Danielle becomes the scene of a grisly murder that is witnessed by her neighbor, Grace, a reporter. But the police don't believe her story, so it's up to Grace to solve the murder mystery on her own.

---

Plot Keywords:

murder | police | neighbor | twin | birthday | 

---

Taglines:

What the Devil hath joined together let no man cut asunder.

---

Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

---

Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to director Brian De Palma, an elaborate tracking shot had to be deleted from the film. De Palma said the search scene was originally "a Max Ophüls-type tracking shot about 6 minutes long, and while they are searching through the apartment the camera keeps coming back to the couch and the spot is getting bigger and bigger and bigger," De Palma stated. "I shot it, but because the camera could only get down so low and still go up high enough to shoot the rest of the scene we couldn't get down to the bottom of the couch and when we saw the rushes it looked ridiculous because it looked like the guy was bleeding up through the arm of the couch. So I had to throw out the whole tracking shot, and I was forced to use close-ups and television-type coverage."

---

Goofs

Danielle and Phillip have their date after their TV appearance in Manhattan. Phillip tells her he will get his car. After their date they are seen taking the Staten Island Ferry yet he drives her to her apartment building in his car. While no longer the case, before the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 vehicles were allowed on the ferries.

---

Quotes

Grace Collier: I saw a murder, and I'm going to prove it!

---

Alternate Versions

For the original 1973 UK cinema release cuts were made by the BBFC to edit the violent stabbing of Phillip Woode. All later releases were fully uncut.

---

Connections

Featured in Noah Baumbach and Brian De Palma on Dressed to Kill (2015)

User Reviews

Why god created little red pills...

Hang on to your psychoanalysis, Ladies and Gentlemen...a young Brian De Palma has brought us a fine mindf*ck that is in good company with "Psycho," "The Tenant," and even "Fight Club." "Sisters" is a brain-sizzling thriller that probes the relationship between separated Siamese twins Danielle and Dominique (Margot Kidder) in a maniacally unsettling way. Danielle is a successful actress/model; Dominique is a raving lunatic who becomes violent when sexually aroused. When Dominique murders Danielle's boyfriend, reporter Grace Collier (Jennifer Salt) takes matters into her own hands after the police refuse to help. Meanwhile, Danielle's ex-husband Emil (John Waters doppleganger William Finley) runs a local psych ward. And Charles Durning plays a detective tracking the progress of a particularly heavy couch. De Palma weaves his character interactions seamlessly, employing the types of technical tricks that would be used more superficially in his later works (the use of split-screen to show action from two separate viewpoints, for instance), in addition to some of the trippiest black-and-white imagery this side of "Eraserhead." "Sisters" is an effective, highly influential work that holds up incredibly well today...just make sure you have a refill on your pills before watching it.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

26 March 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sisters

Filming Locations:

156 W. 44th St., New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pressman-Williams Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White (flashback sequence) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1