Bogart's role here was a double edge sword in his career

One could only imagine how electrifying Bogart must have been doing this role on stage when he was virtual unknown. He, of course, was just as electrifying in this great film. His problem was that he was so good, it type casted him in like roles for a long time. He kept returning to this play because maybe he knew it was not only his break thru role but also appreciated the profound elements of the play. This role was one of the many singularly memorable fictional film characters he created on film. More than any other actor which includes: Sam Spade, Rick Blaine, Fred C. Dobbs and Cpt. Queeg. What makes Bogart so special, is that all of these characters are completely different. Yet, they all have one thing in common and that's Bogart's own incomparable screen presence.