Twins & Multiples

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A Complete List of Twins & Multiples in Movies

In This Section

The TwinStuff editors are constantly scouring the web to update our exhaustive list (shown below) of movies with twins or other multiples as main or supporting characters.

The movie list below is divided into types of films and offers brief plot summaries of each movie.

Best Twins Movies

Movie Title

Movie Description

Andy Hardy’s Blonde Trouble (1944)

Andy (Mickey Rooney) meets blonde twins on a train on his way to college. The twins (Lee and Lyn Walker) are played by real-life twins Lee and Lynn Wilde, who starred in a handful of films in the 40’s and 50’s.

Baby Geniuses (1999)

Kathleen Turner and Christopher Lloyd play doctors working for BABYCO, the world’s leading manufacturer of baby products, while also trying to crack the ‘Baby Code,’ the secret language babies use to communicate with each other. Two of the main babies in the film (Witt and Sylvester) are twins played by Canadian triplets Leo, Myles, and Gerry Fitzgerald.

Big Business (1988)

Bette Midler (Sadie) and Lily Tomlin (Rose) play dual roles as each half of a set of twins (the Shelton and Ratliff Twins) born in the same small town hospital on the same day but then separated at birth in this mistaken-identity film directed by Jim Abraham (‘Airplane’).

Big Daddy (1999)

 Six-year-old twin brothers Cole and Dylan Sprouse share the acting duties playing the young boy Julian who Adam Sandler raises in this summer comedy. Cole and Dylan (15 minutes older than Cole) also shared the role of the son Patrick in the TV series Grace Under Fire.

Big Fish (2003)

A young man (Ewan McGregor) unravels the truth and tall tales surrounding his father’s (Albert Finney) life. This 2003 Tim Burton fantasy features a set of conjoined twins, Ping and Jing, who are played by real-life identical twin sisters, Ada and Arlene Tai. The Tai twins have also appeared together in Rush Hour, Ed Wood, Rock Paper Scissors, and Shui Hen.

Doppelte Lottchen, Das (1950)

The original German film is based on the popular children’s book of the same title (by Erich Kästner), in which girls meet at a summer camp without knowing they are twins who were separated at birth. They learn of their bond and then plot to reunite with their divorced parents. Remade several times, most famously in the U.S. as The Parent Trap. It was also remade in Germany in 1993 with the title ‘Charlie and Louise.’ The German films are the only versions in which twins (Jutta and Isa Günther in the original, Floriane and Fritzi Eichhorn in the remake) played the dual roles.

Double Teamed (2002)

This biography flix profiles the world’s tallest female twins, Heidi and Heather Burge. The movie focuses on the Burge’s early high school days (when they were probably just 6’1″ or so and not the 6’5″ they would end up) and stars non-twins, Annie McElwain (‘Seventh Heaven,’ ‘Saved by the Bell’) as Heidi and Poppi Monroe as Heather. It also stars Mackenzie Phillips (‘One Day at a Time) as the Burge’s mom, Mary.

Drillinge au Bord (1959)

A German film starring Heinz Erhardt as identical triplets Eduard, Otto and Heinz stowaways on a free cruise that the youngest triplet wins in a contest.

8 Crazy Nights (2002)

A new holiday animated film released in 2002 starring the voice of Adam Sandler as a man who is given a second chance during Hanukkah. Universally panned, we list it here for its inclusion of twin characters, Whitey and Eleanore Duvall (the fraternal twins are also voiced-over by Sandler).

 

Latest Additions to List (Aug. 15, 2004)

