For the cello concerto, Erich Wolfgang Korngold provides a robust, darkly thrilling piece of work that gets the full treatment toward the climax of the story. Will Christine have the proper fur to wear to the symphony hall? Davis was just awesome, like always. While Bette Davis, alone in her studio, is talking to Claude Rains on the telephone, the highly visible shadow of a crew member is moving back and forth across the piano behind her. . Sherry was born in 1945, when Davis was 23 years old. Davis, Henreid, and Rains play classical musicians caught in a torrid love triangle that ends violently. On the evening of the premiere, Christine visits Hollenius, who threatens to allow Novak the joy of a successful performance only to destroy him by telling him about their love affair. . Well, you'll find out. Korngold's stunning score is not merely a refreshing change to Warner's over reliance on Max Steiner's often intrusive bombast - it's actually one of the best scores of the period. By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Fans around the world are paying tribute to one of Hollywood's most enduring stars, Betta Davis. It stars Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rains, who had also appeared together in the highly successful Now, Voyager (1942). Deception (1946) A marvelous chamber piece, in a way, involving orchestral music. Instead, her rival Crawford accepted the award on behalf ofAnne Bancroftfollowing one of the industry's ugliest Oscars campaigns. Peter is very much interested in cultural practices around the world including music, history, languages, literature, religion and social structures. A melodrama with delusions of grandeur. She was a Laguna resident from the late 1950s until her death in 1980. And Bette, a trained pianist, playing Beethoven at her wedding party (she really wanted to play it herself but Jack Warner decided against it but you can see she knows what she's doing in fingering the keys). Rains, having an absolute field day as the unhinged musical genius, bangs and smacks at the poor keyboard as an unhinged musical genius in a camp melodrama would. Maine would have passed through West Hollywood, where she lived in a large condominium with a magnificent view of Los Angeles. The film was based on a play Monsieur Lamberthier by Louis Verneuil, which was first performed in Paris in 1927. Both men are wickedly jealous of each other. . Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. . And Irving Rapper's direction, while suggesting emotional immensities, does not impart any real meaning to an artified Frankie-and-Johnny theme.Incidentally, a piece of music which Erich Wolfgang Korngold has composed as a sensation-stirring concerto is no more impressive than the film. When Davis received her 10th Academy Award nomination for What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, she became the most Oscar-nominated actor of the time. Her reputation was solidified by her role as one of the "true greats" of the film industry, according to her former boss, President Ronald Reagan. One can see he thoroughly enjoyed the role he's called upon to play, executing it with a flamboyant style all his own. A recent re-evaluation has convinced me that this is a bit of a classic. Enjoy! In particular the occasion of ordering dinner where he becomes so absorbed in the endless delicate details, he undoubtedly steals the scene with finesse. Coming Soon, Regal Pah! Director Irving Rapper Writers John Collier Joseph Than Louis Verneuil (play "Monsieur Lamberthier") Stars Bette Davis Paul Henreid Claude Rains See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video That seems the only basis for her fatal attachment to him. . . Margo Channing, the former star of All About Eve, would serve as the focal point for many peoples memories for the rest of their lives. As in his earlier and superior mystery, "The Woman in the Window," Mr. Johnson solves the problem with a bit of trickery which is no credit to his craftsmanship. The story is complete hokum of course and is performed with such overwrought feeling and pungent relish that you are constantly expecting the characters to burst into song. And then, when the unsubmissive lover threatens nastily to tell all, the lady, for some uncertain reason, fills him full of lead.In the play, the vengeful murder is performed by the lady's jealous spouse, whichalthough it may seem a bit violentdoes make a little more sense. Her condition deteriorated while she was returning from a film festival in Spain. Davis lunges at him, wanting to marry him immediately. As Margot, she is the absolute star of the production - positively chowing down on the furniture in one of her most hand-swivelling and eye-rolling turns. