Dead Ringer (1964 film)

Dead Ringer, also known as Who is Buried in my Grave? is a 1964 thriller film made by Warner Bros. It was directed by Paul Henreid from a screenplay by Oscar Millard and Albert Beich from the story La Otra by Rian James. The music score was by Andr Previn and the cinematography by Ernest Haller. The film stars Bette Davis, Karl Malden and Peter Lawford with Philip Carey, Jean Hagen, George Macready, Estelle Winwood, George Chandler and Cyril Delevanti.

At the funeral of her husband Frank, wealthy widow Margaret DeLorca Bette Davis, meets up with her identical twin sister, dowdy and downbeat Edith Phillips also played by Davis, from whom she has been estranged foryears. The two return to DeLorcas opulent mansion, where they argue about their falling out over Margarets marriage to DeLorca, who originally courted Edith but had an affair with Margaret. Margaret had forced Frank to marry her by telling him she was pregnant with his child. However, Edith finds out from Margarets chauffeur George Chandler that the couple were childless, and becomes resentful, realising how Margaret had trapped Frank into marriage. While Margaret now enjoys a life of ease and wealth, Edith is struggling financially her business, a cocktail lounge, is losing money and she is threatened with eviction for not paying her bills.Later the same day, which is also the sisters birthday, Edith rings Margaret and orders her to come over. Earlier in the evening, Edith had seen her boyfriend, police sergeant Jim Hobson Karl Malden, when he gave her an expensive wrist watch as a birthday present, but was hurt and puzzled because she didnt want to spend the evening with him. She had hurried him away in order to make preparations before Margarets arrival, particularly altering her hairdo to the bob and bangs style Margaret has. When Margaret arrives, she admits there never really was a pregnancy, and Edith shoots her in the head. Jim, feeling uneasy, comes back just after the murder but hears what he assumes is the two sisters singing and joking together, and doesnt go up the stairs to check. What he has actually heard is Edith, aware of Jims presence, pretending to talk to her sister as she exchanges their clothes and jewellery and sets the corpse up to look like a suicide. She has a pang of regret at having to take off the watch Jim gave her in order to put it on Margarets wrist not only is she having to part with his gift, but it signifies that

Source: Wikipedia