COMEDIES (37 movies listed)
Escape to Witch Mountain(1995)Brad Dourif plays twins (Luther and The Hermit) in this 1995 TV remake of the original 1975 Disney film starring Kim Richards. Dourif’s twins hope to learn the secret of their origin as they flee a millionaire who wants to exploit their mystic powers. Lots of good character actors, including Henry Gibson and Robert Vaughn co-star with Dourif (a veteran actor who has appeared in three Academy-Award winning movies and who is also the voice of Chucky in the Child’s Play movies).
Girl in Every Port, A (1952)This might be a stretch but the plot of this comedy (which features Groucho Marx, William Bendix and Don DeFore) features identical twin horses.
Harry Potter Movies(2001-2004)Forget that Harry Potter kid! We know the real stars of the Harry Potter movies and books are the Weasley Twins, played in the first three installments of the film series by real-life twins, James and Oliver Phelps.
Hot Lead and Cold Feet(1978)British actor Jim Dale plays very opposite twin brothers (one’s a little bit city, the other’s a little bit country to paraphrase Donny and Marie) who are out to claim a family fortune in this Disney western spoof. Movie also stars Don Knotts, Jack Elam, Karen Valentine and Darren McGavin.
Hotel de Love(1997)Australian comedy about fraternal twin brothers who work at a hotel. Aden Young and Simon Bossell play the twin brothers who both covet an old college flame when they meet her 10 years later.
Life is Sweet(1991)Highly-regarded film by Academy Award nominee Mike Leigh about an England East End family. Claire Skinner and Jane Horrocks play twin sisters Natalie and Nicola.
Me, Myself & Irene(2000)Jim Carrey plays the stepfather of fraternal triplets (played by Jerod Mixon, Anthony Anderson, Mongo Brownlee as adults) in this gross-out offering from the Farrelly Brothers, the directors of ‘There’s Something About Mary’, ‘Kingpin’ and ‘Dumb and Dumber’. Except for the triplets, there isn’t too much to recommend about this film…
Merry Mix-Up, A(1957)The Three Stooges extend their acting talents, portraying three sets of triplets who were separated at birth.
Miracle of Morgan’s Creek, The(1944)Classic World War II Comedy directed by Preston Sturges in which small-town girl Trudy Kockenlocker (played by Betty Hutton) gets married to Norval Jones (Eddie Bracken) and then delivers sextuplets. Nominated for Best Original Screenplay.
Multiplicity(1996)Amusing film starring Michael Keaton as a construction worker who undergoes a cloning technique to create duplicates of himself to aid him in the pressures of work and family life. The clones have their own little quirks (as do all multiples…) and tend to lose a little bit in clarity as more are introduced.
New York Minute(2004)Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen continue their transformation from child stars to teenage actresses with this straight to theater release (just their 2nd-ever theatrical release) in which Mary-Kate plays the wilder sister, Roxy, and Ashley plays the good sister, Jane. Also stars Eugene Levy, Andy Richter and Bob Saget in a cameo.
One Crazy Summer(1986)Eclectic cast of John Cusack, Demi Moore, William Hickey and Joe Flaherty in this well-made comedy. Sidekicks in the film include Bobcat Goldthwait and Tom Villiard as the Stork Twins.
Our Relations(1936)A classic Laurel and Hardy film where the comedy team plays dual roles as Stan and Ollie and their long-long twin brothers, Alfie and Bert, sailors who come into town with a valuable pearl ring entrusted to them by a ship captain. Also stars Alan Hale, real-life father to Skipper (Alan Hale Jr.) in Gilligan’s Island.
Palm Beach Story, The(1942)A Preston Sturges screwball comedy in which each romantic lead, played by Claudette Colbette and Joel McCrea, have identical twins.
Parent Trap, The(1961)Classic 1961 Disney film starring Hayley Mills as separated twins who meet at camp and plot to bring their divorced parents back together. Maureen O’Hara plays the mother of one twin while Brian Keith (who would also play the parents of twins in the TV series ‘A Family Affair’) plays the father of the other. The new DVD release of this film explains how Disney filmed many of the “twin” scenes.
Parent Trap, The (remake)(1998)The remake of the 1961 film stars Lindsay Lohan (who does a great job) as the twins Hallie and Annie and also stars Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson as the separated parents. I guess Hollywood still can’t find twin actresses to play the role of the sisters, but at least this one used an acting double (Erin Mackey) for certain scenes.
Quints(2000)A 14-year-old girl (Kimberly Brown) must share her parents’ attentions when they give birth to quintuplets. Don Knotts also stars as the state’s Governor. We think they had five sets of twins, one set of triplets and one set of quads play the quints.
Raising Arizona(1987)Holly Hunter (pregnant with twins in late 2005) and Nicolas Cage play Edwina and H.I. McDonough, a childless couple (“Edwina’s insides were a rocky place where my seed could find no purchase,” says Cage’s character) who decides to kidnap one of furntiure tycoon Nathan Arizon’s quintuplets. This Coen Brothers movie also stars John Goodman, Oscar Winner Frances McDormand (‘Fargo’) and 12 different babies starring as the Quints (including two sets of twins).
Rock-A-Bye Baby(1958)One of the few films out there about triplets–this comedy stars Jerry Lewis as the babysitter for the triplets of a movie star played by Mariyn Maxwell. Connie Stevens and Hans Conreid also star in this comedy written by Frank Tashlin and based on the Preston Sturges screenplay from ‘The Miracles of Morgan’s Creek’.
Sheep Has Five Legs, The(1954)French comedy (Le mouton à cinq pattes) starring Fernandel in multi-character role as both an old wine-growing father and each fifth of his five adult identical quintuplet sons, who have gathered for a family reunion. Nominated for an Academy Award in 1955 for Best Writing.
