deewitt
Joined Jun 2005
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deewitt's rating
Olivia de Havilland as an insanely jealous, manipulative, cold-blooded killer? If that's too much to take, you're sure to be more comfortable with her as the kind, warm-hearted, and trusting identical twin.
That's the appeal of "The Dark Mirror," and it succeeds admirably. Olivia is Terry and Olivia is Ruth, in some of the most seamless "trick" photography of the 1940s. Two scenes in particular, in which one Olivia puts her arms around the other Olivia to comfort her, are truly startling. You can't help but ask yourself, "How did they do it?"
This is a fast-moving film noir, directed by Robert Siodmak, and what makes it so interesting is that Olivia truly appears to be two different women. One is suspected of murder, and even though you quickly know which one it is, the suspense comes from the interaction between them. Watch for an eerie bedroom scene that's actually quite chilling, in which the vicious sister tries to drive her twin to the brink of madness.
Ms. de Havilland never played such a ruthless character again until many years later in "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte." She should have done it more often. She's awesome!
That's the appeal of "The Dark Mirror," and it succeeds admirably. Olivia is Terry and Olivia is Ruth, in some of the most seamless "trick" photography of the 1940s. Two scenes in particular, in which one Olivia puts her arms around the other Olivia to comfort her, are truly startling. You can't help but ask yourself, "How did they do it?"
This is a fast-moving film noir, directed by Robert Siodmak, and what makes it so interesting is that Olivia truly appears to be two different women. One is suspected of murder, and even though you quickly know which one it is, the suspense comes from the interaction between them. Watch for an eerie bedroom scene that's actually quite chilling, in which the vicious sister tries to drive her twin to the brink of madness.
Ms. de Havilland never played such a ruthless character again until many years later in "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte." She should have done it more often. She's awesome!
I saw this movie for the first time on TCM, interested because of the pairing of Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. It's really boring, with a silly, unbelievable plot.
Worse than that, Grant looks and act in such a peculiar manner. He appears to be bone-thin, with his suits just hanging on him. And his expressions and body language border on the effeminate in some sequences. This is not the dashing, debonair, sophisticated Cary Grant we've all become accustomed to seeing in so many movies over the years.
Kerr has a brief drunk scene that is unusual for her screen persona. Aside from that, there's not much to her character that can save this dreary flick.
The one thing worth noting is the movie's benign portrayal of Islamic rulers. Was it really like that 50 years ago, or were we just too ignorant to know any better?
Worse than that, Grant looks and act in such a peculiar manner. He appears to be bone-thin, with his suits just hanging on him. And his expressions and body language border on the effeminate in some sequences. This is not the dashing, debonair, sophisticated Cary Grant we've all become accustomed to seeing in so many movies over the years.
Kerr has a brief drunk scene that is unusual for her screen persona. Aside from that, there's not much to her character that can save this dreary flick.
The one thing worth noting is the movie's benign portrayal of Islamic rulers. Was it really like that 50 years ago, or were we just too ignorant to know any better?
...but who cares? Watch it to see how the versatile, hard-working stars at Warner Bros. could turn a pedestrian plot into a breezy, lighthearted, song-and-dance treat.
MGM may have been the king of the genre and Fox certainly had its share of toe-tapping performers, but there's something about those old black-and-white Warner Bros. musicals that continue to entertain me. From the 1930s up to the 1950s, they always had a gritty, plain- talking quality that made them very different from what the other studios offered.
What a pleasure to watch James Cagney, Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Gene Nelson, and the saucy Virginia Mayo (who never got enough credit during her career) light up the screen with their remarkable talents.
Yes, the story doesn't make sense and most of the tunes are uninspired but I'll still give it an 8 for fun.
MGM may have been the king of the genre and Fox certainly had its share of toe-tapping performers, but there's something about those old black-and-white Warner Bros. musicals that continue to entertain me. From the 1930s up to the 1950s, they always had a gritty, plain- talking quality that made them very different from what the other studios offered.
What a pleasure to watch James Cagney, Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Gene Nelson, and the saucy Virginia Mayo (who never got enough credit during her career) light up the screen with their remarkable talents.
Yes, the story doesn't make sense and most of the tunes are uninspired but I'll still give it an 8 for fun.