Ronald Colman made his screen debut in the 1917 British short silent comedy film ‘The Live Wire,’ directed by George Dewhurst. The film has been put into the category of lost films. In 1919, he starred as ‘Bob’ in the British romantic drama film ‘The Toilers,’ directed by Tom Watts. Only 2 out of 5 reels of the film are known to have survived. Colman continued to star in films like ‘A Daughter of Eve’ (1919), ‘A Son of David’ (1920), ‘The Black Spider’ (1920), ‘Handcuffs or Kisses’ (1921), ‘The White Sister’ (1923), ‘Twenty Dollars a Week’ (1924), ‘Tarnish’ (1924), ‘A Thief in Paradise’ (1925), ‘His Supreme Moment’ (1925), ‘Stella Dallas’ (1925), ‘Beau Geste’ (1926), ‘The Winning of Barbara Worth’ (1926), ‘The Night of Love’ (1927), and ‘Two Lovers’ (1928). Colman received an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of ‘Capt. Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond’ in the 1929 American pre-Code crime film ‘Bulldog Drummond’ directed by F. Richard Jones. It was Colman’s first sound film. That same year, he also played the role of ‘Michel’ in the Wesley Ruggles-directed American black-and-white pre-Code melodrama film ‘Condemned.’ The film was based on Blair Niles’ 1928 novel ‘Condemned to Devil's island: the biography of an unknown convict.’ Colman also received his second Academy Award nomination for his performance in the film.
He next starred in films such as ‘Raffles’ (1930), ‘The Devil to Pay!’ (1930), ‘The Unholy Garden’ (1931), ‘Arrowsmith’ (1931), ‘Cynara’ (1932), and ‘The Masquerader’ (1933). In 1934, he reprised his role as ‘Capt. Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond’ in the American comedy-mystery-adventure film ‘Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back’ directed by Roy Del Ruth. The film was a loose sequel to the 1929 film ‘Bulldog Drummond.’ The following year, he portrayed ‘Robert Clive’ in the American historical biographical film ‘Clive of India,’ directed by Richard Boleslawski. The film was based on the eponymous play by R. J. Minney. That same year, he also played the role of ‘Sydney Carton’ in the Jack Conway-directed film ‘A Tale of Two Cities.’ The film grossed over $2.3 million at the box office. He next appeared in films like ‘Under Two Flags’ (1936), ‘Lost Horizon’ (1937), ‘If I Were King’ (1938), ‘The Light That Failed’ (1939), ‘Lucky Partners’ (1940), ‘My Life with Caroline’ (1941), ‘The Talk of the Town’ (1942), ‘Random Harvest’ (1942), ‘Kismet’ (1944), ‘A Double Life’ (1947) won the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award, ‘Champagne for Caesar’ (1950), and ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ (1956). He was last seen in the 1957 American dark fantasy film ‘The Story of Mankind’ directed by Irwin Allen.
Based on the popular novel by Charles Dickens of the same name, A Tale of Two Cities is a historical romantic drama film which takes us to the time before the French Revolution. It revolves around a former French aristocrat and an alcoholic English lawyer, who both fall for the same woman Lucy, whose father was unjustly imprisoned for eighteen years.
While vacationing in a small European country, Englishman Rudolf Rassendyll realizes his uncanny resemblance to the distant relative and would-be king Rudolf V. When Rudolf V is drugged and kidnapped, a reluctant Rassendyll is persuaded to take the King’s place at coronation. Then Rudolf V’s fiancée Princess Flavia, who notices ‘Personality Change’ in her betrothed, falls for Rassendyll, complicating the matters further.
After a diplomat’s plane is hijacked and reverted, it crashes in the peaks of Tibet, in the middle of the Himalayas. However, the survivors are rescued and taken to a monastery in a place named Shangri-La, an idyllic valley that is sheltered from the bitter cold. Although they were initially anxious to return to civilization, they soon take a liking to the peace and harmony in Shangri-La.
Leopold Dilg is a mill worker and political activist who gets accused of setting fire to a wool mill and killing its foreman Clyde. Dilg escapes from prison in the middle of the trial, and soon seeks shelter with Nora, a former schoolmate living in a remote village. Nora decides to hide him in the attic till the authorities stop looking for Dilg. The case takes a complete turn when it seems that Clyde is still alive.
Genius Beauregard Bottomley is rejected in a job interview by Burnbridge Waters, the owner of Milady Soap. Beauregard plans his revenge by entering the game show, Masquerade for Money, sponsored by Milady Soap and winning until the company goes bankrupt. Things get complicated when Waters hires Flame O'Neal to find Bottomley’s weakness.
Stella is a girl from a small town, who gets married to a socialite named Stephen Dallas, a man with whom she has nothing in common. Their marriage eventually fails, and after the birth of their daughter, Stephen returns to New York, leaving his daughter with Stella. However, Stella is unable to provide for her daughter properly, and upon realizing this, she sends her daughter to live with Stephen.
George Apley is a wealthy man living in Boston, who takes pride in the superiority of his hometown and his family. His life takes a turn when he learns that both his son as well as his daughter has fallen in love with people from outside Boston.
After her parents’ death while trying to cross the California desert, Barbara is rescued and raised by a rancher. Fifteen years later, an engineer comes to their settlement with the task of diverting the Colorado River and begins to vie with a local cowboy for Barbara’s affection. But his task is not easy as his employer refuses to release the required fund, resulting in catastrophic flood.
While returning back home after attending partner Algy’s wedding, British detective Captain Hugh ‘Bulldog’ Drummond wanders into an old mansion in search of a telephone, where he finds a corpse. But the body disappears as Drummond calls the police. With friend Algy and the dead man’s daughter, Lola, Drummond uncovers Achmed’s evil plot to get illicit cargo in London. But the annoyed Achmed resolves to hunt down Drummond.
