Death’s Double Cross was the second tale published in
Crime SuspenStories #1.
Although
this isn’t Wally Wood’s finest work, he and Al Feldstein achieved a tantalizing
story filled with paranoia and murder.
Told from Ruth’s point of view, we learn she’s
no longer happy with her marriage.
Even though
her husband John provides financial security, she’d rather be with the love of
her life – John’s adventurous identical twin brother Ronnie.
Since Ronnie and Ruth have mutual feelings
for each other, they agree to kill John so they can finally be together and
attain his wealth.
Weeks after John’s “mysterious” drowning, Ronnie marries Ruth
and their relationship is filled with hot dates and joyful bliss.
But as time goes by, Ronnie drifts away from being
his fun-loving self.
However, it’s not
the lack of affection that keeps Ruth awake each night - Instead, it’s the occasional
and “accidental” bank vault falling from the sky! Has Ronnie grown to be just
as boring as John?
Or did the wrong twin
drown?
So it’s fairly obvious this story can be paired with a movie
showcasing twins.
However, let’s up the
ante and not feature just twins, but Siamese twins!
In Brian DePalma’s SISTERS (1972), Grace
(Jennifer Salt) is a smalltime reporter who witnesses a murder from the apartment across the street.
Grace sends
authorities to the crimescene, but the door isn’t welcomed by a crazy woman –
Instead they’re greeted by the delightful actress Danielle (Margo Kidder).
The police search the apartment but find no
evidence of a dead body.
Since Grace's reporter instincts cannot
drop the case, she ultimately discovers Danielle’s dirty little secret:
Danielle was surgically detached from her Siamese
twin sister Dominique.
Even though Dominique
died at the operating table, is she somehow still causing trouble for the
lovely Danielle?
DePalma really cuts his teeth with SISTERS.
He films an extended split screen sequence that could be one of his greatest:
In one panel we see
Grace leading authorities to the crime scene.
In the other, we see Danielle trying to hide any evidence of a dead
body.
This simultaneous action brings so
much suspense, we’re not sure if we should be rooting for Grace or
Danielle.
Along with the visual tension, DePalma brings a sense of
paranoia.
Since Danielle is no longer affixed
to Dominique, her equilibrium has been lost.
Danielle compensates for this deficiency in a Jekyll and Hyde manner.
Especially in times of intimacy, the innocent
Danielle is easily switched into the jealous and murderous Dominique.
Even though Danielle constantly fears
transformation, these violent outbursts are necessary in order to maintain
inner balance.
In the EC Comics tale, paranoia
is still prevalent, but it manifests from a different perspective.
It’s not the twins who live with distrust,
but Ruth, the Femme Fatale who helped scheme the murder of John.
However, it’s not her conscience that keeps Ruth
living in dread.
Instead she’s terrified
of being murdered herself since she’s uncertain if the wrong twin emerged from
the bottom of the lake.
