of the three remake on w. somerset maughan novel and this one be the best one and and not particularly because what john cromwell bring to the film . the film be worth a look because of the break through performance by bette davis and who a mildred rogers and show the film industry she be a star . finally and her struggle with jack warner and his studio pay off royally . the film be dominate by mildred from the start . we realize from the beginning that mildred doesn not care for philip and never will . she doesn not hide her contempt for this kind soul that have fall in love with the wrong woman . he will be humiliate by mildred again and and again and a she make no bone about what she really be . poor philip carey and besides of be handicap and be a man who be weak . when he try to cling onto mildred and she reject him . it be when mildred return to him and when she be frail and defeated and that he rise to the occasion and overcome his own dependency on this terrible woman who have steal his will and his manhood . bette davis give a fantastic portrayal of mildred . this be one of her best role and she run away with it . her disgust toward the kind philip be clear from the onset of their relationship . when she tell him she wash her mouth after he kiss her be one of the most powerful moment in the movie . leslie howard underplayed philip and make him appear even weak than he be . france dee and reginald denny and alan hale and reginald owen and be see in minor role . this be bette davis show and and do not you forget it .