Slapstick (of Another Kind)(1984)Jerry Lewis and the late Madeline Kahn play parents who find out they each have twins who are aliens from another planet. Lewis hopefully remembers some of his earlier triplet babysitting duties from his 1958 film, ‘Rock-A-Bye Baby’.
Start the Revolution Without Me(1970)A loose parody centering around two sets of identical twins separated at birth during the French Revolution. Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland (who in real life is the father of twins Kiefer and Rachel) play the sets of twins in this Bud Yorkin-directed film.
Steal Big, Steal Little(1995)Real-life twinless twin Andy Garcia plays both roles in this comedy about a twin and his unscrupulous brother. Alan Arkin, Rachel Ticotin and David Ogden Stiers also star.
Stuck on You(2003)A comedy of questionable taste about conjoined twins made by the (non-twin) Farrelly Brothers. Stars Matt Damon (Bob) and Greg Kinnear (Walt) as the conjoined twins as well as cameos by Cher and Meryl Streep. We’ll reserve full judgement until the film hits theaters this Christmas.
Twice Blessed(1945)The Wilde Sisters (‘Andy Hardy’s Blonde Trouble’)return in this film about a pair of twin sisters who are separated as children when their parents divorce. Pre-dates Disney’s ‘The Parent Trap’, which uses basically the same premise. For more on this film, you can visit this page on the Wilde Twins Web Site.
Twice Upon a Time(1953)A remake of the 1950 German film, Das Doppelete Lottchen, in which twin girls meet at a summer camp for the first time and try to reunite their parents. The most well-known version of this story was made in the U.S. a decade later at ‘The Parent Trap’.
Twin Sitters(1994)This movie quite possibly features more sets of twins than any other film in history. Twin brothers Peter and David Paul (body builder twins who’ve appeared in a half-dozen or so films) starred and co-produced this film which features the pair as waiters turned baby sitters for a pair of 10-year-old identical twins (played by twins Christian and Joseph Cousins). Four other sets of multiples are also featured in the movie, the Kim Twins (as the Tiger Twins), the Aleem Twins, Tasha and Sidra Smith as the Aleem’s Wives and the Del Rubio Triplets who play waitresses.
Twins(1988)Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger play fraternal twin brothers Julius and Vincent Benedict. ‘Nuff said (although a good supporting cast does include Kelly Preston, Chloe Webb, and a young David Caruso).
Wonder Man(1945)When a brash young nightclub entertainer is murdered, his ghost urges his studious twin brother to seek revenge. A 1945 movie starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo. Kaye plays the twins, Buzzy Bellew and Edwin Dingle, and the movie also features Natalie Schafer (Mrs. Howell from Gilligan’s Island). Winner of the 1945 Oscar for Best Special Effects.
DRAMAS/ACTION (58 movies listed)
MoviesNotes
Accident, The(1999)A 1999 release by Hong Kong filmmaker Julian Lee featuring conjoined twins who are vying for movie stardom.
Adaptation(2002)Nicolas Cage portrays real-life screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, as well as his fictional twin brother, Donald, in this film mainly about writer’s block. Also stars Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper. Has early Oscar buzz.
Apple, The(1998)Honored film made by 18-year-old Iranian Director, Samira Makhmalbaf, based on a true event, the self-imposed “imprisonment” of a pair of 11-year-old twin girls by their elderly father and blind mother. The real-life twins (the Naderi Sisters) and parents play themselves in this thought-provoking film.
Bad Company(2002)Chris Rock plays twin brothers in this Joel Schumacher-directed action film. One twin is a Harvard-educated CIA agent killed in a training exercise while the other is a street-wise hustler recruited by a CIA operative (Anthony Hopkins) to fill in for his twin. All reviews we’ve ever seen for this film made it sounds like it’s a bad film–for twins or non-twins.
Bride with White Hair, The(1993)Action flick in which a warrior and a comely witch he revived from the dead team up to seek revenge against the evil Siamese twins who are responsible for the corruption of their kingdom.
Brotherly Love(1985)A TV-Movie starring Judd Hirsch (Taxi) as a twin interior designer who suspects his psychopathic twin is trying to kill him. It must be something about the TV series Taxi because at least three former cast members of that series have gone on to play twins in later movies.
Chained for Life(1951)Real-life conjoined twin sisters Violet and Daisy Hilton play conjoined sisters Vivian and Dorothy Hamilton in this rarely-seen crime drama. The “plot” revolves around the murder of Dorthy’s husband after her arranged marriage fails miserably. Interesting if only to see the talented Hilton Sisters sing a few songs.
Change of Place, A(1994)Actress Andrea Roth plays twin sisters Kate “Dominique” and Kim Jameson. It’s a classic twin in trouble being replaced by the good twin plot as the nicey-nicey, studious Kim replaces the drunken and always in trouble model twin sis Dominique who happens to be on assignment in Paris. Rick Springfield and Ian Richardson also star.
City of Lost Children(1995)Highly original fantasy film made by French duo Jeuret & Caro (‘Delicatessen’) about a circus strongman (Ron Perlman) and a little girl who try to save the strongman’s little brother and his dreams from a madman, a clone who is unable to dream on his own. Dominique Pinon plays all the clones in some neat cinematic work. Two women also play conjoined twins, the octopus, in a humorous supporting role.
