When a powerful American business woman (Irene tedrow in a rare major role) decides that she wants custody of her grandchild, she sends attorney Craig Hill down to try to get her mother, Marcia Henderson, to sign over custody with promise of a settlement as long as she never sees the boy again. Henderson has a twin sister (herself) who has come to stay with her after the death of the husband, and the twin begins to plot with her own husband, Robert Lowery, plans to get her sister to sign over the custody then kill her so she'll get the money. But Hill is one step ahead of the evil duo, as is the sister and watching this unfold is a lot of fun.
You don't need Bette Davis times two, or Olivia de Havilland or even Hayley Mills to create Intrigue in a dual role, and Henderson, a young ingenue in the 1950's, is quite good at being both good and bad, although it's easy to really see through the bad sister. She's a blonde, and the good sister's a brunette, and simply because she works as an entertainer, the Mother-in-law she's never met assumes the worst about her. This low budget film noir keeps the viewer intrigued throughout, even though it's obvious that the bad guys will get caught. It's just fun to watch them get over confident in their schemes and then be exposed.
Veteran Lowery looks very sinister from the moment you see him, and Tedrow is definitely a force to be reckoned with, playing a part that you would likely see Judith Anderson or Agnes Moorehead play. Usually Tedrow played secretaries or housekeepers, and sometimes loving relatives, but she's quite good as a woman who needs a lesson in finding out the facts before she makes assumptions. There are also some very good Mexican actors here, and they get very good material, particularly the handsome actor playing the hotel bellhop who is very loyal to the good sister.
You don't need Bette Davis times two, or Olivia de Havilland or even Hayley Mills to create Intrigue in a dual role, and Henderson, a young ingenue in the 1950's, is quite good at being both good and bad, although it's easy to really see through the bad sister. She's a blonde, and the good sister's a brunette, and simply because she works as an entertainer, the Mother-in-law she's never met assumes the worst about her. This low budget film noir keeps the viewer intrigued throughout, even though it's obvious that the bad guys will get caught. It's just fun to watch them get over confident in their schemes and then be exposed.
Veteran Lowery looks very sinister from the moment you see him, and Tedrow is definitely a force to be reckoned with, playing a part that you would likely see Judith Anderson or Agnes Moorehead play. Usually Tedrow played secretaries or housekeepers, and sometimes loving relatives, but she's quite good as a woman who needs a lesson in finding out the facts before she makes assumptions. There are also some very good Mexican actors here, and they get very good material, particularly the handsome actor playing the hotel bellhop who is very loyal to the good sister.