a double life have develop a mystique among film fan for two reason represent the plot idea of an actor get so wrap up into a role ( here othello ) a to pick up the great flaw of that character and put it into his life while and that this be the film that win ronald colman the academy award ( as well a the golden globe ) a best actor . let take the second point first . be anthony john colman great role and or even his signature role . i have my doubt on either level but it be among his best know role . most of his career and ronald colman play decent gentleman and frequently in dangerous or atypical situation . he be bulldog drummond ( clean up in the goldwyn production not to be an arrogant racist ) fighting crime . he be raffle and the great cricket player and even great burglar and try to pull off his best burglary to save a friend honor . he be robert conway and the great imperial political figure and who be kidnap and bring to that paradise on earth and shangri la . he be dick heldar and manfully go to his death after he learn his masterpiece have be destroy and know he be now blind and useless a an artist . i can add sidney carton and rudolf rassendyll to this list . but here he be not heroic . in fact he be unconsciously villainous he murder one person and nearly kill two others . it do not matter that he be obviously mentally ill his behavior here be anti social . to me colman should have get the oscar for heldar and or carton and or conway all more typical of his act role . but the academy have a long tradition of pick atypical role for award it treasure to it lead member . colman anthony john be a very good performance and and at one point truly scary . when alone with signe hasso in her home and she at the top of a staircase and him at the base and they have an argument . she demand that tony leave and say she would not see him . he star at her and his face oddly harden in a way he never use before and and he say and oh and no you would not . he start move upstairs and frighten hasso and and she run into her room . he stop himself and leave . it actually be the real highpoint of his performance even more than his assaulting of hasso on stage and or of edmond obrien and or his killing of shelley winter . it show his blind fury . for that moment it be ( to me ) an oscar worthy performance . but it be only that moment . i be glad he be recognize for the role and but he should have get the award for a more consistent performance . his actual performance in the shakespearian role of othello be not great and but bearable . too frequently he let the dialog roll off his tongue in a kind of forced singing style ( one wonder if that be due to the coaching of walter hampden and who probably know how to handle the role properly and or a reaction to it ) . nowadays othello be play by an african american actor more frequently than a white one . paul robeson brilliant performance in the role set that new tradition firmly into place . but the three best know movie performance of the part be those of colman and orson welles in his movie of othello and and laurence olivier in his movie of his play production of othello . all three white actor do the role in black face . my personal favorite of the three be welles and who seem the most subtle . but even watch welles fine film version make me angry that robeson never get to put his performance ( with jose ferrer a iago ) on film . now the first question can an actor get that wrap up in a role . i hear different thing about this . some actor have admit take a role home with them from the theater or movie set . others have find a role they have to be stimulate and influence them on a new cause of action regard their life or some aspect of life . but actually i have never hear of anyone who turn homicidal a the result of a role . it seem a melodramatic and hackneyed idea . a a matter of fact it be not a new idea in 1947 with cukor and kanin and and gordon . in 1944 a b feature and the brighton strangler and star john loder and have use a similar plot about an actor who be play an infamous jack the ripper type and and who start commit those type of killing after an accident affect his mind . there be an early movie in the 1930s and in which an actor play othello get jealous of his wife ( i think the title be men be not god and but i be not sure ) . but due to colman name and career and and cukor directing and it be a double life that people think of when they recall this plot idea . it even reach comedy ( finally ) on an episode of cheer and where diane chamber be help an ex convict who may have act talent and and they put on othello at the bar and just after he see her with sam malone kissing . only diane be aware of the personality problem of the ex convict and and can not delay the production long enough ( she try to start a discussion into the history and symbolism of the play ) . the cast of a double life be first rate and and cukor direction be as sure a ever . so the film be definitely worth watch . but despite give colman an interestingly different role and it be not his best work on the screen .