Who Is John Barrymore's Nagging Self-Doubt?

The writer’s work is given to you between the covers of a book; the painter’s on a piece of flat canvas; the actor’s in the lineaments of his own face, the port of his own body, the various inflections of his own voice. In criticizing his work, you criticize also him.
Max Beerbohm
The actor’s life is one of nagging self-doubt. Some actors try to protect themselves from criticism by adopting an inviolable rule never to read reviews of their performances.
If this is not enough protection there is recourse to alcohol. John Barrymore, in real life and in the 1930’s movie
Dinner at Eight, demonstrates the dangers of the alcohol cure.
Lawyers also have a nagging self-doubt—and in a loose way it is comparable to the actor’s. Both the lawyer
The client suggests that the case was unnecessarily prolonged and that there should be a public apology together with costs and attorney’s fees.
When the case is lost the lawyer is often told by the client and by public sages that the case should have been won.There is yet another indignity that may be awaiting the lawyer who has lost a case. She may read in the press that she is to be replaced by a renowned specialist in post-trial motions.
Some years ago, Joe McMenamin, an excellent lawyer, ran into a losing streak. He decided there must be something about him, the way he handled himself in court, the way he spoke to
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the judge and the witnesses, that triggered a bad reaction. Here was a lawyer who was as good as a lawyer could be, consumed by self-doubt. In that state of mind he asked friends of his to sit in court and observe him and identify anything he should change.
What we saw when we watched Joe in action was a skillful lawyer. But we did recommend a change.He must get better cases.
Joe tried one more case. It was a good case.He won a big verdict, made a big fee and retired to Florida.
The conversation of lawyers and actors reflects their