Corsican Brothers(1941)Douglas Fairbanks Jr. plays the conjoined twins, Lucien and Mario Franchi, who are separated as youngsters. Lucien is raised in the Corsican Mountains as a bandit and Mario grows up in Paris in luxury. Based on the Alexander Dumas novel. Dumas also used twins in the plot for his ‘The Man in the Iron Mask’.
Dark Mirror(1946)Olivia de Havilland plays twin sisters, Terry and Ruth Collins, in the post-World War II mystery about one twin who is accused of a murder that may have actually been committed by her twin sister. Nominated for Best Screenplay in the 1946 Academy Awards. Olivia de Havilland, the 85-year-old, two-time Academy Award-winning actress, is retired and living a quiet life in France these days.
Dark Mirror(1984)Remake of the 1946 psychodrama with real-life mom of twins, Jane Seymour, in a dual role as identical twins who confound the cops when one of them commits a murder.
Dead Ringers(1964)One of two Bette Davis films we know of (see ‘A Stolen Life’, below) in which the actress plays twins. In this film, a murderer finds she has inherited more than she bargained for when she assumes her dead twin’s identity. Davis plays the sisters, Margaret and Edith Phillips. Also stars Karl Malden and Peter Lawford. Not to be confused with the Jeremy Irons film of the same title shown below in our horror section. Later re-made into a TV Movie with Ann Jillian.
Deceptions(1985)Another soapy made-for-TV film you can sometimes catch in reruns on cable… This one stars Stephanie Powers as twin sisters Stephanie and Sabrina who switch roles with the mousy Stephanie taking over for the glamorous Sabrina and vice-versa. An eclectic cast that also features Barry Bostwick, Sam Wanamaker, Brenda Vacarro, Gina Lolabrigida and a young Fairuza Balk as one of the twin’s daughter.
Dominick and Eugene(1988)Tom Hulce and Ray Liotta play twin brothers Dominick and Eugene Luciano. Dominick is the slower of the two brothers and works as a garbageman to help put his brother through medical school. An underrated, moving tearjerker of a film that also stars Jamie Lee Curtis.
Double Impact(1991)Jean Claude Van Damme in one of his dual martial arts experts roles. He plays Alex and Chad, twin brothers separated at birth who reunite in Hong Kong as adults.
Double Trouble(1992)The Paul Twins (David and Peter) play characters on the opposite sides of the law who team up to nail a crime lord. Also stars Roddy McDowall, David Carradine and Steve Kanally.
Echo(1998)A TV-Movie starring Jack Wagner as identical twins, Max & Steven, who are separated as infants after a car crash but who reunite as adults under less than ideal circumstances.
Equal Impact(1995)A Claude Van Damme-less movie about twin karate experts who must kick their way out of danger after one is kidnapped. Two of its stars are twins Joe and Jay Gates playing Dave and Josh Conner. For the longest time, we didn’t know much about Joe and Jay, but thanks to the informative email we received from a twinstuff.com visitor who happened to be in Oregon when they were filming this movie, we now can let you know that Joe and Jay are indeed twins.
Equinox(1992)Matthew Modine handles the twin roles (Henry Petosa and Freddy Ace) in this film directed by Alan Rudolph. The two brothers, separated at birth, meet as adults after having been raised in very different environments.
Gone With the Wind(1939)It’s not one of the major roles but twin brothers do appear in this classic film as actors George Reeves (TV’s Superman) and Fred Crane portray the Tarleton Twins, Brent and Stuart.
House of Yes, The(1998)Parker Posey (a fraternal twin with a twin brother in real-life) plays a twin who is obsessed with both her twin brother as well as with Jackie Onassis. Highly original and provocative film.
I, The Jury(1953)Movie based on the Mickey Spillane novel featuring detective Mike Hammer and in creepy supporting roles, Dran and Tani Seitz as twin sisters Esther and Mary Bellamy. Remade in 1982 with Armanda Assante in the Mike Hammer role and the real-life Harris Twins, Leigh and Lynette, as the Bellamy Twins.
Iron Mask, The(1929)Silent film based on the Alexander Dumas novel. Twin sons are borne to King Louis XIII and the Queen Mother, Anne of Austria. William Bakewell plays the heir to the throne and Gordon Thorpe plays the brother who replaces him and is forced to wear an iron mask.
Killer in the Mirror(1986)Inspired by the Bette Davis thriller “Dead Ringer,” (see above) Ann Jillian plays identical twins: an adultress who murdered her husband; and her estranged sister, who’s charged with the crime.
Kiss Before Dying, A(1991)A woman’s investigation into her twin sister’s apparent suicide leads to startling revelations about her new husband. Suspense film stars Sean Young (as the twins Ellen and Dorothy), Matt Dillon, Max Von Sydow and Diane Ladd. Based on the novel by Ira Levin (who also wrote Rosemary’s Baby, The Stepford Wives and No Time for Sergeants).
Krays, The(1990)The late London real-life gangsters Ronald and Reggie Kray are played by real-life brothers (but not twins) Gary and Martin Kemp. The Kemps were in the band ‘Spandau Ballet’ before embarking on film careers.
Labor of Love: The Arlette Schweitzer Story(1986)A TV-Movie that tells the true-life story of Arlette Schweitzer, who made medical history when she bore the twins of her daughter (who was born without a uterus) after in-vitro fertilization. Stars Ann Jillian as Arlette Scheitzer (who also makes a cameo in the film).
Lies of the Twins(1991)A TV-Movie based on the Joyce Carol Oates novel, ‘Lives of the Twins’ (written under her pen name, Rosamond Smith). Stars Aidan Quinn as twin brothers, James and Jonathan McEwen with one brother terrorizing a patient of his psychologist twin brother. Interesting because it stars real-life twin Isabella Rossellini as the tormented woman.
Lookalike, The(1990)Melissa Gilbert tackles both of the twin’s roles (Gina and Jennifer) in this mystery film about a young woman who finds her lookalike in her hometown. Also stars Diane Ladd and Jason Scott Lee.
