La Otra (Roberto Gavaldon, Mexico, 1946)

Few actresses embody an entire national cinema like Mexican superstar Dolores del Rio, who can be sampled twice here in a double role as both a preening, wealthy housewife and her downtrodden, bespectacled sister. “You’ve always been generous with your table scraps,” the latter sneers as the former tosses her some spare gowns after her husband’s “untimely” death. But all twin sisters look alike in furs, and soon sibling jealousy leads to murder. Filmed on locale amid Mexico City’s crowded back streets, bus stops, and Chinatown restaurants, La otra boasts an unmistakable grit, lit with del Rio’s unmistakable radiance.

Part of the Mexican Film Noir series at BAMPFA.

Free gallery admission with same-day film ticket!