Dead Ringer: Movie Review (2008)

Directed by Paul Henreid, ritten by Albert Beich and Oscar Millard from a story by Rian James, 115 minutes.

Bette Davis emasculated men long before it was fashionable.

Near the end of her career, and certainly after her star-turn in “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane,” she became fully aware of how her public wanted to see her. In “The Nanny,” “Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte,” and “Dead Ringer,” she stole the thunder from impersonators and comics alike by turning the tables on them and parodying herself.

The result, of course, was high camp, but it was also good filmmaking. Davis will always be the quintessential star who knew she could say more with a puff of smoke or with a raised eyebrow than any other actress in town.

In 1964’s “Dead Ringer,” we get a double dose of Bette as she plays twin sisters--poor, downtrodden Edie, and stinking rich Maggie--who love to loath one another.

Why? Eighteen years earlier, Maggie tricked Edie’s wealthy boyfriend, Frank, into marrying her and the women haven’t spoken since. But when Edie learns after Frank’s funeral exactly how Maggie tricked Frank, she plots her sister’s murder, kills her with a bullet to the head, takes her place as one of Beverly Hills’ richest mavens, and tries desperately to become the woman she might have been had Frank married her.

It all falls apart on her, but what a great time we have in watching.

This not the first time Davis has played twins; she did before in 1946’s “A Stolen Life.” But here, her over-the-top performance in this good film is side-splitting. Just to see her spar with herself is reason enough to see the film, but if you want a real treat, rent it to hear her sing.

That’s right, Davis sings here (the song she warbles is “Shuffle Off to Buffalo”) and her voice is so bad, she sounds like a blender caught up in a bucket full of yogurt. You find yourself wincing in delight as Davis croons, but also wondering if there is this much timber left in a National Forest.

The best of Davis’ films continue to be re-released on DVD. This one, certainly, is worth your time

Grade: B+



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