What could possibly make a Bette Davis movie better? Two of her, of course. This was the first of two films wherein Bette would play twins. It’s the classic tale of good twin/evil twin with a little bit of a twist. The “good twin” has a bit of a desperate, dark streak, too. Always fun.
Naturally, this is a Warner Brothers film since Warners still owned Bette at that point. It was directed by Curtis Barnhardt, who had his hands-full with his two leading ladies (Bette and Bette) as well as his producer—a newcomer to the producing racket, ALSO Bette Davis. Oh, what fun that set must have been.
"Why am I taller than you?"
Warner Brothers
The film—with music by Max Steiner—is a re-telling of another film of almost the same name (Stolen Life) from 1939. This version stars, in addition to Miss Davis, Glenn Ford, Dane Clark and Walter Brennan. The story concerns twin sisters, Kate and Patricia Bosworth. Kate is a level-headed young lady who spends her days painting and wants to be taken seriously as an artist. Patricia is a wild, party girl who wants to be taken—seriously.
Of course, there’s a man involved—Glenn Ford—who captures the eyes of both young ladies. And, trouble ensues. That’s where it gets interesting. It’s interesting to see Bette wrestle with herself on a boat in the middle of a raging storm. Good times!
"Which one are you?"
Warner Brothers
It’s not the most surprising film, but it is very good. And, certainly, Miss Davis gives it her all—two-fold. Here’s the rather curious trailer for the picture. In typical 1940’s Warner Brothers form, the trailer has nothing to do with the real film. This makes it appear that Bette’s just being naughty and shows no indication of there being twins except for a very vague reference to a shadow that bothers her or some such nonsense. There are also a lot of hyphens. But, don’t let that bother you. It’s definitely a film worth seeing.
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