The Other (1972)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Robert Mulligan

Writers:

Tom Tryon (screenplay)
Tom Tryon (novel)

Release Date:

29 September 1972 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

Niles and Holland are as close as twin brothers can be. Appearances can be deceiving... and deadly.

Plot:

Down in the farmcountry of the US two twins are born. One of them turns out to be good, while the other becomes rather evil.

Plot Keywords:

Spanking | Infanticide | Grandmother Grandson Relationship | Dead Children | Pregnant Sister

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Uta Hagen	...	Ada
Diana Muldaur	...	Alexandra
Chris Udvarnoky	...	Niles Perry
Martin Udvarnoky	...	Holland Perry
Norma Connolly	...	Aunt Vee
Victor French	...	Angelini
Loretta Leversee	...	Winnie
Lou Frizzell	...	Uncle George
Portia Nelson	...	Mrs. Rowe
Jenny Sullivan	...	Torrie
John Ritter	...	Rider
Jack Collins	...	Mr. P.C. Pretty
Ed Bakey	...	Chan-yu
Clarence Crow	...	Russell
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bob Melvin	...	Sideshow Man (uncredited)
Carolyn Stellar	...	Woman In The Mirror (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Mulligan

Writing credits
Tom Tryon		(screenplay) (as Thomas Tryon)
Tom Tryon		(novel "The Other") (as Thomas Tryon)

Produced by
Don Kranze	....	associate producer
Robert Mulligan	....	producer
Tom Tryon	....	executive producer (as Thomas Tryon)

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Robert Surtees		(director of photography) (as Robert L. Surtees)

Film Editing by
Folmar Blangsted
O. Nicholas Brown

Production Design by
Albert Brenner

Set Decoration by
Ruby R. Levitt		(as Ruby Levitt)

Costume Design by
Joanne Haas
Thomas Welsh		(as Tommy Welsh)

Makeup Department
Joe DiBella	....	makeup artist
Dorothy White	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bert Gold	....	assistant director
Don Kranze	....	assistant director
Mark Sandrich Jr.	....	assistant director (as Mark Sandrich)

Art Department
Ward Preston	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Don J. Bassman	....	sound (as Don Bassman)
Jack Solomon	....	sound

Music Department
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator

Production Companies

• Benchmark
• Rem
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1972) (USA) (theatrical)
• CBS Television (1975) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• CBS/Fox (video)

Runtime:

108 min | 100 min (FMC Library Print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:12 (DVD rating) | UK:X (original rating) | France:-16 | USA:PG (Approved No. 23156) | Finland:K-18 | Germany:16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Murphys, California, USA

Company:

Benchmark

Trivia:

In post-production, editing done to the film caused over half of Jerry Goldsmith's music to be left out. The soundtrack was finally available in 1997 along with The Mephisto Waltz (1971).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Holland laughs as he leaves the room with the hydrocephalic baby, but his mouth doesn't move.

Quotes:

Niles: What's the last thing you'd like to see before you die?
Holland: The LAST thing?
Niles: I mean, if there was one very last thing you could wish to see before you die, what would it be?
Holland: Listen, if I was dying, I'd be too busy doing just that. And so would you!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Good Son (1993)

A great, great horror film

As someone has already mentioned, this is the kind of film no one talks about but never forgets. A VERY creepy tale of two twins--one good, the other evil--and what happens one summer.

The setting is beautiful (1920s Midwest), the acting is superb (especially those creepy twins) and there is a real shocking twist halfway through. Also there are a few death scenes in the movie all done with no blood or gore, but they're among the scariest I've ever seen. I'll NEVER forget the shot of someone falling down a well or the father falling down a ladder and landing headfirst on a cement floor. It also ends on a very ambiguous note--the book is clearer.

This is not a horror film that leaps out at you--the scares in it are quiet ones. An unique and excellent psychological horror film--DO NOT MISS IT!!!