Film Review: Dead Ringers, Based on Novel by Jack Geasland, Directed by David Cronenberg

The film "Dead Ringers" was released in 1998. The movie is psychologically horrifying flick, starring Jeremy Irons, playing identical twin gynecologists. The starring role was originally offered to Robert DeNiro and William Hurt, but they turned the roles down. Robert DeNiro felt uncomfortable playing a gynecologist and William Hurt was unsure as to whether or not he could play twins. The film was inspired by true life events of Stewart and Cyril Marcus, two gynecologists in Manhattan, New York. From that account, a novel ensued by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland entitled "Twins." The screenplay was co-written by Norman Snider and David Cronenberg. This film could have only been directed by none other than David Cronenberg.

David Cronenberg is the ideal person to write and direct "Dead Ringers" with its leaning to and for the absurdly macabre. This film is a grim and ghastly tale of two aspiring, talented and successful gynecologist gone awry. Watch these two physicians engage in their representation of the ever-present and universal power of death, as they move to the same cords of what is known in English literature as the Dance of Death.

This Dance of Death is done by the main stars Elliott and Beverly Mantle, played by Jeremy Irons. Elliot is the more aggressive, selfish and self-confident while Beverly is more effeminate, considerate and unassuming. They have their own private practice known as the Mantle clinic. Elliott enjoys seducing his clients, and passes those he considers above par onto his brother, Beverly. However, the women are unaware of the substitution, bait and switch.

The conflict arises when Beverly falls in love with actress Claire Niveau, played by Genevieve Bujold. The twins become interested in Claire upon gynecological examination when physicians realize she is a trifurcate. A trifurcate is an abnormality in the reproductive system consisting of three doorways into the uterus. Claire upsets the equilibrium balance and pattern historically established between the twins. Beverly is stimulated and tells Claire that her condition is "fabulously rare."

Claire introduces Beverly into the world of drug abuse. Not only does Beverly take to Claire, but he also enjoys all sorts of prescription drugs. Claire leaves for ten weeks, and Beverly spirals down into the abyss of drug abuse, depression and delusions regarding "mutant woman" with abnormalities within female reproductive organs. To fix the abnormalities, Beverly draws a new set of gynecological instruments, has them made by a local artist, and commences to perform operations on women using those Cronenberg fashioned surgical tools. Could those new surgical tools be indicative of a disturbed mind?

Dead Ringers is a maverick, hard to believe film, but based on a true story. This Cronenberg movie is filmed in Toronto, Canada, and is considered in the top ten of all Canadian Films.