The Dark Mirror (1946)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Robert Siodmak

Writers:

Nunnally Johnson (written by)
Vladimir Pozner (story)

Release Date:

18 October 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Film-Noir | Thriller

Plot:

A woman suspected of murdering her doctor boyfriend has an identical twin sister. When both twins have an alibi for the night of the murder...

Plot Keywords:

Twins | Murder | Alibi | Doctor | Detective

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Olivia de Havilland	...	Terry / Ruth Collins
Lew Ayres	...	Dr. Scott Elliott
Thomas Mitchell	...	Lt. Stevenson
Richard Long	...	Rusty
Charles Evans	...	Dist. Atty. Girard
Garry Owen	...	Franklin (as Gary Owen)
Lela Bliss	...	Mrs. Didriksen
Lester Allen	...	George Benson

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #11620, General Audience)

Company:

International Pictures (I)

Movie Connections:

Remade as Dark Mirror (1984) (TV)

Brisk noir-style mystery benefits from De Havilland's Performance in Dual Role...

'The Dark Mirror' is a brisk, supercharged 85 minutes, a taut psychological suspense tale directed by Robert Siodmak (who did 'The Spiral Staircase' and 'The Killers'). It stars Olivia de Havilland in a fascinating dual role as Ruth and Terry Collins, sisters involved in the murder of a doctor they were both dating. When good sister Ruth gives her bad twin an alibi, detective Thomas Mitchell asks psychiatrist Lew Ayres to determine which twin could be the killer, based on their differing personalities. Of course he falls in love with the good twin and solves the case in an effective ending which gives de Havilland the chance to do some real emoting. A clever scene has the bad twin pretending to be the good one in a serious talk with doctor Ayres in which he reveals what makes the psycho sister tick. It's a double-layered cat-and-mouse scene in which he is really talking about her (not her sister) and de Havilland's reactions are fascinating to watch. Thomas Mitchell is excellent as a relentless but befuddled detective unhappy with the game the sisters are playing. Richard Long has a small role as an admirer of one of the twins--or is it both of them? Bit roles are well played with occasional flashes of humor and the whole thing moves swiftly

under Siodmak's tight direction. Summing up: two Olivia de Havilland's are better than one!

By the way, 1946 was a strong year for de Havilland. After being off the screen for more than two years due to legal action against Warner Bros., she suddenly had four films in release: DEVOTION (as Charlotte Bronte), THE WELL GROOMED BRIDE, TO EACH HIS OWN and THE DARK MIRROR, entering a four-year period climaxed at the end of the decade by THE SNAKE PIT and THE HEIRESS--and two Oscars.