The Witness role is a supporting role but that said, it is absolutely essential to get the right actor into that role -- someone who can be slick and (seemingly) authentic at the same time. The movie would come crashing down without a totally solid performance. Tyrone juggled Leonard perfectly and he stood shoulder to shoulder with a cast of acting powerhouses, starting with the magnificent Charles Laughton. :) I have a feeling he must have known as supporting roles go, it was a substantial, juicy one. :)
As for The Face... yes to all the chain-smoking and undiagnosed heart disease, but I figure also the stress of World War II, failed marriages, ex-wives, alimony payments, and career frustration altered it. And yet it is a beautiful face at any age, not just because the features are nicely arranged ;) but because of Ty's intelligence and spirit. I enjoy him just as much in the later pictures as the early ones. :)
