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.
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.