A Double Life (Blu-ray)

George Cukor's perfectly mannered direction confidently guides this brooding and cynical film noir that is considered by many the highlight of actor Ronald Colman's great career. A Double Life explores the dangers of blurring the line between reality and illusion in this examination of the schizoid personality of a talented stage actor who begins to confuse his roles with his life. Colman gives a magnificent and mesmerizing performance as veteran thespian Anthony John, who begins to mentally derail during a run of Othello. John's courtly manners and reputation have a winning charm that endear him to both audiences and women, including his ex-wife, Brita (Signe Hasso), who acts opposite him in the play, and Pat (Shelley Winters), a sexy waitress he befriends. Colman's performance earned him a Best Actor Academy Award and Golden Globe. Miklos Rozsa also won an Oscar for his vivacious score and the film's director and screenwriters, Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin all received Oscar nominations. Edmond O'Brien co-stars as the company's producer who's secretly in love with Brita.

Starring: Ronald Colman, Signe Hasso, Edmond O'Brien, Shelley Winters, Ray Collins, Millard Mitchell, Joe Sawyer, Whit Bissell, Peter Thompson, Art Smith, Harlan Briggs, Betsy Blair, David Bond, Georgia Caine, Arthur E. Gould-Porter, Cédric Stevens, Diane Stewart, Elektra Rozanska, Ethel May Halls, Harry Hays Morgan Jr., Katherine Marlowe, Laura Brooks, Mike Stokey, Robert Emmett Keane, Philip Loeb, Charles La Torre, John Drew Colt, Elizabeth Dunne, Alan Edmiston, Sid Tomack, Wilton Graff, Claire Carleton, Janet Warren, Marjory Woodworth, Guy Bates Post, Fay Kanin, Arthur Gould-Porter, Leslie Denison, Frederic Worlock, Virginia Patton, Boyd Irwin, Thayer Roberts, Percival Vivian, Elliott Reid, Mary Young, Curt Conway, Russ Conway, Reginald Billado, Robert E. Keane, Paddy Chayefsky, Kay Lavelle, Sarah Selby, Alexander Clark, Harry Bannister, Edward Wragge, Joann Dolan, Joyce Mathews, Harry Oldridge, Nick Dennis, Barry Macollum, Frank Richards, Janet Mason, Augusta Roeland, Angela Clarke, Fernanda Eliscu, Joe Bernard, Charles Jordan, Walter McGrail, Jamesson Shade, Harry Hays Morgan, George Sherwood, Cedric Stevens, Bruce Riley, Wayne Treadway, Don McGill, Carl Milletaire, Hal Melone, William Norton Bailey, Elmo Lincoln, John Derek, Phil MacKenzie, Buddy Roosevelt, Howard Mitchell, Pete Sosso, Watson Downs, Albert Pollet, Countess Elektra Rozanska, Mary Worth, John Morgan, Michael Stokey, Thomas Everett Powers, Leander de Cordova, George Douglas, Maude Fealy, Yvette Reynard, Katharine Marlowe, Clare Alden, Doretta Johnson, Diane Lee Stewart, James F. Cade, Jerry Salvail, Beatrice Gray, Laura Kasley Brooks, George Manning, Fred Hoose, Joey Ray, Nina Gilbert, Hazel Keener, Ethyl May Halls, John Valentine, James Linn, Michael Stark

Director: Carlo Liconti, Jeff Geoffray, Michael Kanin

Rating: NR