Dead Ringer
|
List Price: Our Price: $10.19 You Save: $9.74 (49%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Dead Ringer
Movie Review: "Two Bette's Are Better Than One!'
Summary: 5 Stars
I have to admit I am an ardent Bette Davis fan. The first film of hers I ever saw was "Whatever Happened To baby Jane?" on late-night TV years ago, and I fell in love with her. I can't say I admire her like I do Joan Crawford, but Bette comes pretty close.
I've been lucky to pretty much see all her films over the years, but I really like her 1960's stuff the best; perhaps its watching how Miss Davis tears up the scenery, as well as her co-stars that makes me such a Bette fan, but I do believe a lot of her later motion pictures are underated and often ignored. These films, often known by some critics as "hag-films", are true classics. Bette, along with Joan, had one of the longest careers in pictures, and how they managed to survive, in an industry that swallows careers and actresses at whim, is a testament to how good they were at their profession.
"Dead Ringer" is well acted, directed, and superbly cast. In it we see Bette playing twin sisters, one good, one bad. One sister steals the identity of the other in order to live her ellegant lifestyle to the fullest. There are many plot twists and turns to satisfy the most ardent viewer, and the film flys by fast. Karl Malden has a secondary role as one of Bette's boyfriends, and Peter Lawford plays one of the best villins in '60s films.
Sit back and enjoy a good Bette Davis potboiler.
The film is beautifully restored and the DVD features an informative documentary on the movie. Author Boze Hadleigh is interviewed and offers some insightful info on "Dead Ringer" and Bette Davis. If you think Bette was good in "Baby Jane" wait until you see her in this one!
Movie Review: DAVIS x 2....
Summary: 5 Stars
Repeating the gimmick from "A Stolen Life", Bette Davis here plays twin sisters...this time estranged due to complicated circumstances over a man years before. Margaret DeLorca (Davis) married the old flame of Edith (Davis) and got rich. Edie, who wound up poor, now runs a seedy jazz bar that's behind in it's bills. When Mr.DeLorca dies, Edie sees Margaret at the funeral and Margaret invites her to the mansion and flaunts her wealth (and cast offs) at Edie. Edie quickly realizes the set-up. Margaret never loved the man and married him for money (telling him she was pregnant) while Edie truly loved him and never really got over the pain. When the rent comes due on the bar again and Edie can't pay, she devises a murderous plan to end her financial worries once and for all. Davis is excellent in both roles and is ably supported by a top notch supporting cast. Karl Malden as the cop who loves Edie, Peter Lawford as the slimy, aging gigolo lover of Margaret, Estelle Winwood as a religious family friend of the DeLorca's and Jean Hagen as a playgirl friend of Margaret's. Edith finds out (too late of course) that Margaret was worse than she thought and more murderous complications ensue. While all this is basically a more macabre rehash of "A Stolen Life", Davis fans (like me) should eat it up. Her co-star from "Now Voyager" Paul Henreid directed the film and his daughter Monika plays the personal maid to Margaret/Edie. It's in glorious b&w and the scenes involving both sisters are very well done. Will be very glad to see this on DVD. Now, how about "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte"?Movie Review: I believe that he knew
Summary: 5 Stars
Dead Ringer was and still is one of my all time favorites, but the more I watch the movie the more I realize that he knew that it was Edith that was going off to be executed. No matter what he could not just stay away. Like the police captain said he was obsessed. He would find stupid reasons to go the the Delorca mansion just to look at her. Then when she pulled that number in the mansion, Don't you know me Jim? He brushed it off then but the damage was already done. He could not get it out of his head, when she was being escorted off to the gas chamer what did he say? She knew when she did it was going to mess with his head, he had to live with the fact that he had signed her death warrant. He would not let go no matter what. He was obsessed. Look at the expression on his face again when she says " I'm Margaret Delorca Sargeant, as you say Edith would have never hurt a fly" It is the way she said it cynically. I believe that he knew at that time it was Edith.
Could be wrong, only my opinion. He probably will go back to the mansion and question everybody there the only one that knew was the Butler and the dog, the girl I believe knew too,
Movie Review: A Double Life
Summary: 5 Stars
If ever there were a movie equivalent of what Susan Sontag called Camp many years ago...this is it. Bette Davis stars as twins: one the rich, Champagne-driven, mansion living Margaret DeLorca, the other "Injun Country" area of Los Angeles (really Echo Park) living, beer guzzling, Karl Malden (Hobbson) loving Edith Phillips. Margaret is the bad twin, Edith the nice. But Edith is still holding a grudge against Margaret for stealing her man many years before and she aims to set things right, twenty years later.
Davis chews up the scenery as only she can when given full rein of her performance and her director, Paul Henreid, who starred with her in "Now Voyager" knew better than to get in her way.
"Dead Ringer" is a hell-of-a-lot-of-fun and the commentary from Charles Busch is appropriately outrageous. This is a movie that both you and your Mom can love: twist the top off a quart of Schlitz, bake up some Velveeta Mac `n' Cheese, get out two spoons and enjoy every morsel of this delicious movie.
Movie Review: The BEST of Davis!
Summary: 5 Stars
From my first viewing, 'Dead Ringer' has always been my favorite Bette Davis film. A clever story of the poor sister killing the rich sister and assuming her identity, all because of jealousy over a stolen man years ago. Some interesting photography enables Bette to play both parts and of course she never disappoints.
Taking over a person's identity isn't as easy as one might imagine and the 'new' Mrs. DeLorca find this out in spades. Since there wasn't time for Edith to research Maggie's behavioral patterns, etc., she did pull it off for a while. But then that blindsiding twist ending catches up and, well you have to see for yourself. A supporting cast of Karl Malden and Peter Lawford enhance a great screenplay, and the first rate music score by Andre Previn is an added bonus. Well worth a couple of hours of your time.