Sisters (1973)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writers:

Brian De Palma (screenplay)
Brian De Palma (story)

Release Date:

27 March 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

What the Devil hath joined together let no man cut asunder.

Plot:

Sibling rivalry begins when orphan twins, raised by nuns, are finally separated after years of togetherness.

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Model | Twin | Game Show | Neighbor

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Margot Kidder	...	Danielle Breton / Dominique Blanchion
Jennifer Salt	...	Grace Collier
Charles Durning	...	Joseph Larch
William Finley	...	Emil Breton (as Bill Finley)
Lisle Wilson	...	Phillip Woode
Barnard Hughes	...	Arthur McLennen
Mary Davenport	...	Mrs. Collier
Dolph Sweet	...	Detective Kelly

Also Known As:

Blood Sisters (UK)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White (flashback sequence) | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (DVD rating) | UK:18 (re-rating) (1986) | Ireland:18 | Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:16 (re-rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | UK:X (original rating) (cut)

Filming Locations:

Alexander Hamilton Apartment Building - 36 Hamilton, Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

During an interview with star Jennifer Salt she was questioned about the meaning of the films strange, open-ended conclusion. Salt admitted that she didn't understand the meaning of the film's bizarre conclusion either.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the woman in the bakery is decorating the cake, she begins writing "Happy Birthday" in block-style capital letters, but when the cake is revealed at the apartment, the writing is in a more cursive style, and only the first letter of each word is capitalized.

Quotes:

Grace Collier: I saw a murder, and I'm going to prove it!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "TCM Underground: Sisters (#1.4)" (2006)

De Palma's first horror film (I believe)

Reporter Grace Collier (Jennifer Salt) witnesses a brutal murder in an apartment across from her. The murderess is Dominiqie Breton (Margot Kidder) who has a twin sister Danielle (also Kidder). Danielle is sweet and kind, Dominique is a psychopath. Danielle and her creepy ex-husband Emil (Bill Finley) cover up the killing but Grace is determined to find the body.

Creepy, violent, very bloody (the first murder is still shocking even by today's standards) and just great. Kidder and Charles Durning (as a detective) give great performances. Salt and Finley are just OK. De Palma's direction is fantastic (as always)--some of the sequences (especially the one employing a split screen) are incredible. Also Bernard Herrmann's score is among one of the best of his career. In terms of horror movie scores, it's right up there with "Psycho" and "Halloween".

A good, gory, satisfying film...one of De Palma's best. Look for Olympia Dukakis as a bakery shop worker.