Man in the Iron Mask, The(1997)The dreams of teenage girl twins are realized everywhere–it’s double Leo! Twin sons are borne to King Louis XIII and the Queen Mother, Anne of Austria. Leonardi DiCaprio plays both the king’s son and the brother who replaces him and is forced to wear an iron mask.
Man with a Gun(1995)Jennifer Tilly (the non-twin sister of Meg Tilly) plays twins in this thriller about a hit man assigned to kill the woman he loves. Also stars Gary Busey and Robert Loggia.
Maximum Risk(1996)Jean Claude Van Damme in another of his dual martial arts experts roles. He plays a policeman who takes the role of his (unknown) twin brother in a flimsy plot that involves the Russian Mafia.
Mercy Streets(2000)Actor David White plays the twins role, one as a con man trying to go straight and the other brother a popular priest, in this film which also tries to juggle dual themes of religion and urban drama. Also stars Eric Roberts and Stacy Keach.
Midnight Blue(1996)Another mystery film with twins gone bad in the leading role. Actress Annabel Schofeld handles both roles of the sisters (Martine and Georgine) in a plot to steal $5 million dollars.
Million Dollar Babies(1994)A TV-Movie about the exploitation of the Dionne Quintuplets. Stars Beau Bridges as Dr. Dafoe as well as Kate Nelligan. Two sets of triplets (Samantha, Emily and Brooke Gilliland and Erin, Grace and Bonnie Morris-Vanese) play the quints at age 5.
Mirror Images(1991)Twin sisters (both played by actress Delia Sheppard) switch lifestyles with dangerous results. Adult-themed film that features Jeff Conaway (Bobby from TV series ‘Taxi’) in a supporting role. It was also made into a sequel (Mirror Images II in 1994) that features some similar type of identical theme but this time with actress Shannon Whirry handling the sister roles.
Moment of Truth: A Child Too Many(1993)A TV-Movie in which a custody battle ensues when parents will adopt just one of a pair of twins carried by a surrogate mother. Stars Michelle Greene and Stephen Macht as the parents.
My Brother’s Keeper(2004)A film about twins starring twins, directed by a twin and produced by a twin! Centers around the coming-of-age struggles of a pair of 19-year-old twins, Eric and Lou Woods, played primarily by Aaron Ashmore with assistance from his twin, Shawn. Very well made–you can read a more detailed review of this film on this Twinstuff page.
Nell(1994)Powerful drama about an adult twinless twin, Nell, (played movingly by Jodie Foster) who survives on her own in a North Carolina forest after the loss of her twin sister, May, and the death of her mother. A great (but emotionally draining) film about twinless twins.
No Child of Mine(1993)Based on a true story, this 1993 TV-Movie tells the story of a mother of twins who learns that one of her children is suffering from Down’s Syndrome. The mom of the twins (played by a real-life sister of twins, Tracy Nelson) undergoes a custody battle with her mother (Patty Duke) for legal custody of the boy after deciding to place the son with a foster family who cares for children with special needs.
On The Black Hill(1987)We haven’t seen this movie but it sounds interesting. The movie covers an 80-year-period in the lives of Welsh identical twins. The film won an award at the 1988 San Sebastian International Film Festival for director Andrew Grieve.
Ripe(1996)For the adults only…Orphaned twin sisters grow increasingly apart as each explore their sexuality at a local military base. Oh well, that will happen to all twins.
Silent Twins, The(1985)A made-for-Britsh TV film about the real-life exploits of twin sisters, June and Jennifer Gibbons, who were know as the Silent Twins for their unique twins language. Real-life twins, Sharon and Shirley Parker, and Jillian and Juliette Tony, play the Gibbons Twins as adults and children, respectively.
Star Wars Series(1977-2005)This well-loved and extremely popular series of George Lucas-directed films anchors around the (separated at birth) twins, Luke (Mark Hamill) and Leia Skywalker (Carrie Fisher), son and daughter of Anakin Skywalker (Jake Llyod) and Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman). Luke and Leia are introduced in the original Star Wars in 1977 while their parents first show up in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace in 1999. Luke learns from Yoda the Jedi master that he has a twin sister in The Return of the Jedi, released in 1983.
Stolen Life, A(1946)Bette Davis plays a twin who takes her drowned twin’s place as the wife of a man (Glenn Ford) both sisters fought over. Also stars Walter Brennan.
Tainted Blood(1996)A TV-Movie starring Racquel Welch as a writer who uncovers a murder commited by a boy who has a fraternal twin sister. Welch tries to find the adopted twin sister (now an adult) to see if tainted blood runs in the family. Movie also stars Joan Van Ark, Alley Mills and Lewis Arquette (the father of the Arquette acting clan).
Take My Advice: The Ann and Abby Story(1999)A made-for-TV-Movie starring Wendie Malick in the dual roles of famous advice columnists, Dear Abby and Ann Landers. Landers passed away at age 83 in June, 2002 in real-life.
Take Two(1988)A mother on her deathbed tells her son (Grant Goodeve) that she was a surrogate mom 30 years earlier for a millionaire and he has a twin brother. The son goes to Los Angeles to find the twin and share an inheritance. Goodeve takes on both twin roles in a film that also stars Frank Stallone.
Thicker Than Water(1993)When a woman and her unborn baby are hit by a car and killed, her husband tries to rebuild his life. But the woman’s twin sister (Theresa Russell) becomes obsessed with her brother-in-law (Jonathan Pryce) and his new love interest and wrecks havoc, even taking over her dead sister’s identity. And was the car accident really an accident? A spooky mystery that was originally made for TV (A&E Network) and that was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award. The twins (Debbie and Jo) at age 8 are played by real-life twins Kristy and Zoe Graves in the movie.
