24F-2NT

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE
720 East Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI  53202
414-299-7369                                 
                                   March 26, 1998

Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Investment Management
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20549

     RE:  Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account
          SEC File No: 33-89188
          EDGAR CIK #: 0000742277
          Filing Fee: $39,371.66
          
Gentlemen:

     Enclosed herewith for filing pursuant to Rule 24f-2, under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, is the Rule 24f-2 notice for the investment company
identified above. The filing fee in the amount set forth in the caption above
was submitted directly to the US Treasury at the Mellon Bank in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania by wire transfer, as the filing fee for registration of securities
of the issuer pursuant to Rule 24f-2(c) under the Securities Act of 1933.  The
deposit of $39,371.66 with the Mellon Bank for the filing fee has been
designated as "Restricted" to this particular filing.

     This filing is being effected by direct transmission to the Commission's
EDGAR System. Please call the undersigned with any questions or comments about
this filing.   

                                   Very truly yours,

                                   
                                   
                                   /s/ Sara A. Holm
                                   Paralegal Specialist
                                   The Northwestern Mutual Life
                                     Insurance Company



                  UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C.  20549
                                     FORM 24F-2
                          Annual Notice of Securities Sold
                               Pursuant to Rule 24f-2


1.   Name and address of issuer:

     Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account
     The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
     720 East Wisconsin Avenue
     Milwaukee, Wisconsin  53202
     
2.   Name of each series or class of funds for which this Form is filed.  (If
     the Form is being filed for all series and classes of funds of the issuer,
     check the box but do not list series or classes):  / /
                         Variable CompLife Policies

3.   Investment Company Act File Number:  811-3989

     Securities Act File Number:  33-89188

4(a).     Last day of fiscal year for which this Form is filed:  
          December 31, 1997

4(b).     / / Check box if this Form is being filed late (i.e., more than 90
          calendar days after the end of the issuer's fiscal year).

4(c).     / / Check box if this is the last time the issuer will be filing this
          Form.

5.   Calculation of registration fee:

 (i)      Aggregate sale price of securities
          sold during the fiscal year pursuant 
          to section 24(f):                                       $137,835,706
                                                                   -----------
(ii)      Aggregate price of securities redeemed
          or repurchased during the fiscal year:       $4,372,461
                                                       ----------
(iii)     Aggregate price of securities redeemed
          or repurchased during any prior fiscal 
          year ending no earlier than October 11, 
          1995 that were not previously used to 
          reduce registration fees payable to the
          Commission:                                  $  0      
                                                        -----
(iv)      Total available redemption credits 
          [add items 5(ii) and 5(iii)]:                           $4,372,461  
                                                                   ---------  

(v)       Net sales - if item 5(i) is greater
          than 5(iv) [subtract item 5(iv) from
          item 5(i)]:                                             $133,463,245
                                                                   -----------

(vi)      Redemption credits available for use
          in future years - if item 5(i) is less
          than item 5(iv) [subtract item 5(iv) from
          item 5(i)]:                                 $(  0  )
                                                        -----


(vii)     Multiplier for determining registration
          fee:                                                     x.000295   
                                                                    --------  

(viii)    Registration fee due [multiply item 5(v)
          by item 5(vii)] (enter "0" if no fee is due):           =$39,371.66
                                                                   -----------
                                                                   -----------

6.   Prepaid Shares

     If the response to item 5(i) was determined by deducting an amount of
     securities that were registered under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant
     to rule 24e-2 as in effect before October 11, 1997, then report the amount
     of securities (number of shares or other units) deducted here:  0  . If
     there is a number of shares or other units that were registered pursuant to
     rule 24e-2 remaining unsold at the end of the fiscal year for which this
     form is filed that are available for use by the issuer in future fiscal
     years, then state that number here:  0  .

7.   Interest due -- if this Form is being filed more than 90 days after the end
     of the issuer's fiscal year:
                                                              +$  0  
                                                               ------
8.   Total of the amount of the registration fee due plus any interest due [line
     5(viii) plus line 7]:

                                                              =$39,371.66
                                                               ----------
                                                               ----------

9.   Date the registration fee and any interest payment was sent to the
     Commission's lockbox depository:

          Method of Delivery:

                              /X/  Wire Transfer
                                   Mail or other means


                                     SIGNATURES

This report has been signed below by the following person on behalf of the
issuer and in the capacity and on the date indicated.



By:   /s/                                
     ------------------------------------
     Gary E. Long
     Vice President and Controller
     The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

                                   Date:     March 26, 1998

EX-27

 


<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM NORTHWESTERN
MUTUAL LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS OF 12/31/97 AND IS
QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

<CIK> 0000742277
<NAME> NML VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                          380,519
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                         474,198
<RECEIVABLES>                                    1,360
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 475,558
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                           382
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                          978
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                              1,360
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                474,198
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                             0
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                                0
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                                0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                             0
<NET-ASSETS>                                   474,198
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                               24,262
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                    0
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                   2,555
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                         21,707
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                         4,871
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                       42,532
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                           69,110
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                              0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                          0
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                                0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                      0
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                                0
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                      0
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                              0
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                                  0
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                      0
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0