MOVIES BETTE DAVIS Her embittered It's Two A 'Dead By Fran Jones No one has (as yet) written a role too bizarre for Bette Davis to tackle. The part of a sinister sister in •What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" was only a warm up to the schizophrenic heights Bette reaches in "Dead Ringer" due to open Feb. 5 at the Fox Warfield and El Rancho Drive-In. In her newest Warner Bros. film, Bette plays a dual role: Twin sisters, one poor, the other rich, but each involved in murder, "I've played a dual part before," Miss Davis commented, referring to "A Stolen Life" in which she also played the part of twins. "In that picture, however, the sisters were alike physically and each knew almost everything the other knew. In 'Dead Ringer' the twins have not only lived in separate environments, they have not seen each other for 18 years. "They have different manners, friends and lov- ers. Karl Malden, for example, who is in love with the poor sister, Edith, does not even recognize her as Margaret." AS A TWIN SISTER INVOLVED IN MURDER counterpart sought revenge with a gun of Bette Davis in Ringer' for Murder Why are audiences fas- movie audiences when he cinated by dual roles? lit two cigarettes and Bette believes "it's because handed one to Bette Davis you are portraying an un- during a romantic moment real situation in a real in "Now, Voyager." manner. You make it real, Haller says, "I know and people become caught Bette's face better than I up in the situation and the know my own," which may complexity of the plot. But account for the many excitit is not an easy assign- ing emotional shots of the ment. The player has to famous actress. keep thinking which char- Henreid switched to diacter he is while switching recting after Alfred Hitchback and forth in the same cock had him direct a TV setting." show. He has now directed This change in charac- 40 Hitchcock shows and ters is achieved through many of the macabre mothe medium of trick pho- ments in "Dead Ringer" tography. Bette first por- have that mounting, chilltrayed one sister, changed ing terror ending in a her clothes, and played the Hitchcock" twist. other sister in the same sit- How important is this ting. picture to Bette Davis? "You play your part to "Despite all the roles nothing, actually," the star I've played, work I've done said. "There's no other and thrills and honors I've player reacting to your enjoyed, the success of lines so you try to think 'Dead Ringer' and the reacof the reaction of the other tion to my performance is sister. even though she as important to me now as isn't there." was the outcome of my Two old friends worked first starring part." with Bette in "Dead It is this attitude toward Ringer," her first picture her profession, her ability at Warner Bros. since 1948. to perform complex, dra- They are Ernest Haller, matic roles that may once cinematographer on 16 of again put Bette Davis up Bette's previous pictures for Academy Award honors and Paul Henreid, her for- due to her dual performmer co-star who electrified ance in "Dead Ringer."