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! One night during an appearance in London for a one-woman show, an audience member rudely inquired, Is that your real hair, Miss Davis? She was not invited to any of the Hollywood shindigs. As I sat down to watch "Deception" for the first time some years ago, my mother, who was a huge Betty Davis fan, nonetheless said Claude Rains' performance in this film blew Davis' out of the water. Crime, It was directed by Paul Henreid from a screenplay by Oscar Millard and Albert Beich from the story La Otra by Rian James, previously filmed in a Mexican version starring Dolores del Ro. Rains all but steals the film as the genius composer with some of the cruelest and wittiest lines ever uttered by this talented actor. (1962), Davis had a Coke machine installed on set as a dig at her costar Crawford, who was the widow of Pepsis CEO. Claude Rains and Bette Davis spar in magnificent style, with Rains, stroking the fur of his pet Siamese cat, winning by default, since he was given a role which is so over-the-top that, in the hands of a lesser actor, it would have verged on outrageous camp. . If you haven't seen it, do check it out. Indeed, Malone adds, Davis wanted to become proficient enough to play live for the camera, but director Irving Rapper told her that it was not worth the effort, because no one would believe it. We are the go to news media platform of people who would like to find the latest trends in the entertainment industry. Please reference Error Code 2121 when contacting customer service. THE SCREEN; 'Deception,' Warner Film With Bette Davis and Claude Rains, at Hollywood--'Dark Mirror,' New Mystery, at the Criterion, https://www.nytimes.com/1946/10/19/archives/the-screen-deception-warner-film-with-bette-davis-and-claude-rains.html. I wouldn't have missed it for the world." I had my doubts about the accuracy of that comment, but from the moment Rains makes his first appearance my doubts were dispelled and it was clear which of these players was going to leave me slack-jawed with appreciation of the enormity of their talent. Contents 1 Life and career 1.1 1908-1929: Childhood and early acting career 1.2 1930-1936: Early years in Hollywood 1.2.1 Legal case 1.3 1937-1941: Success with Warner Bros. Of course, it helps having two of the most dominating performers of the time, Davis and Rains, as leads. Watching this for the first time in 2015 the first thought that springs to mind is the rivalry between Davis and Crawford, both, in 1946, stars at Warners; what fascinates is this; was the rivalry so intense that BOTH had to co-star opposite an actor playing an outstanding classical musician - Crawford with violinist Garfield in Humoresque, and Davis with cellist Henried in this, Deception? The world's greatest living composer, Alexnder Hollenius. The film is based on the 1927 play Monsieur Lamberthier by Louis Verneuil. "Deception" was based on a play and the adaptation has opened it in unexpected ways. Cast. Deception: Christine Radcliffe: 1946: Buy the DVD (#ad) 17: Ex-Lady: Helen Bauer: 1933: Buy the DVD (#ad) 18: Fog Over Frisco: Arlene Bradford: 1934: Buy the DVD (#ad) 19: [8] Glenn Erickson observes: In the original play the Karel Novak character is the one moved to violence at the conclusion, so Deception may be a case of a play distorted by the needs of the Hollywood Star Vehicle. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. . An accountant meets a man in a sex club. Bette Davis passed away on October 6, 1989, at the age of 81. Her furs and jewelry are great. . Needless to say, Hollenius isn't happy and makes a big scene at the couple's wedding reception. Many of her fans refused to believe she was gone. It also helps that Davis and Henreid don't look phony when 'playing' the music - Davis is particularly convincing because she could actually play the piano and Henreid, despite looking a little awkward, was helped with the same trick as Garfield in 'Humoresque'. Bette Davis last words is a phrase that is often used to describe the final words spoken by the actress Bette Davis. the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. . As a famous and worldly composer with some vicious attachment to a dame, he fills out a fascinating portrait of a titanic egoist. After a brief theater career, she became one of the biggest stars in the Hollywood studio system, appearing in . See production, box office & company info, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA. Both men are wickedly jealous of each other. Coming at the tail end of the glory days of "women's pictures", "Deception" is a harbinger of the camp artifacts the genre would harden into (see any Ross Hunter production). See Appendix 1, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (1995) 15:sup1, 1-31 p 27 DOI: 10.1080/01439689508604551, Last edited on 29 November 2022, at 02:39, Piano Sonata No. His acting here has the force of a hurricane, obliterating the relatively flimsy acting of his peers. Christine's clothes are fabulous. When Colbert sustained a back injury on the set of Three Came Home (1950), she was forced to drop out of the project, and Davis was cast in her place at the last minute. . It also had very nice music. You're almost there! The track was one of the biggest hits of 1981 and won the Grammy for Song of the Year. Davis was married to Sherrys father, actor William Grant Sherry, from 1945 to 1949. If you're in the mood for a flamboyant Bette Davis-Claude Rains melodrama, you've got to see this one. Still, one must hand it to Mr. Johnson for keeping his audience guessing, if not always entertained. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter (For her trouble, Christine has a wardrobe full of fur coats and a soundstage-sized apartment that I'd kill for.) Great picture with Bette Davis and great male leads. But the outcome of her performance still leaves her entirely unrevealed.In the play, the man who is bumped off never appears on the stage. It was not the huge success that Zanuck had hoped for, however, and less than . I love this movie but on the face of it I feel a little ridiculous saying I love it because the plot as it is executed is borderline ridiculous. {Semi-Spoiler} In the final confrontation with Davis' character, you can almost (but not quite) believe she would resort to using the means she does in a futile attempt to level the playing field, so much more powerful is Rains' personality. Bloating a film does not turn it from B to A. Copyright Fandango. Will Karel's jealousy ruin his chance of a lifetime? , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. This is a film where all three stars shine equally. Please click the link below to receive your verification email. . Just confirm how you got your ticket. See Davis at her best in The Letter. At the Hollywood.Christine Radcliffe . Their intercourse, though dated at certain moments, kept me in my chair delighted and thrilled for almost two hours. Claude Rains is one of the greatest actors ever to step in front of the camera, yet except for his performance in "Casablanca", he would be virtually unknown today. John AbbottThe man servant . Paul Henreid is paired with Davis as her true love for another convincing romance. The young man confesses, and the play ends with the expectation that he will get off easily. But she's living in a palatial apartment that clearly was given to her by Rains. . Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2022. She ends her affair with Rains and tries to pretend it never happened. "It's like grand opera, only the people are thinner" said one reviewer Absorbing acting and filming, top of their games in an aging musical genre, Top Warner Brothers cast in one of Davis' last great films, This Movie, Seen On TV 30 Years After Its Release, Gave Me An Education In Music, Superb Trio in Classic of Classical Music Score, "You can't choke the truth out of a person!". Bette Davis is a competent actress, or so we've been led to believe, but they'd better start giving her good storiesor soon we'll be led to forget. It seen as possibly Davis's finest performance (I would disagree). She then discovers him in New York and the two marry immediately. [12] For some scenes, Henreids arms were tied behind him, and two cellists put their arms through the sleeves of a specially designed coat.[13]. His character is an egotistical, sexy, hilarious conductor with the improbable name of Alex Hellonious. The younger guy is Paul Henreid playing a WWII survivor, thought dead by Davis. They inserted serious classical music here and there. Watching them play off one another is a real histrionic treat. Her greatest regret was not finding a good match for her four previous marriages. Bette Davis eyes. Melodramas always come out better when the creative team accepts that they're making a genre picture (as was the case with "Sudden Fear"). Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. Just a few short years earlier, in Bette's own vehicles ("Now, Voyager" or "The Great Lie"), the same kind of material could be treated with a degree of sensitivity and artistry. . It stars Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rains, who had also appeared together in the highly successful Now, Voyager (1942). And all of the cynical analysis which he so expressively speaks on the subject of female behavior strips Miss Davis' character of appeal.Paul Henreid is stolid and solemn as the man whom Miss Davis wedsthe obviously tertiary character in this obliquely two-character show. Though she didnt fight in World War II, Davis did everything she could to support the Allied troops as a civilian. . As they walk out a lady says, "Oh, Christine, you must be the happiest woman in the world," which eventually elicits a wan smile from Christine. She was born Ruth Elizabeth Davis in Lowell, Massachusetts on April 5, 1908, and was nicknamed Betty from early childhood. "The Dark Mirror," like so many of its ilk, suffers from its author's lack of ingenuity to resolve his puzzle in a satisfying manner. Bette matches him with a finely controlled display of emotions and Paul Henreid is altogether convincing in a rather thankless role as her ex-lover who re-enters her life and incurs the wrath of Rains. When "Deception" was first released, one gushy fan mag declared that it was "just like opera, only the people are thinner!" The press dubbed her the fourth Warner brother, but behind the scenes Davis struggled to get out of what she called the contract slave system. She lost that legal battle in the mid-1930s and continued to make successful films with the studio for years. Of course, if Karel finds out he'll be devastated. This time Mr. Johnson's dialogue, which is usually distinctively flavorsome as screen writing goes, is surprisingly pallid.Like many another actressBette Davis, for instancewho has been tempted by the lure of playing against herself, Miss de Havilland does nothing in "The Dark Mirror" that will add to her stature as an actress. We search near and far for original movie trailer from all decades. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. This is over the top screen acting at it's most enjoyable.If you've never seen this, take the opportunity and enjoy it for what it is: good old fashioned Hollywood entertainment. Charles EvansFranklin . American actress Bette Davis was born on April 5, 1908, in Lowell, Massachusetts. The 1962 film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Bette Davis believed her true love Paul Henreid was killed in battle. This labor is titled "Deception," and it came to the Hollywood yesterday.The Warners may hate us for snitching, but "Deception" is based upon the same Verneuil play as is "Obsession," a current revival on Broadway. Deception is a 1946 American film noir drama released by Warner Brothers and directed by Irving Rapper. It could have been and should have been much better. Just below that it reads "Ticket Confirmation#:" followed by a 10-digit number. Bette Davis was given the name Ruth Elizabeth Davis at birth. Beginners welcome. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. This collection gives us The Old Maid, seldom seen before VHS and this DVD. Deception (1946) Official Trailer - Bette Davis, Claude Rains Movie HD A piano teacher believes that her fianc, a cellist, was killed on the battlefield. Lew AyresLieut. Hmm, do I smell a rat here? Excellent clarity. It opened on Broadway as Jealousy on October 22, 1928 at Maxine Elliott's Theatre, as a two-hander (a play with only two main characters), with Fay Bainter and John Halliday. Olivia de HavillandRuth CollinsDr. When they become reunited, they marry. Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Jurassic Park Movies Ranked By Tomatometer, Golden Tomato Awards: Best Movies & TV of 2022, 10 WTF Horror Movies to Watch if You Loved M3GAN, Christian Slater and Jonathan Kasdan Talk Willow Finale, Allagashs Possible Survival, and Potential Season 2 Stories. His high-falootin' vocabulary just oozes civilized mayhem. Fine Claude Rains fare. She founded the Hollywood Canteen, where soldiers passing through Los Angeles could mingle with stars, and she toured with actresses Hattie McDaniel, Lena Horne, and Ethel Waters to perform for all-black army divisions. The team behind "Deception" couldn't accept that. If his power in real life was 10% of what he exhibits on screen, then swooning is the definite order of the day. It was a time when they cared enough about high production values and reveled in artifice, glamour and the pure indulgence of escapism. She also starred in several short films urging Americans to donate to the war effort. 23, Opus 57 in F Minor (Appassionata), "AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores Nominees", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Deception_(1946_film)&oldid=1124511490, Einar Neilsen as Neilsen, orchestra conductor (uncredited), This page was last edited on 29 November 2022, at 02:39. Dont worry, it wont take long. Opera-noir anyone?? But, more than this, the camp of 'Deception' is positively elevated to high art. It's a delight and one more reason to treasure this film. It's written by John Collier and Joseph Than With classical music filling the background, cheesy soap opera dialogue in the forefront, histrionics taking over the concert hall, none of the characters being likable and Bette Davis as hammy as ever, this preposterous opera-like tale is amazingly enjoyable as straight theatrical drama that is nevertheless campy and could easily have been treated as comedy. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. "Deception" isn't a terrible film. That remark isn't too far off the mark; the swoony music, florid dialogue and ridiculous situations Bette Davis, Paul Henreid and Claude Rains find themselves saddled with make for terrifically overblown entertainment. When she spots him at a concert in NYC years later, the handwriting is on the wall for Rains. Another conductor, Neilsen, takes the place of the absent Hollenius, and the performance is a great success. Of course, Karel turns up alive and well, and Christine keeps her relationship with Hellanious a Big Secret. I live to watch that scene over and again for its acting mastery. Paul Henreid provides a creditable rendering of his role as the love interest and suspicious husband but in my opinion he cannot keep up with the other two dynamic actors. Bette Davis found out that she was pregnant during filming. Although few actresses have ever achieved distinction in this hazardous undertaking, the dual personality temptation likely will persist until some mischievous