Gavaldón collaborated with his favorite screenwriter, José Revueltas, to create this distinctly Mexican variant on the time-honored Evil Twin plot: this time, it’s the great Dolores del Rio, returning to Mexico from her Hollywood period, who plays the central dual role, as a meek, bespectacled manicurist and her mercenary, man-eating sister. But in this case, envy proves to be a greater sin than avarice. The film was based on an unproduced screenplay commissioned for Bette Davis, who eventually made her version in 1964—Dead Ringer, directed by Paul Henreid. 

This screening is part of the first of three film series that celebrate Mexican cinema and is presented with the generous support of Televisa Foundation-Univision.

Director: Roberto Gavaldón. Cast: Dolores del Rio, Agustín Irusta, Víctor Junco. 1946. 98 min. Mexico. B&W. Spanish. DCP. Screening courtesy of Filmoteca UNAM, the film archive of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

All film screenings of Roberto Gavaldón are available here.