Prismark10 A Double Life is an enthralling but hammy melodrama. It is regarded as a film noir but I never thought George Cukor was cut out for such type of pulpy film but it does have noirish elements.Tony John (Ronald Colman) is a stage actor who lives his parts. Initially he is charming and urbane because he is presently playing a proper gent in a comedy.His ex wife also an actress Brita (Signe Hasso) mentions how he got so wrapped up in his roles. They fell in love when they appeared in a comedy and got divorced when doing Chekov.When Tony is persuaded to play Othello with Brita as Desdemona things slowly come to a head. The play is a hit but the Moor's jealousy, suspicion and rage start to come to a forefront in his personal life as each night he has to strangle his Desdemona. Tony John and Othello seem to merge as one personalities. He gets carried away with paranoia one night leading to murder.The film does come across as heavy handed but director George Cukor also had a keen sense of making the theatre come alive as the actors step on to the stage with the bright lights blinding them.Ronald Colman won an Oscar as the befuddled actor who is slowly losing his sanity and Shelly Winters is striking as the brassy waitress he picks up.

Leofwine_draca A DOUBLE LIFE tells the simple story of a theatre actor who's losing his mind, which means the lines between reality and fantasy are becoming blurred. Things reach a head with his latest performance in the title role of Othello, as he can no longer distinguish between real life and the events of the play, thus putting the lives of his nearest and dearest in danger.This is a film with a straightforward plot and straightforward characters, which nevertheless works thanks to some great direction from George Cukor. The look here is very much rooted in film noir, all atmospheric shadows and angles, and the suspense follows on naturally from the visuals. The Shakespeare side of the narrative gives this a timeless, undated feel and Ronald Colman's excellent performance is more than enough to keep viewers watching.

piverba Let me just admit it: I am Ronald Colman junkie. I love all his movies. I think the guy got real class. His voice, his quiet confidence, his aristocratic demeanor.Although this film is somewhat literal it does have an interesting message that is perhaps an original one - what does it take to be an actor and not just any actor but a very good one, the best? If you believe in Stanislavski's method of "living the part" this emotional immersion into life of a character an actor plays must be as complete as possible to be able to feel what the character feels in order to communicate your feeling to an audience. If the actor also forced to play this role for many years it is not surprising that the actor's psyche alters, perhaps significantly. Not being an actor myself, I could not even begin to understand how it must make someone feel. This must be especially difficult for theater actors.I think this film considers one such scenario that, if played consistently, could only lead to actor's madness. It got me thinking of dangers of 'role playing' in my individual life, that this role playing is consequential. After all "All the world's a stage ...", is it not?

Claudio Carvalho The successful middle-aged Broadway actor Anthony "Tony" John (Ronald Colman) is a dedicated lonely professional that still loves his former wife Brita (Signe Hasso). They are playing Othello for almost two years and Tony has a breakdown, beginning to lose his mind and sense of reality, confusing his identity with his characters. One night, he meets the waitress Pat Kroll (Shelley Winters) in a distant bar and he spends the night with the easy woman. Then he proposes Brita, who is his best friend, but she refuses to marry him again triggering a jealousy process against their friend Bill (Edmond O'Brien). Tony decides to visit Pat late night and in an insanity process, he lives the situation of Othello killing Desdemona. The police arrest a suspect but Bill wants to prove that Tony is responsible for the murder. Despite the great performance of Ronald Colman, "A Double Life" is an overrated movie with a boring story. First, the situation of a successful actor that loses his identity and blends imagination with reality is hard to believe. Second, Tony's personality and character are very confused and not well-developed; last but not the least, Bill trying to prove that Tony is responsible for the murder is despicable and silly. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "Fatalidade" ("Fatality")