Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor as the treacherous female foil. Bogart's sharp timing and facial expressions were praised by the cast and director as vital to the quick action and rapid-fire dialogue. The film was a huge hit in theaters and a major triumph for Huston. Bogart was unusually happy with it, remarking, "it is practically a masterpiece. I don't have many things I'm proud of ... but that's one". Bogart gained his first real romantic lead in 1942's "Casablanca", playing Rick Blaine, a hard-pressed expatriate nightclub owner hiding from a shady past while negotiating a fine line among Nazis, the French
Humphrey Bogart second marriage was on the rocks, and he was less than happy with his acting career. He became depressed, irritable and drank heavily. In 1934, Bogart had starred in the Broadway play "Invitation to a Murder" at the Theatre Masque, which was renamed the John Golden Theatre in 1937. The producer, Arthur Hopkins, heard the play from off-stage and was interested. He sent for Bogart, and offered him the role of escaped murderer Duke Mantee in Robert E. Sherwood's new play, "The Petrified Forest". Hopkins later recalled: Although Leslie Howard was the star, "New York Times" critic Brooks Atkinson said