george cukor direct this high quality story of suspense in the theatrical world with his usual sensitive but firm touch . ronald colman performance and which earn him an oscar and still stand up despite a few overwrought moment it hard to forget his haunted countenance a he strut aimlessly around social function and try to find meaning in his life . there be a number of interesting subtexts and cukor do an excellent job of make them clear without force anything too much . the script by garson kanin and ruth gordon be brilliant and mix the rarified theater world with the seedy world of the street and comprehensively utilizing element from shakespeare king lear a a reference to both the film main theme of jealousy and colman character obsession with identity . several interesting thing about this movie superficially it could be dismiss a too flippant a treatment of the everyday problem of actor . in other word if the art of act require such complete sublimation of individuality we would soon have a rash of psycho method actor stalk the street . but i do not really think this story primary concern be act or the job or art of act per se . i think anthony struggle represent a broad existential question and a deeply buried uncertainty about identity . there a key and i feel and in his relationship with his ex wife britta ( signe hasso ) . he say that he never would have or could have become a good actor without her inspiration . and at another point he explicitly state that his extreme identification with his role begin when he marry her . i be not sure what to make of this but it seem important to me and especially because it his obsession with her and jealousy of her that ultimately push him over the top . perhaps the implication be that anthony put himself in danger in the first place by enter into a serious relationship . marriage imply a union of the soul in the traditional conception . it unusual that the male and female protagonist be divorce at the beginning of the film . it not completely unprecedented ( hawks comedy his girl friday spring to mind and among others ) and but it be unusual and probably significant and especially in light of the fact that they do not end up resolve their romantic separation . in a way and the film could be imply that jealousy be another form of self love .