I've been working my way through some of the bigger available titles from the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, and this one was definitely the stand out from all the films I sampled from the 40s. Assuming I'm still around for the next iteration of the 1940s list, I'll definitely find a place for it on my list.the preacher wrote: Film of the decade: The Other One (Roberto Gavaldón, 1946)Both Fernández and Gavaldón signed even better films later (Víctimas del pecado / Macario), but these two are great examples of their talent.This twisted film noir stars Dolores del Río in a dual role as rival twins. Maria is a poor manicurist while Magdalena is the recently widowed wife of a millionaire. Always the “bad girl,” Maria hatches a murderous plan to take her sister’s place,only to discover—upon assuming her sister’s identity—that Magdalena wasn’t quite the “good girl” she made herself out to be. As a woman tormented by inner demons and grappling with the unimaginable truth of her sister’s secrets, del Río turns in a riveting performance on par with Joan Crawford at her melodramatic finest. Assisted by cinematographer Alex Phillips and production designer Gunther Gerszo, Gavaldón transforms the sophisticated spaces of Mexico City’s upper classes into a world of baroque shadows and foreboding. La otra was remade by Hollywood in 1964 as the Bette Davis vehicle Dead Ringers. -UCLA Film Archive
Really excited to see more of Roberto Gavaldón's films, as I've heard nothing but praise for some of his later work.