A Double Life

A Double Life

Year: 1947

Runtime: 104 mins

Language: English

Director: George Cukor

DramaThrillerThrillers and murder mysteriesNoir and dark crime dramasEnduring stories of family and marital drama

A Shakespearian actor starring as Othello opposite his wife finds the character’s jealous rage taking over his mind off-stage.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – A Double Life (1947)

Explore the full timeline and setting of A Double Life (1947). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1940s

The events take place within the postwar American theater milieu, a time of glossy productions and intense press attention. Rehearsals, previews, and performances shape the characters' fortunes and anxieties. The era's noir-tinged atmosphere adds a sense of danger to the glamour of the stage.

Location

Theater, Backstage, Restaurant, Brita's home

The story unfolds primarily within a grand theater and its backstage corridors, spanning rehearsals, performances, and the wings where secrets simmer. Key action also spills into the restaurant where a fateful confrontation occurs, and into Brita's home between scenes. These interconnected spaces emphasize how the stage world bleeds into ordinary life, fueling the drama.

🎭 Theater 🎬 Stage Production 🏛️ Backstage

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:04

Main Characters – A Double Life (1947)

Meet the key characters of A Double Life (1947), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Anthony 'Tony' John (Ronald Colman)

A celebrated stage actor whose charm masks a volatile, obsessive nature. He becomes so immersed in the role of Othello that the line between performance and his own life begins to blur, especially around themes of jealousy. His fixation escalates into violent acts, culminating in a self-inflicted wound and a confession before death.

🎭 Dramatist 🌀 Obsession 🔪 Violence

Brita John (Signe Hasso)

Tony's ex-wife and a would-be Desdemona in the production. She negotiates the pressures of fame, romance, and ambition, warning others that Tony can be delightful on stage yet terrifying in drama. Her relationships and choices are pivotal to the mounting tensions, and she ultimately reveals crucial information about Tony's whereabouts the night of the murder.

💔 Relationship 🎭 Drama 🕵️‍♀️ Ambition

Pat Kroll (Shelley Winters)

A waitress who enters a casual affair with Tony, becoming the focal point of jealousy-driven conflict. Her murder—mirror to Othello's kiss of death—drives the plot toward its tragedy and intensifies the scrutiny on Tony and those around him.

🕵️‍♂️ Affair 💀 Murder 🎭 Drama

Bill Friend (Edmond O'Brien)

Tony and Brita's press agent who promotes the production and amplifies the parallels between the play and real events to attract publicity. He grows suspicious of Tony and orchestrates a plan involving a Pat lookalike to uncover the truth, ultimately influencing the investigation and the unraveling of Tony's grip on reality.

🗞️ Publicity 🧭 Investigation 🎭 Manipulation

Victor Donlan (Ray Collins)

The director who recognizes Tony's dual nature—graceful in comedy and dangerous in drama. He works to steer the production and manage Tony's escalating immersion, serving as a stabilizing force while the line between art and life grows dangerously thin.

🎬 Direction 🧭 Guidance 🎭 Theater

Max Lasker (Philip Loeb)

The theater producer eager to mount a high-profile Othello, pushing for Brita to co-star as Desdemona. He creates the environment that intensifies Tony's fixation and the overall pressure of staging a major production.

💼 Production 🎭 Ambition 🧱 Pressure

Al Cooley (Millard Mitchell)

A reporter who leans into the sensational angle of the story to boost front-page interest. His involvement underscores the era's spotlight on theatrical scandals and celebrity lives, shaping public perception of the events as they unfold.

📰 Media 🎤 Spotlight 🧪 Investigation

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:04

Major Themes – A Double Life (1947)

Explore the central themes of A Double Life (1947), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧠 Obsession

A celebrated actor is drawn so deeply into a role that the line between performance and reality blurs. The film shows how immersive artistry can warp perception and memory, turning a character's fixation into a driving force behind events. This obsession ultimately steers actions toward tragedy, as life imitates a deadly drama.

💔 Jealousy

Jealousy acts as a catalyst that intensifies personal and professional conflicts. It fuels suspicions about affection and loyalty, pushing characters to manipulate others and prod into dangerous territory. The narrative demonstrates how possessive emotion can escalate to violence and ruin.

🎭 Theatre vs Reality

The production mirrors the protagonist's inner turmoil, with the stage's drama leaking into real life. The infamous onstage kiss of death becomes a real peril, highlighting how performance can sculpt identity and judgment. The story probes whether art merely reflects life or can eclipse it altogether.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:04

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A Double Life Summary

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A Double Life Summary

A Double Life Timeline

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A Double Life Timeline

More About A Double Life

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