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      <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
      <filer>
        <issuerCredentials>
          <cik>0000742277</cik>
          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
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        <fileNumber>811-03989</fileNumber>
      </filer>
      <flags>
        <returnCopyFlag>false</returnCopyFlag>
        <overrideInternetFlag>false</overrideInternetFlag>
        <confirmingCopyFlag>false</confirmingCopyFlag>
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      <investmentCompanyType>N-6</investmentCompanyType>
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    <seriesClass>
      <reportClass>
        <rptIncludeAllClassesFlag>true</rptIncludeAllClassesFlag>
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  <formData>
    <generalInfo reportEndingPeriod="2019-12-31" isReportPeriodLt12="N"/>
    <registrantInfo>
      <registrantFullName>NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT</registrantFullName>
      <investmentCompFileNo>811-03989</investmentCompFileNo>
      <registrantCik>0000742277</registrantCik>
      <registrantLei>549300QEF2VIXC8PJQ44</registrantLei>
      <registrantstreet1>720 E WISCONSIN AVE</registrantstreet1>
      <registrantcity>MILWAUKEE</registrantcity>
      <registrantzipCode>53202</registrantzipCode>
      <registrantstate>US-WI</registrantstate>
      <registrantcountry>US</registrantcountry>
      <registrantphoneNumber>414-271-1444</registrantphoneNumber>
      <websites>
        <website webpage="www.northwesternmutual.com"/>
      </websites>
      <locationBooksRecords>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>720 East Wisconsin Avenue</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>Milwaukee</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeCountry="US" officeState="US-WI"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>53202-4797</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>414-271-1444</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Account, book or other document required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act and Rules 17 CFR SS 270-31a-1 to 31a-3 promulgated thereunder</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
      </locationBooksRecords>
      <isRegistrantFirstFiling>N</isRegistrantFirstFiling>
      <isRegistrantLastFiling>N</isRegistrantLastFiling>
      <registrantFamilyInvComp isRegistrantFamilyInvComp="Y" familyInvCompFullName="NM Variable Separate Accounts"/>
      <registrantClassificationType>N-6</registrantClassificationType>
      <isSecuritiesActRegistration>Y</isSecuritiesActRegistration>
      <chiefComplianceOfficers>
        <chiefComplianceOfficer>
          <ccoName>Paula Storniolo</ccoName>
          <crdNumber>004496007</crdNumber>
          <ccoStreet1>720 E WISCONSIN AVE</ccoStreet1>
          <ccoCity>MILWAUKEE</ccoCity>
          <ccoStateCountry ccoCountry="US" ccoState="US-WI"/>
          <ccoZipCode>53202-4797</ccoZipCode>
          <ccoPhone>XXXXXX</ccoPhone>
          <isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>N</isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>
          <ccoEmployers>
            <ccoEmployer ccoEmployerName="N/A" ccoEmployerId="N/A"/>
          </ccoEmployers>
        </chiefComplianceOfficer>
      </chiefComplianceOfficers>
      <isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>N</isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>
      <isPreviousLegalProceeding>N</isPreviousLegalProceeding>
      <isPreviousProceedingTerminated>N</isPreviousProceedingTerminated>
      <isClaimFiled>N</isClaimFiled>
      <isCoveredByInsurancePolicy>N</isCoveredByInsurancePolicy>
      <isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>N</isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>
      <releaseNumbers isExemptionFromAct="Y">
        <releaseNumberInfo releaseNumber="IC-21344"/>
      </releaseNumbers>
      <principalUnderwriters>
        <principalUnderwriter>
          <principalUnderwriterName>Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC</principalUnderwriterName>
          <principalUnderwriterFileNumber>8-14088</principalUnderwriterFileNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>000002881</principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterLei>CYO86L8D7HTXW9SOZX28</principalUnderwriterLei>
          <principalUnderWriterStateCountry principalUnderWriterCountry="US" principalUnderWriterState="US-WI"/>
          <isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>Y</isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>
        </principalUnderwriter>
      </principalUnderwriters>
      <isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>N</isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>
      <publicAccountants>
        <publicAccountant>
          <publicAccountantName>PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP</publicAccountantName>
          <pcaobNumber>238</pcaobNumber>
          <publicAccountantLei>5493002GVO7EO8RNNS37</publicAccountantLei>
          <publicAccountantStateCountry publicAccountantCountry="US" publicAccountantState="US-NY"/>
        </publicAccountant>
      </publicAccountants>
      <isPublicAccountantChanged>N</isPublicAccountantChanged>
      <isOpinionOffered>N</isOpinionOffered>
      <isMaterialChange>N</isMaterialChange>
      <isAccountingPrincipleChange>N</isAccountingPrincipleChange>
      <isPaymentErrorInNetAssetValue>N</isPaymentErrorInNetAssetValue>
      <isPaymentDividend>N</isPaymentDividend>
    </registrantInfo>
    <unitInvestmentTrust>
      <depositors>
        <depositor>
          <depositorName>The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company</depositorName>
          <depositorCrdNo>000000000</depositorCrdNo>
          <depositorLei>1DU7IM20QESYGDO4HO54</depositorLei>
          <depositorStateCountry depositorCountry="US" depositorState="US-WI"/>
          <depositorUltimateParentname>Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company</depositorUltimateParentname>
        </depositor>
      </depositors>
      <isUitAdminHiredTerminated>N</isUitAdminHiredTerminated>
      <registrantSeparateInsuranceAccount isRegistrantSeparateInsuranceAccount="Y" separateAccountSeriesId="S000000058"/>
      <numOfContracts>88528</numOfContracts>
      <contractSecurities>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Variable CompLife" separateAccountContractId="C000031361" separateAccountTotalAsset="6414960202.04000000" numContractsSold="0" grossPremiumReceived="150098502.24000000" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0.00000000" numContractsAffected="0" contractValueRedeemed="62017655.10000000" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="63606214.33000000" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="542"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account" separateAccountContractId="C000000093" separateAccountTotalAsset="869683235.84000000" numContractsSold="0" grossPremiumReceived="13582041.61000000" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0.00000000" numContractsAffected="0" contractValueRedeemed="157592365.88000000" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="0"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Variable Joint Life" separateAccountContractId="C000031363" separateAccountTotalAsset="230425702.01000000" numContractsSold="0" grossPremiumReceived="2942772.08000000" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0.00000000" numContractsAffected="0" contractValueRedeemed="2787222.55000000" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="6569456.72000000" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="12"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Variable Executive Life" separateAccountContractId="C000031362" separateAccountTotalAsset="191385381.73000000" numContractsSold="0" grossPremiumReceived="2433217.71000000" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0.00000000" numContractsAffected="0" contractValueRedeemed="12329151.43000000" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="729037.52000000" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="5"/>
      </contractSecurities>
      <isRule6C7Reliance>N</isRule6C7Reliance>
      <isRule11A2Reliance>N</isRule11A2Reliance>
    </unitInvestmentTrust>
    <signature registrantSignedName="NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT" signedDate="2020-03-11" signature="Todd Kuzminski" title="VP Investment Accounting"/>
  </formData>
</edgarSubmission>
