Elliot, a successful gynecologist, works at the same practice as his identical twin, Beverly. Elliot is attracted to many of his patients and has affairs with them. When he inevitably loses interest, he will give the woman over to Beverly, the meeker of the two, without the woman knowing the difference. Beverly falls hard for one of the patients, Claire, but when she inadvertently deceives him, he slips into a state of madness.
Jeremy Irons
Beverly / Elliot Mantle
Geneviève Bujold
Claire Niveau
Heidi von Palleske
Cary
Barbara Gordon
Danuta
Shirley Douglas
Laura
Stephen Lack
Wolleck / Anders Wolleck
Nick Nichols
Leo
Lynne Cormack
Arlene
Damir Andrei
Birchall
Miriam Newhouse
Mrs. Bookman
David Hughes
Superintendent
Richard W. Farrell
Dean of Medicine
Warren Davis
Anatomy Class Supervisor
Marsha Moreau
Raffaella
Denis Akiyama
Pharmacist
Dee McCafferty
Surgeon
Jane Luk
Lecture-Hall Nurse
Jill Hennessy
Mimsy
David Cronenberg
Obstetrician (uncredited)
Bob Bainborough
Mr. Glaser
Jacqueline Hennessy
Escort Twin
Jonathan Haley
Beverly Age 9
Nicholas Haley
Elliot Age 9
Susan Markle
Operating Room Nurse
Murray Cruchley
Assisting Surgeon
Tita Trevisan
Furniture Salesman
David Walden
Director
Liliane Stillwell
Wardrobe Person
Denise McLeod
Art Gallery Lady
Nicholas Rice
MC
Joe Matheson
Sean / Waiter
Hadley Kay
Delivery Boy
Cynthia Eastman
Sobbing Woman
Nora Colpman
Mrs. Randell
Rena Polley
Soap Opera Character
Madeleine Atkinson
Soap Opera Character
John Bayliss
Performance Double
Graham Evans
Picture Double
Alan Gough
Director (uncredited)
Jordan-Patrick Marcantonio
Twin Boy (uncredited)
Julian-Peter Marcantonio
(uncredited)
Greg Van Riel
Man in Reception (uncredited)
Director, Writer
David Cronenberg
Novel
Bari Wood
Novel
Jack Geasland
Writer
Norman Snider
September 26, 2014
9
I've often thought that there should be beauty contests for the insides of bodies.
Dead Ringers is directed by David Cronenberg who also co-adapts the screenplay with Norman Snider from the book "Twins" written by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland. It stars Jeremy Irons and Genevieve Bujold. Music is by Howard Shore and cinematography by Peter Suschitzky.
Identical twin gynaecologists Beverly and Elliott Mantle (Irons) run a high end fertility clinic in the city. Both in tune with each in spite of being different personalities, their world starts to fold inwards when Beverly falls in love with drug dependent actress Claire Niveau (Bujold).
Inspired by the real life story of gynaecologist twins Cyril and Steve Marcus (who were both found dead from suicide brought about by drug addiction), Dead Ringers is an amalgamation of unsettling horror and icy cold playfulness; in other words a perfect canvas for auteur Cronenberg to paint some of his peccadilloes.
Cronenberg doesn't need to be gory, gimmicky or schlocky, he instead utilises the characters on the page to spin a clinical character study. Themes pulsing throughout involve individuality, identity, misogyny, narcissism, eroticism and addiction, all played out in the mystical world of surgery and in-human metaphysics. The tempo never rises above a steady heart beat, rumbling along ominously, until we enter the home straight and the director delivers a devastating yet deeply moving conclusion.
Backed by a stunning dual performance from Irons, and a ballsy one from Bujold, Dead Ringers is a film of genuine greatness and a piece of work that's alive with smart ideas. 8.5/10
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$13,000,000.00
Revenue:
$8,038,508.00