Deadly Duo

Strictly a low-budget programmer, DEADLY DUO is a deadly boring attempt as a detective story involving twin sisters--one good, one bad, naturally. It's full of expository dialog, especially the first half-hour which sets up the entire situation in exposition--then drifts off into the main story with no distinction whatsoever.

Performances are mostly sub-standard--especially MARCIA HENDERSON as the twin sisters (one blonde, one brunette), and especially ROBERT LOWERY, looking a far cry from the young actor whose career began in the 1940s with small roles in big films. CRAIG HILL, as the lawyer on a mission for a wealthy client, gives the only credible performance in the whole film.

The story moves along at a crawl, never establishing any crackling tension or sparkling dialog--and hampered by a poor child performance from PETER OLIPHANT.

Summing up: Dreary to sit through--no tension at all. CRAIG HILL never did go on to full-fledged stardom but fit the requirements for leading man roles.

Smoothly done crime flick. By 1961, 60-minute b&w B-movies were largely a relic of the past. But this little indie with B-movie vets like LeBorg and Lowery show that the skills still survive. So what's the deal with the twin sisters, nice girl Sabena and the vixenish Dara, both played by actress Henderson. They're so alike, yet unalike. Then there's struggling attorney Morgan (Hill) who's hired by rich woman to fly to Acapulco to seal a deal where suddenly widowed Sabena gives up her little son for a half-million dollars. At same time, Morgan will get a fat attorney's fee he badly needs. But once there, Morgan meets Dara and her sinister husband Jay (Lowery) and the charming Sabena. Understandably, widowed Sabena doesn't want to give up son for any money amount even to her mother. However, the grasping Dara and Jay have other plans as they hover in the background. Meanwhile, attorney Morgan's beginning to question the ethics of his mission. Thus tensions rise and we wonder how will things turn out.

Henderson really scores, especially as kittenish Dara. In times past, production would have had to split the screen to get the same performer into the same scene. Here, however, technology has apparently triumphed since no split screens are sealed over by such gimmicks as doors jambs or wall ends. Thus the twins are an excellent effect all to Henderson's thespian advantage. Production also does a good job of inserting stock shots of Acapulco into studio scenery, though I did tire of Morgan driving the same car along the same driveway about ten times over. Anyway, it's a good little B-flick with interesting plot, plausible performances, and smooth directing. So cheapos can still entertain.

Most of this movie takes place in Acapulco. It's not that we don't believe that ... Exactly ...

The sets look for all the world, though, like sets from TV series of the time. And wait! Not that Bette Davis and Olivia De Havilland hadn't done it already. But isn't the good twin/evil twin reminiscent of "I Dream Of Jeannie" and "Bewitched"? The sisters, both played by Marcia Henderson, really don't look alike. Yes, they are the same actress. But the evil sister wears a long platinum wig and presents herself so differently, no one would think them related. Unless, of course, there were constant dialogue commenting on their remarkable similarity of appearance.

Craig Hill plays a California lawyer down on his luck. He is hired to do something moderately dishonorable, down in Mexico. He's not bad. He looks good in a brief bathing suit and he's filmed hat way for quite a bit. He is often filmed (fully clothed) from the back, walking, though. This was unflattering to several major female stars in the 1940s. And it does him no favors.

This is not great film making. It's moderately entertaining. And the cars in it are fantastic! It's not one of those projects in which they all are from the same company. The then-Big Three are all represented; and we get to see some real beauties.

Saw this movie on TV recently; not much to get excited about. The actors seemed charming, especially supporting actor Robert Lowery, who has a resemblance to Clark Gable or Cesar Romero. It seems like the entire movie was shot inside a single Hollywood sound stage. Marcia Henderson, whom I have never heard of, played two characters who were twin sisters: one nice, the other mildly evil. The evil sister's part was overacted to say the least, but perhaps that was what the script called for. The movie took place entirely in Acapulco, Mexico, but it sure could have used a few more Acapulco scenes. i agree with an earlier commenter: what happened to Craig Hill? He had leading-man good looks, but he seems to have disappeared from view after Whirlybirds.

And all that I can remember about it is that it starred Craig Hill (Kenneth Tobey's sidekick in "Whirlybirds") and I believe some of it took place in pre-Castro Cuba (although I could be wrong about that). Great memory, huh? I could swear it was more like 1959 instead of 1962, but in retrospect, what's a coupla years? (lol). I remember Craig Hill as a very attractive leading man-type who got zippo publicity in this country, but just scanning over his IMDb resume he has appeared in an incredible amount of films and TV work. How could someone who was so much in children's' eyes in the 1950's (i.e. Whirlybirds) manage to remain so anonymous, yet appear in so many different projects? Maybe I should write to the guy on Turner Classic Movies (hey, he was just talking about Kenneth Tobey tonight) and ask him.