Overrated

Absolutely the worst movie.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

The world of the legitimate theatre has always fascinated Hollywood. Whether proceeding from envy or malice or simply the honest desire to take a swipe at the opposition, there can be no doubt that the Holly¬wood view of the theatre is much more satiric, caustic, trenchant - even jaundiced - than Hollywood's view of Hollywood. A Double Life is a typically outstanding entry in this genre. With the aid of superb photography and classy production values (including a meticulous attention to detail), the excitement, atmosphere and grease-paint flavor of back-stage are vividly conveyed.The cast is absolutely marvelous. In the central role, Colman gives an outstandingly sympathetic, utterly believable, overwhelmingly charming performance. It was undoubtedly the most difficult role of his career. To fully describe its range and subtlety would be to give away some of the tension in the ingeniously suspenseful plot - for those who have not yet sweated on the edge of their seats. It is enough to say that Colman paints his richest, most sublime portrait. His Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Award was not only thoroughly justified, but it serves as a vindication of the perspicacity and impartiality of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences's voters. Colman's brilliance is all the more impressive when it is remembered that Cukor's reputation is wholly as a director of women. (In fact Gable had him fired from Gone With The Wind precisely because of this reputation).The supporting players are uniformly excellent, though Shelley Winters and Edmond O'Brien must be singled out for special commendation. Millard Mitchell also contributes a memorable study, and Betsy Blair is allowed to shine in her brief scene. Often forgotten are the players in the plays themselves, ranging from the delightfully escapist Gentleman's Gentleman to the melodically moody Othello - but we hereby praise their efforts too! Technically, A Double Life is a magnificent tour-de-force: Krasner's film noir lighting, Parrish's sharp editing, Harry Horner's appro¬priately seedy sets and Rozsa's schizoid music are mesmerically integrated and controlled by director George Cukor.Peopled with a fascinating gallery of colorful characters, etched against a masterfully observed background, caught up in an enthrallingly bizarre plot, A Double Life is one of the cinema's most gripping entertainments.

says waitress Shelley Winters (Pat) in the funniest line from the film. She's a waitress that has a dalliance with esteemed stage actor Ronald Colman (Anthony). She looks slim in this film but as soon as you recognize her, it's pretty obvious about her fate. The film is about weirdo Colman losing his identity in the roles that he plays and so, of course, his next role is Othello where he gets to murder Desdemona every night. This is pretty obvious stuff.The idea is fine but everything about the film can be anticipated, especially as it is told at such a snail's pace. Boring? Yep. Especially as they throw in huge segments of the actual Shakespearean performance of Othello. I didn't buy a film about the play but this is what you end up watching. You get huge irrelevant sections of the very boring play. The best version of the Othello death scene is done by the cast of Cheers. As this film seems to contain so much footage of the Othello performance, it is aptly relevant to review the Cheers performance as a comparison. Cheers does it way better! There are some nice techniques employed in the film to convey Colman's madness but the story doesn't make any sense at all – from the initial idea of the actor going mad and losing his identity in his role, to the ludicrous relationship he has with ex-wife and fellow actress Signe Hasso (Brita), to the insultingly daft investigation into the killer being caught. The film, unfortunately, just drags even in spite of Whit Bissell turning up in a small role. I recommend you watch the Cheers episode instead of this for a much more realistic and funnier tale of a man being consumed by jealousy and acting out the Othello thing.

Anthony John is an actor whose life is strongly influenced by the characters he plays. When he's playing comedy, he's the most enjoyable person in the world, but when he's playing drama, it's terrible to be around him. That's the reason why his wife Brita divorced him; although she still loves him and works with him, she couldn't stand living with him anymore.As far as noir goes, I don't think this one is very well known. You would think that with George Cukor directing, it would have some sort of resonance, but apparently only in the right circles. Ronald Colman, somehow, never seems to have been as big of an actor as he obviously should have been. He's not one of those household names.At least the DVD comes with an intro by Martin Scorsese to give the film its proper respect, but this is one of those titles that would benefit from a deluxe edition if you were able to find a scholar to talk about it.

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.