Among the Living

Released Dec 19, 1941

1h 8m

Mystery & Thriller

List

80%

5 Reviews

Tomatometer

46%

50+ Ratings

Audience Score

Twin brothers, one insane, are brought to a dramatic turn of events when the sane one is accused of murder.

Read More

Read Less

Frank J. Avella

Edge Media Network

For an early Film Noir Southern Gothic tale with a few good scares and mostly solid performances especially Susan Hayward pick up Among the Living.

Rated: B-

Feb 7, 2022

Full Review

Michael Barrett

PopMatters

We count ourselves lucky that Among the Living has finally been unearthed and that it was worth the wait.

Rated: 8/10

Dec 11, 2021

Full Review

Anton Bitel

Grolsch Film Works

while this overt genre playground may accommodate all manner of film references and cliches, Maury and Bustillo quickly lose their way, remembering all the by-numbers slash and dash but forgetting any point that they might have been trying to make.

Aug 29, 2014

Full Review

Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

A heady, political small-town view... served up by Stuart Heisler with a keen sense of down-home expressionistic frenzies

Oct 9, 2011

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

It beautifully touches base with the Frankenstein story.

Rated: B

Jul 19, 2004

Full Review

Read all reviews

nick s

The film was okay, but using the same actor to play both twins was done to death in this era. Personally I just see the same person, so can't immerse myself in the fantasy. To be honest I got bored and didn't make the ending.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/29/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Fantastic little B-movie with a great sense of atmosphere.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Suitably creepy thriller that is well worth watching.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Hard to say exactly what this is. Part early film noir, part horror flick, a little bit Fritz Lang's Fury and M, and a little bit "Of Mice and Men". It would feel more noir if the killer was a Lawrence Tierney-style psycho and not a disturbed manchild. Noir or not (and some scenes certainly are, like the nightclub and the mob hysteria) it's an unusual little movie. A tad rough around the edges... Albert Dekker isn't that hot in his dual lead role, and the script is rather workmanlike. But Susan Hayward has a terrific supporting part and there are some moments of very fine cinematography.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Sharp, tightly paced low budget film is hard to categorize. There are definitely noirish tendencies but it's not a full blown film noir, there are also elements of horror contained within but neither is a horror film. Even as a hybrid of different genres it is very involving and uses it short running time to full effect, actually so effective that it received quite a lot of critical attention in its day for a lower budget release and helped move its leading lady's career forward. Speaking of the leading lady the film is also a study of two stars in flight. Susan Hayward whose full fledged stardom was still a few years away was still definitely on her way up, Frances Farmer, whose part is small, was most definitely on the descent. At one time considered an actress with the brightest of futures this was her second to last picture before descending into a decades long hell of mental illness and involuntary confinement. The real standout though is Albert Dekker in a dual role of very different twin brothers. An excellent character actor who met a grisly end he rarely had the opportunity of the leading role but he takes his chance here and makes the most of it. His body language and vocal inflections makes the two characters recognizably different men and their struggles relatable. Not readily available and hard to find its definitely worth the effort to seek out.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Stuart Heisler

Director

Albert Dekker

John Raden

Susan Hayward

Millie Pickens

Frances Farmer

Elaine Raden

Harry Carey

Dr. Ben Saunders

Gordon Jones

Bill Oakley

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

81%

74%

Ministry of Fear

86%

78%

Sorry, Wrong Number

98%

95%

Rear Window

88%

84%

The Man Who Knew Too Much

92%

93%

Vertigo

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Twin brothers, one insane, are brought to a dramatic turn of events when the sane one is accused of murder.

Director: Stuart Heisler
Screenwriter: Lester Cole, Garrett Fort, Brian Marlow
Distributor: Paramount Pictures, Teakwood Video
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 19, 1941, Wide
Runtime: 1h 8m