Third Twin, The(1997)TV adaptation of the Ken Follet novel in which a biologist’s study of twins and genetics leads to a shocking discovery about cloning. Stars Larry Hagman, Hal Holbrook, Kelly McGillis and Marion Ross.
This World, Then The Fireworks(1997)Film Noir starring Billy Zane and Gina Gerson as fraternal brother-sister twins who embark on a life of crime and amorality after witnessing their father kill his mistress 30 years earlier. Also stars Sheryl Lee and Rue McClanahan.
Tom and Thomas(2002)A pair of nine-year-old separated twins learn of each other’s existence while on the run from child smugglers. A little-seen, but well-made film that stars Aaron Johnson as the twins.
Twin Dragons(1999)Another action flick featuring a star (Jackie Chan) playing twin brothers separated at birth and reunited as adults. This could be the same movie that was originally called ‘Shuang long hui’ and released in Hong Kong in 1992? In that one, Chan plays twins called Ma Yau and Die Hard, who are a pianist and mechanic, respectively.
Twin Falls Idaho(1999)Twin brother Michael and Mark Polish premiered this film at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. It stars the twins as the conjonied Falls twins who live in Idaho. Michael directed the film, both brothers co-wrote it. Please visit this page for a more in-depth review of this movie.
Twin Town(1997)Features brothers Julian and Jeremy Lewis (played by real-life brothers Llyr and Rhys Ifans) as sons in a dysfunctional Welsh family. The brothers (who may or may not be twins–we’ve never seen the film) plot revenge on a club owner after their father is injured at work.
Unknown Cyclist, The(1997)The founder of a community center dies from AIDS and a group including his macho twin brother (played by Vincent Spano) rally around his final request, a 450-mile bike-a-thon in which they are to spread his ashes. Actress Lea Thompson plays the gay twin’s ex-wife.
White Comanche(1968)A peace officer settles a quarrel between twins, the offspring of an American Indian mother and a white father. William Shatner plays either one or both of the twins (we’re not sure) in this Spanish film.
Zed & Two Noughts, A(1985)Little-seen film featuring main characters who are zoologists and formerly conjoined twins. Real-life brothers (not twins) Brian and Eric Deacon portray the doctors who get involved with a mysterious woman who drives her car shaped like a swan into the twin’s wives vehicle, killing both of the wives.
HORRORS/SUSPENSE (13 movies listed)
MoviesNotes
Basket Case(1982)Underappreciated horror film centering around a charcter Duane Bradley (played by Kevin VanHentenryck) who has a conjoined parasitic twin, Belial, growing out of his side. The mutant twin has a head, two arms and a hand and scrunched-up spine and is carried around by Duane in a basket. They also made a ‘Basket Case 2’ and a ‘Basket Case 3’. Basket Case 3 features Playboy twin models Carla and Carmen Morrell.
Black Room, The(1935)Classic horror film star Boris Karloff as the evil owner (Gregor) of an estate who lives in fear of a prophecy that he will be killed by his twin brother (Anton–also played by Karloff). One of Karloff’s better film roles.
Dark Half, The(1993)Based on the Stephen King novel and directed by George Romero, this film stars Timothy Hutton as a writer who struggles with his alter ego. But that’s not the twin connection. The film features real-life identical twin sisters, Sarah and Elizabeth Parker, who star as the infant twins, Wendy and William, of Hutton’s real character.
Dead Ringers(1988)Jeremy Irons plays the twin Mantle brothers, gynecologists who share and share alike. A horror film directed by one of the best in the business, David Cronenberg.
Deadly Twins(1985)The Landers Sisters (Judy and Audrey) star as the Mollison Twins (Polly and Ruth).
Jack’s Back(1988)Twin brothers are suspected when a killer begins carving up prostitutes on the 100th anniversary of the Ripper murders. Stars James Spader as the twin brothers and actress Cynthia Gibb (unrelated to the Gibb Twins of ‘Bee Gee’s fame).
Keeper, The(1976)Another spooky film (starring Christopher Lee) featuring twins in a supporting role (as villains, of course). The Biggs twins are played by Jack and Leo Leavy.
Lebensborn(1996)Thriller about brother/sister twins who unknowingly become parts of an Ayran supermacy plot during their freshmen years at college.
Lost Tribe, The(1985)Made in New Zealand, the plot of this film involves an anthropologist by the name of Maxwell Scarry (John Bach) who disappears while studying the lost Hawea tribe in the Fiordland area. His twin brother Edward (also played by Bach) is questioned by police about the murder of a hooker, a crime that may have been committed by his twin. So Edward must find his twin brother to clear his own name.
Other, The(1972)A horror movie based on the Thomas Tryon novel about sadistic twin brothers (well actually one of them isn’t too bad). Interesting cast includes a pre “Three’s Company” John Ritter, along with Victor French, Diana Muldar and Uta Hager. And it stars real-life twin actors Chris and Martin Udvarnoky (in their only film) as the young twins.
Sisters(1973)Suspense film about separated conjoined twin sisters, one of whom is most probably a pyschopathic killer. Directed by Brian Depalma (‘Dressed to Kill’, ‘The Untouchables’, ‘Mission Impossible’). Stars a young Margot Kidder as the twins.
Twins of Evil(1972)A horror film which features the orphaned twin sisters Maria and Frieda Gellhorn who are sent to live with their uncle, the leader of a vigilante group trying to stamp out vampirism. Playboy Playmates of the Month (October, 1970) Mary and Madeleine Collinson play the twin sisters.
