Dead Ringer, not to be confused with the David Cronenberg movie Dead Ringers, is one of Bette Davis's hagsploitation horrors, and it's a hoot.
She plays twins Margaret and Edith. When Margaret's rich husband Frank dies, Edith, after years of estrangement, shows up at the funeral. Frank was once Edith's man, but Margaret stole him away, to live a life of luxury, while Edith ended up living above a failing cocktail lounge.
So she comes up with a plan to steal Margaret's life.
It's clear Davis enjoyed the roles, throwing her full Bette Davis persona into them. (At one point, she even cracks a "What a dump!" about her ramshackle apartment.) The movie was directed by actor Paul Henreid, and the scenes in the bar, especially one where a murder is timed to the drums of the bar band, are wonderfully energetic.
Co-stars include Karl Malden as a cop who is in love with Edith, Peter Lawford as Margaret's lover, and Jean Hagen as Margaret's best friend. (She's woefully underutilized.) In all, an enjoyable bit of psycho biddy horror.
I watched Dead Ringer on TCM, but it is also available to stream free on Tubi.
2 comments:
I think I saw this once a while back. Remember enjoying it, but I tend to enjoy anything Davis is in. Due for a rewatch, I guess.
I think it'll be worth it!
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