Angela, the daughter of Prince Chiaromonte, is set to marry Ernesto Traversi, a banker, but things take a turn when she meets the dashing Lt. Giovanni Severi, and they fall for one another. She informs her father that she is not going to marry Ernesto and will marry Giovanni instead. However, due her father’s untimely death, and a war outbreak, her marriage is put on hold. When it seems that Giovanni has been killed in battle, Angela decides to devote her life to God, and never get married.
Around the World in 80 Days is an Oscar winning adventure comedy film which is based on a novel of the same name by Jules Verne. The story revolves around Phileas Fogg, an English gentleman, living in the 19th century, who makes a bet that he can travel around the world in eighty days. Along with his French valet Passepartout, he sets out on an adventurous journey.
When Willie returns home from East Africa, once again a failure, his aristocrat father is furious. However, Willie smooth talks him into letting him stay and then goes on to use his charm on an heiress, who is also a family friend. Impressed, she breaks her engagement to a Russian Grand Duke; but imposes one condition; that he will never see his old girlfriend.
Dick Heldar, an artist from London, suffers a head injury during a battle in Sudan, and as a result of this, his eyesight begins to deteriorate. Therefore, before his eyesight gets even worse, he throws his soul into painting his masterwork, a portrait of Bessie, a barmaid, whom he is in love with. Problem however arises because Bessie is in love with Torpenhow, Dick’s friend.
In order to escape his past, Sergeant Victor joins the French Foreign Legion. He is sent to Africa and placed under the charge of a cruel officer named Major Doyle. When the woman Doyle loves, falls for Victor, Doyle decides to send the Victor on a dangerous mission in order to get him killed.
Upon seeing his neighbor Jean on the street in Greenwich Village, David Grant wishes her good luck. Although she doesn’t know him, she decides to ask him to become a partner in an Irish Sweepstakes ticket. David agrees on the condition that she goes on a world tour with him, if they win the prize. Despite the objections of her fiancé Fred, she agrees. Jean is however unaware of the fact that David is actually a famous painter, who is living under a different identity, after serving three years in jail.
AJ Raffles is a jewel thief who decides to give up his criminal life behind, after he falls in love with Lady Gwen. However, when he learns about his friend Bunny’s attempted suicide, as he was unable to pay off his gambling debts, Raffles decides to take on one more job for the sake of his friend. Therefore he sets his eyes on the Melrose necklace, but complications arise because a gang of thieves are also after the same necklace.
Cynara is a 1932 romantic drama film, which revolves around the theme of adultery. The film tells the story of a British lawyer, who has to pay a heavy price after he has an affair with a young woman.
Colman is a thief who is sentenced to prison, and is soon sent to Devil’s Island. He soon gets romantically involved with the wife of the cruel and sadistic warden.
After the events of the World War I, a Russian royal Paul runs off to France, in order to avoid the political turmoil going on in his country. He soon tries his luck at a Monte Carlo Casino, hoping that he will win something big, so that he can use the money to benefit his fellow Russians. He ends up being so successful that it surprises the casino’s proprietors, and they decide to come up with a plan.
The Masquerader is a drama film which tells the story of Sir John Chilcote, a politician with a high-pressure position in the Parliament, which he is unable to handle anymore. In addition, he is also having a troubled relationship with his neglected wife Eve. Therefore, in order to ease his tensions, he decides to take the help of his unemployed cousin John, who is his doppelganger. Things however get complicated when Eve begins to fall for John, thinking that it is her ‘reformed’ husband.
Hugh Drummond is a demobilized British captain, who is getting bored with civilian life. Therefore, he places an advertisement in a newspaper stating that he is offering his services for ‘any excitement’, and he soon receives a response from a woman named Phyllis, who claims to be in danger. He learns that her uncle is being treated in a hospital, but she feels that something is not right about the place. She also feels that she is being watched constantly.
Clive of India is an American historical biographical film, which revolves around the life of Robert Clive, who is known for laying the foundation of the British Empire in India. The film is based on a play of the same name by RJ Minney.
Based on a story from the Arabian Nights, this adventure fantasy film takes us to ancient Baghdad, and the story revolves around Hafiz, the King of Beggars. Wishing to become wealthy, he enters high society, hoping to get his daughter married to a prince.
Tito is a good-for-nothing young man who is pretending to be a scholar. He wins the admiration of a blind man, who was looking for someone to finish his scholarly work. He also asks him to marry Romola, his daughter. Although Romola doesn’t really love him, because she loves an artist named Carlo, she gets married with him anyway, due to her father’s wishes. Over some time, he manages to rise to power in the new government.
This 1942 short film revolves around performers for MGM, whose careers were just beginning at the time. Excerpts from some of their films are also included.
An old man staying at a hotel with his daughter in the middle of the Sahara Desert, is trying to keep the location of a treasure a secret, from a group of criminals who are determined to loot the treasure. Soon, a gentleman thief arrives at the hotel with a plan to obtain the treasure, but things get complicated when he falls for the daughter.
Loosely based on Hendrik Willem van Loon nonfiction book of the same name, this movie has a devil and an angel acting as prosecutor and defender respectively in the Great Court of Outer Space. The argument revolves around whether to allow humanity to continue existing despite its faults or let it get destroyed by the Super H-bomb invented by earth scientists.
This 1942 short film revolves around performers for MGM, whose careers were just beginning at the time. Excerpts from some of their films are also included.
Ronald Colman Awards
| A Double Life | Best Actor in a Leading Role | 1948 |
| A Double Life | Best Actor | 1948 |
