A Double Life

I first saw Ronald Colman in the 1937 film "Lost Horizon" and I was immediately impressed with his acting ability, primarily his use of subtlety and gesture. His type of acting is extremely rare by todays standards, where the stories are more likely to contain rapid, complex camera shots and special effects to propel the plot. But back in the Silver Screen era it was all about a tight script and excellent acting. That is what we have here, with a particularly potent performance given by the star Ronald Colman. His performance garnered the 1947 Oscar for Best Actor, and many said it was a long time coming. The story is about a stage actor content to play comic leads when he is offered the lead role in Shakespear's "Othello." He is reluctant to play the part due to a subconcious realization that his roles eventually seep into his real life, becoming an actual part of his character. When considering the lead in "Othello" this cannot be a good thing. Tragedy is an eventuality. The highlights in the film, for me, were the scenes from the play on stage. Ronald Colman loses hiself in the character completely both on and off the stage and is ultimately very believable and creepy. There are the occasional conventional plot devices common to the era used to wrap things up neatly, but overall this is a forgotten gem of a film from acclaimed director George Cukor. Once the begining credits unfolded and that director's name was shown I knew this was going to be at the very least, acceptable; at best, exceptional. This film falls nicely between those two possibilities, with a terrific lead performance from Ronald Colman. Thank you.

Director George Cukor strips away the glitter and tinsel of Broadway in the 1947 psychological thriller A DOUBLE LIFE, starring Ronald Colman in the role which finally netted him an Academy Award.Acclaimed stage actor Anthony John (Ronald Colman) takes up the role he has been dreaming of for years - Shakespeare's diabolical Othello. Co-starring with his ex-wife Brita (Signe Hasso) as Desdemona, Tony's role starts to take a serious toll on his mental state as the show runs to audience and critical acclaim for many, many months. Finally, his nerves as brittle as the Bard's dialogue, Tony snaps and kills pretty waitress Pat (Shelley Winters) using his Othello "kiss of death" strangle-hold.Featuring a sharp script from Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin, A DOUBLE LIFE was the film that first established Shelley Winters as a promising new star; and while she only features in two relatively brief sequences, her character is the key to Ronald Colman's most amazing acting scene in the entire film. Gorgeous Swedish actress Signe Hasso lights up the screen as Brita and has a lovely chemistry with Colman. Edmond O'Brien co-stars as the publicity agent who suspects Tony of murder; also keep your eyes peeled for a young Betsy Blair.The DVD from Artisan/Republic Pictures features a print that has been independently restored by the UCLA Archive. While quite serviceable, it does exhibit some telecine wobble and other age-related print damage problems. I'd love to see Universal release this title with some bonus features and a comprehensive restoration job, but somehow I doubt it will ever happen. A real pity, because this is one of the all-time best from George Cukor.

Here's a memorable Oscar-winning performance from one of Hollywood's finest actor's, Ronald Colman, in a story of jealousy, madness and revenge. In a role that was originally intended for Cary Grant, Colman is excellent as Anthony John, a celebrated off-Broadway actor who blurs the line between his character, Othello, and reality when he starts acting on the murderous impulses of his character. As a psychological melodrama, "A Double Life" undoubtedly stands out as a success.George Kukor's direction is exemplary as he successfully juxtaposes Tony John's real jealousy over his ex-wife's relationship with Edmond O'Brien, while mirroring the wracked emotions and madness of Shakespeare's protagonist.Colman convincingly protrays Tony John's progressive dementia from the get-go the minute he is offered the part soon after the opening credits roll. For an actor used to playing debonair and swashbuckling heroes in the 30's this role must have been a challenge for Colman, but a welcome one. He brings a nervous intensity to the character of Tony John that is never melodramatic but is realistically portrayed.Co-written by the talented actress, Ruth Gordon (Harold & Maude), "A Double Life" showcases an impressive cast including Shelley Winters (in her first professional role), Ray Collins, and Signe Hasso.The score by Miklos Rozsa, as well as the screenplay by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin, are both as memorable as the performances in this remarkable film. This DVD's transfer is markedly clean and lovingly restored from the original film negative and presented in the original 1.33:1 format in which the the film was initially shot.

To act is to take on the personality of your subject. To be a brilliant actor, one must identify with the soul of the subject by finding a commonality within oneself and exploit it to the fullest. Anthony John is a brilliant actor who's been given an opportunity to play Othello, a dark brooding role, but is troubled by the idea. His ex-wife Rita explains: "We were engaged doing Oscar Wilde, broke it off doing O'Neill, married doing Kaufman and Hart, and divorced doing Chekov." For Anthony acting is all consuming. Othello will bring out the best in Anthony the actor, but in order to achieve this level of perfection he must release a demon within himself - jealous rage. Once released, will he be able to put it back? Ronald Colman gives a riviting performance as Anthony John. Ruth Gordon wrote the screenplay.

it was confusing and didn’t make much sense.

Very fast delivery, real good condition, good price, too !

The McGuffin is a nice one - actor has a tendency to transform himself into the roles he plays which is fine when he playing some gay blade who chases the ladies - is he a darling or worm? - but disaster when he takes on Othello. One has a little difficulty in seeing Colman as a potential Othello anyway but he is, as always, unquestionably a star and Shelley Winters is good as the common bit he has an affair with, a role she played a lot in her early years in Hollywood. Signe Hasso as the hapless Desdemona makes little impression now but she did at the time. Colman got an Oscar which says all one needs to say about them - he have far better performances in many other films, but this role is a bit like the roles the women often get their Oscars for - making themselves look plain, wearing false noses and the like.

excellent

Fine film