X-Files, The (“Eve” Episode)(1993)Originally airing on December 10, 1993, the 10th episode of ‘The X Files’ featured nine-year-old twin sisters Erika (Cindy Reardon) and Sabrina Krievins (Teena Simmons) as separated-at-birth twins who kill their parents in different cities. Available on video in a two-series episode that also includes ‘Fallen Angel’.
MUSICALS (5 movies listed)
MoviesNotes
Brazil(1944)A 1944 movie musical (not the Terry Gilliam film) about a composer/singer who tricks a writer into believing he has a twin.
Here Come the Waves(1944)World War II Pin-Up Betty Hutton stars as twin sisters, Susie and Rosemary, both of whom are being courted by Bing Crosby. The Academy Award-nominated song “Ac-cent-u-ate the Pos-i-tive” is the best-known song from this musical.
Fiesta(1947)A rarely-shown musical about brother-sister twins starring Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban as the siblings who fulfill their father’s wishes by each becoming matadors. But Montalban really wants to be a musician. Cyd Charisse also stars.
Follow That Dream(1962)One of several Elvis Presley films that deal with twins, this musical has Elvis as part of an extended family with twins Eddy and Teddy Bascombe (played by twins Gavin and Robin Koon).
Girls of Roquefort, The(1967)A French film (Les Demoiselles de Rochefort) that stars Catherine Deneuve and Françoise Dorléac as twin sisters, Delphine and Solange, who teach music and dance to children. A romantic farce that also features Gene Kelly and George Chakiris.
DOCUMENTARIES (4 movies listed)
MoviesNotes
Freaks(1932)Tod Browning’s cult classic, about the relationship between a circus midget (Harry Earles) and a trapeze artist (Olga Baclanova). Includes interviews and footage of the Hilton conjoined twins, Daisy and Violet.
Mystery of Twins, The(1999)We haven’t seen this documentary, but Twinspace’s founder, Gilia Angell, calls it “remarkable” and “extraordinary”.
Twin Stories(1997)Three sets of twins tell their stories in this documentary video. Twins profiled included a pair separated at birth, a twin dealing with the loss of his twin, and a twin whose brother is hit by a car and paralyzed.
Unusual Occupations(1942)Short documentary that includes a profile of the Dionne Quintuplets at age 8.
KIDS VIDEOS/OLSEN TWINS (16 movies listed)
MoviesNotes
Billboard Dad(1998)Straight to video feature starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The girls play sisters determined to find a new girlfriend for their single father. 90-minutes, G-rated.
Double, Double, Toil and Trouble(1993)One of Olsen Twins first TV-movies (the cute “twin names” for the films were still available at this point) in which three friends come to the aid of Mary-Kate and Ashley who are out to rescue their kindly aunt from her sister’s evil magic spell.
Getting There(2003)The Olsen Twins turn 16 and decide to attend the Winter Olympics in Utah after getting their driver’s license and a convertible car as a birthday present. Mary-Kate and Ashley play twins Taylor and Kylie in this latest offering.
Holiday in the Sun(2001)Another straight-to-video release by the Olsen Twins; this one is rated PG. In this one, Mary-Kate and Ashley continue their whirlwind tour to the world’s great vacation spots in their latest video offering, spending a holiday in the Bahamas with their parents. They play 15-year-old twin sisters, Alex and Madison, who live it up at the Atlantis Resort. We haven’t seen the film so somebody should let us know if they show the Atlantis’ 5 Twins Restaurant…
How the West Was Fun(1994)Another earlier Olsen Twins vehicle in which Mary-Kate and Ashley help a woman save her dude ranch from developers who would like to turn the property into a theme park. Martin Mull is one of the bad guys, Michele Greene (L.A. Law) is the dude ranch owner.
It Takes Two(1995)The Olsen Twins take on ‘The Parent Trap’ theme with Kirstie Alley and Steve Guttenberg serving in the parent’s roles.
Little Twins, The (#1)(1998)Cartoon subtitled “Tales of Enchantment” and featuring a title song by Carly Simon.
Little Twins, The (#2)(1998)Cartoon subtitled “The Magic of Giving” and featuring a title song by Carly Simon.
Mary-Kate and Ashley: You’re Invited to a Christmas Party(1997)The Olsen Twins celebrate Christmas. 30-minutes, G-rated.
Our Lips Are Sealed(2000)Made for video film released in 2000 in which Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are entering high school but are first forced to enter the FBI Witness Protection Program and finally relocated to Sydney, Australia (wonder if they met up with the Hamm Twins when they were competing in the Olympics?)
Passport to Paris(1999)The twins play boy-crazy 13-year-olds set loose in Paris (they are there visiting their grandfather, the U.S. Ambassador to France). Harmless and fun.
Rugrats: Phil and Lil, Double Trouble(1991)A compilation of four cartoons and three shorts featuring the Rugrat Twins, Phil and Lil. Among our favorite cartoons in the video are ‘Baby Commercial’ and ‘Twin’s Pique’.
Switching Goals(1999)Made-for-TV Movie now available on video in which Mary-Kate and Ashley are complete opposites who bond together on the soccer field.
To Grandmother’s House We Go(1992)TV-Movie starring the Olson Twins as sisters whose trip to their grandmother’s home is sidetracked by bumbling thieves. Rhea Perlman, Cynthia Geary and Jerry Van Dyke also star in this film.
When in Rome(2002)The Olsen Twins world tour moves on to Rome as they play teenage sisters Charli and Lola. In this film, the girls start their summer internship working for the legendary Derek Hanson – the totally cool international tycoon whose empire reaches from airlines to cutting-edge fashion. Another video that Olsen Twins fans should enjoy.
Winning London(2001)The twins travel to London as part of their school’s Model U.N. Team in an International competition. Lots of sight-seeing, summer bubblegum romance and music and fashion that young girls should enjoy.

