Of course, it's a mistake to watch movies of the 1940s hoping for realism. As expected, "A Stolen Life" is a stage-y endeavor, awkwardly plotted and un-methodically acted. Bette Davis sure knows how to "light up the screen"...but as she smiles charmingly and inappropriately through scenes that might have had tragic quality, it's hard not wonder what an actor with more conviction or vulnerability might have done.
The film becomes much more interesting when a character assumes another's identity. The resulting moments, exploring the anxiety of imposter syndrome or identity dissociation, attain an almost Hitchcock-like quality of psychological insight. But in the end, sadly, the film is not much more than a typical Hollywood romance.
The film becomes much more interesting when a character assumes another's identity. The resulting moments, exploring the anxiety of imposter syndrome or identity dissociation, attain an almost Hitchcock-like quality of psychological insight. But in the end, sadly, the film is not much more than a typical Hollywood romance.
