Plot: What’s it about?
Edith Phillips (Bette Davis) has never been a success, not in terms of friendship, love, or financial status. Her life has never hit total bottom however, at least not until now. The broken pieces of her life tell a sordid tale, one of distrust, hatred, and above all else, complete contempt for her own sister. Edith was estranged from her twin sister Margaret (Bette Davis) many years back, but her heart still pounds to settle the score. In her younger days, Edith dated a well-to-do man and seemed to have a real future, until Margaret entered the picture. The romance soon turned sour and the man left Edith, only to wind up as Margaret’s new beau. The two would eventually get married and over time, the two enjoyed a life of wealth and splendor. Edith’s life has been a downward spiral ever since, a turn of events she blames her sisters for setting into motion. Now that Margaret’s husband has passed on and no one knows about her twin sisters, Edith sees a chance to have some of the good life for herself. As time has passed, the anger within Edith has built to epic levels and it results in the cold blooded murder of her own twin. She then steps into her sister’s life, certain she can fool those around her. But when former lovers, new friends, and faces from the past appear, can she keep up the horrific facade?
A movie that has not one, but two performances by an over the top Bette Davis almost sounds too good to be true, right? In Dead Ringer, we have just that and Davis is able to portray two roles with immense ease. And yes, she is able to showcase her full on bitch skills and then some, which adds some camp value to the picture. But even with her presence, can Dead Ringer rise above the old twin replacement premise? I didn’t find this to be an excellent movie by any stretch, but it was fun to watch and well worth a look. Davis (All About Eve, The Little Foxes) is the primary reason to tune in, with her double effort that burns on all cylinders. We’ve seen her in other campish roles like this, but never has she dueled with herself like this. She even tries to steal the show from herself, which makes for an enjoyable motion picture. Once you’re past Davis and her wonderful turns however, Dead Ringer starts to run out of gas, at a rapid pace. Karl Malden (On the Waterfront, Patton) provides another bright spot, but the thin material and recycled plot undercut most of the positive elements. The story isn’t bad, but we’ve seen this all before and no real effort is made to carve a new path. Even so, Davis is reason alone to recommend Dead Ringer. So if you’re at all interested, a rental is quite worthwhile.
Video: How does it look?
Dead Ringer is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is an overall good visual presentation, but the print shows some serious flecks and blips, although no compression errors crop up. This is a black and white film, so the key element to a good image is contrast. Thankfully, the contrast here is very good, with no serious flaws to mention. Detail is very high, and no overly dark or light regions can be found. A restoration would enhance the visuals even more, but as it is stands, this is still a more than solid presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
You won’t want to use this to showcase your home theater, but the included audio option is stable, so no real complaints. The materials seem a little dated and the low budget roots can be heard, but on the whole, this is a more than solid effort. Aside from the obvious sound sync errors, which have always been present, there’s no issues to report, as sound effects and dialogue seem in order, I think. This isn’t the crispest track I’ve heard, but it is more than sufficient and never falters much, so no serious complaints. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, should you need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
An audio commentary kicks off the extras, as Charles Busch and author Boze Hadleigh supply their insights. The track is loaded with information, but seems second hand at times, which is unavoidable in this case. This disc also includes an interview with Hadleight, a vintage promotional featurette, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