10 COMMENTS

  1. I’ve looked pretty much everywhere I can think to find a Murder Mystery type movie that I had watched on TV several years back, (perhaps from the 80’s or early to mid 90’s) about a guy who was convicted of a murder or other offense and ended up leading to the Discovery that perhaps 20 or more Identical’s had been produced from the Same Father’s sperm or genetic tissue or sample. The actor perhaps in his early 20’s with Dark hair and seemed to play leading man type roles at the time. Wish I had a name of the guy and thought sure I would find the movie in “This Very Extensive List. Please Help! Thank you so much. Terry

  2. Saw a swashbuckler movie in the sixties. Twins separated at birth. Both had amulets (gold bands) placed on their arms. If one was in pain the other felt it. Cant recall the title or lead (Tony Curtis maybe). Do you maybe know?

  3. Thank you for taking the time to compile such a great list!
    There are some movies on there I’ve never heard of that I can’t wait to check out:)
    I did notice a few movies I’ve seen that weren’t on the list though…such as:
    House of Wax (2005)
    The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
    The House of Usher (2006)
    The Barbarians (1987)
    Think Big (1990)
    I hope this helps make your list even better. Keep up the awesome job!

  4. Looking for a British movie (or made for TV drama?) – a woman has non-identical twins and treats one of them better than the other. Then one day she ends up in the wrong side of town and sees a mother and child, a 10-year-old boy looks just like her favourite son. She does some digging and turns out that one of her twin boys was switched in the hospital with the boy she has been mistakenly raising as her other son. She instinctively knows her own son, which is why she has picked on the changeling. She started to get obsessive about trading the children back; the other woman has no inclination to give up the boy she’s raised. She gets so crazy eventually her husband says he’s divorcing her. She wants to go to court, he tells her good luck getting custody of anyone when the first thing that will come up is she wants to trade away the “son” she’s raised for 10 years.

    It showed on late night TV in Canada a few times, alternating with another movie “Mysterioso” from the same movie company I think.

  5. You forgot a big one: “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991). Any scene where Sarah Connor appears twice in the shot (such as towards the climax of the film) is Linda Hamilton with her identical twin sister, Leslie. Then the psychiatric hospital security guard who has the evil Terminator morph into his doppleganger behind him at the vending machine were played by identical twins Don and Dan Stanton. The Stanton twins also acted together with Robin Williams in “Good Morning Vietnam” (1987) and with Christopher Lee in “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” (1990).

  6. There was a movie that my son enjoyed when he was young (mid 1990’s) about twin brothers from California being sent to work in Yellowstone? It played on either Disney Channel or Nickelodeon. I am trying to remember the name so that I can find the movie for nostalgia movie night.

  7. I saw a twin movie some years back and can’t seem to remember the title.
    It was about two brothers who were evil and had killed their parents with their evil power years ago, but this was not obvious to the viewers in the begining ass their house was really cute and their parents appeared alive until towards the end. They disagreed after one fell inlove with a girl at school. I can’t remember the entire story and will appreciate it if it rings a bell to someone as i’ll really like to watch the film to the end.

  8. Here’s another entry in the name that film game: I think there’s a 1980s movie about twin brothers, who solve various crimes by killing the culprit, slapping hands together at the death and saying in unison, “We’re the problem solvers!”

  9. The White Shadow (1923) tells the tale of two sisters – one virtuous, one vampish – both of whom are played by Betty Compson. Reviews were near unanimous in their praise of Compson’s ability to pull off the difficult task of playing two very different characters.

    In The Wheel of Chance (1928), Richard Barthelmess plays twin brothers, one redheaded, one black haired. It’s no coincidence that these are also the colors of the roulette wheel. Whenever red wins, black must inevitably fail, and so it is for these two fated brothers.

    In The Ordeal of Rosetta (1919), Alice Brady plays an Italian office girl who commits suicide over an unhappy love affair. She is avenged by her twin sister Lola, long since presumed dead in an earthquake.

    Double Alibi (1947), where Herbert Lom plays twin acrobats and murderers. Hired by Ronald Frankau to perform their two-act at Blackpool, the twin-acrobat act is a sensation.

    Lights of Old Broadway (1925), a hilarious double-role comedy featuring Marion Davies, offering her the chance to play the dual roles of twins separated at birth, one destined to be raised in the wealthier enclaves of old money New York, the other in an Irish shantytown. A variety of conflicts are set in motion – gentry versus newcomers, rich versus poor, gas lighting versus electric, sober minded Dutch bankers versus the less-than-sober-minded Irish – all before coming together in exactly the way one would expect this picture to end.

    In the new 2018 book (soon to be a film), The Final Journey to the Center of the Earth by David W. Menefee, maternal twins Lilith and Lorelei cause havoc for ragtag plane crash survivors that discover a lost entrance to their kingdom in Shambala deep down below in Agartha inside our hollow Earth.

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