An awesome movie from the opening frames to closing credits. It deals with a successful stage player , Ronald Colman, but things start to look really bad when he is cast in the role of cursed Othello playing with actress Signe Hasso and whose despair when the character he plays start to seep into his personal life and take over . It leads him to fateful consequences : to commit a grisly crime . But Signe Hasso and Edmond O'Brien soon discover his propensity for violence.
This one was the first of Cukor's string of fruitful collaborations with screenwriters marriage Ruth Gordon, Garson Kanin about a Broadway matinee actor including a grand ending of on-stage retribution. Adding the theatre scenes that are richly and brilliantly observed. Over-the-top interpretations , as Ronald Colman is top-notch, giving a real recital as the the gifted stage actor whose unsettling personality and murderous moods come from performing the lead in Shakespeare's Othello . Colman acting is absolutely fascinating and deservedly won an Academy Award for this difficult character . Shelley Winters' first movie break after a hit on stage , it stars as a blonde buxom , a sultry waitress who is attracted to the married thespian. Along with Signe Hasso, Edmond O'Brien, and other secondaries as Ray Collins , Joe Sawyer, Whit Bissell, Philip Loeb , Millard Mitchell , all of them give excellent interpretations .
It contains an atmospheric and dark cinematography in black and white by great cameraman Milton Krasker . Furthermore, the moody soundtrack garnered aother Oscar for Miklos Rosza .The motion picture was compellingly directed by George Cukor , though it has some flaws . Cukor was one of the best Hollywood filmmakers , shooting a number of successful and classic movies with penchant for melodrama , comedy and musical , such as : David Copperfield , Margarita Gautier , Little Woman , Adam's Ríb , Born Yesterday , The Women , Philadelphia Story , Corn is Green, Dinner at Eight , Gaslight , A Star is Born, Les Girls , Holiday , Heller in Pink Tights , I Should Happen to you , What price Hollywood ? , Woman's Face and this A Double Life . Rating 7/10 . Worthwhile seeing . Essential and indispensable watching for Ronald Colman fans .
