Stuart Heisler directs with modest effect, with the Southern setting adding a minor degree of atmosphere. Alas, Among the Living sounds a more interesting a film in synopsis – and is usually taken to be by film historians – than it ever is in actuality. The film looms with all manner of possibilities, but fails to use the twins for much, even the expected identity confusion themes. It never gets as dark and twisted as it suggests it might do, or should do. Albert Dekker plays the bad twin with a child-like simplemindedness. It is a melodramatic view of madness, and certainly one that doesn’t hold much in the way of sympathy for the madman or even consider making any effort to redeem him.

The film has a creepy real-life mirroring in its star Frances Farmer subsequently ended up in psychiatric institutions. Similarly, Albert Dekker also died in a bizarre possibly auto-erotic asphyxiation incident. These are real-life stories that must have had something much more interesting than anything that is present here in the film.