De Havilland's finest hour, thanks to her underplayed escape from the butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth moments that flawed some of her finest performances. Here she tackles two roles: identical twins. One is loving and compassionate, the other a calculating killer. After one sister's
suitor is found dead, police detective Mitchell rounds up witnesses who pin the blame on good twin Ruth, although she has a concrete alibi. Witnesses, however, cannot tell one twin from the other so psychologist Ayres is brought in to analyze the two women. When both twins fall in love with Ayres,
his job becomes even more difficult, personal, and dangerous.
De Havilland is absolutely riveting in her roles--roles which are enriched by special effects wizards J. Devereaux Jennings and Paul Lerpae, whose split-screen technique allows for intimate scenes wherein the actress plays opposite herself. Siodmak's attention to detail creates a mood of
psychological disturbance and dark suspense evident from the word go (there's a dynamite opening scene), and typical of the postwar fascination with mental illness. leave a comment