author comes along and writes about identical triplets. Maybe try one of the links below or a search? Hyman, the daughter of B. D. Davis, in Feud. On a recent Turner Classic Movies broadcast, I finally caught up with all of this one, having seen only snippets of it before. There is much that is wonderful about it, but there is a lot wrong with it. After seeing it, I admit that it has been one of the truly rare surprises for me in the film-viewing experience a superb movie with practically three people within the 'scheme' of the plot. It was a fairly ordinary melodrama. Friction develops between Novak and Hollenius, and the composer angrily breaks off a dress rehearsal on the grounds of Novak's temperamental behavior. At Bette's request The Virgin Queen received its premiere in Maine, preceded by a cocktail party at her home, Witchway. What it doesn't deserve is to languish in the shadows of these inferior efforts (as well as her well known classic films) because, it may be no masterpiece, but it's still huge fun and that's surely good enough reason to drag it out and brush the cobwebs off. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic, sardonic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional comedies, although her greatest successes were her roles in romantic dramas. Bette Davis was an American actress who appeared in over 100 films throughout her career. Claudette Colbert, the leading lady in It Happened One Night (1934), was originally meant to play Margo Channing. Who can top that 'tour de force'? Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. . Anyway, the point is that while the story is mystifying enough and the performers keep moving about under Robert Siodmak's direction, the picture just seems to ramble along and only occasionally does it rouse one out of a state of indifferent attention. [7] The 1929 film is set in Paris, and the characters are the owner of a dress shop, the young artist she marries, and the elderly boulevardier who bought the dress shop for her. She rejected the glamour image that Hollywoods stars were usually expected to convey. I love this movie but on the face of it I feel a little ridiculous saying I love it because the plot as it is executed is borderline ridiculous. . A plot summary gives a hint of the sheer silliness that unfolds in "Deception" (POSSIBLE SPOILERS): Christine (nicknamed "Schatzy"!) [6] In the play, the character played by Rains is a voice on the phone. How did I never come across Deception (1946) before? One of the few actors of Bette Davis' time who could match her screen intensity was Claude Rains. With high production costs and modest cinema patronage, it became the first Bette Davis film to lose money for Warner Bros.[14], Film critic Dennis Schwartz generally liked the film, writing, "Irving Rapper (Shining Victory/Now, Voyager/Rhapsody in Blue) helms this labored romantic melodrama, a remake of the early talkie 1929 Jealousy that was also based on a Louis Verneuil play. Feel free to send us your trailer requests and we will do our best to hunt it down. Where trailers from the past, from recent to long ago, from a time before YouTube, can be enjoyed by all. Which means that Davis bugs her eyes and flails about; Henreid veers between completely underplaying and going into hilariously manic overacting; and Rains gives the performance of a lifetime as the egomaniacal, bitchy villain. She was well known for portraying outspoken, complicated, often unlikable characters. the plot was interesting and it had me guessing for a while. and the Not fair! With a hit in the can, at long last, her star was on the rise. Oh, but of course, you think they can, don't you? It is evident he is jealous, and the stress leads him to squeeze until it shatters a wine glass he is holding. [10], Paul Henreid says he enjoyed working with Bette Davis again but did not get along with Irving Rapper, the two men barely speaking to each other.[11]. . She was subjected to a screen test by MGM-Mayer in 1930. And, I have to admit, an out and out camp classic. What happened to Bette Davis after her death is unknown. On top of it all, this movie has a wonderful score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and is photographed in glorious black and white with moody shadows that makes it real cinema noir stuff. The screenplay was written by John Collier and Joseph Than. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. The song Bette Davis Eye, originally written by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon in 1974, topped the music charts when it was re-recorded by Kim Carnes in 1981. Christine is going to be his muse and help him regain his confidence by getting Hollenius to help him present his music. Davis worked for Universal Studios after moving to Hollywood in 1930, but she wouldnt achieve fame until signing with Warner Bros. two years later. Davis, Henreid, and Rains play classical musicians caught in a torrid love triangle that ends violently. The plot of this film has been repeated already in these boards; suffice it to say, Bette is petrified that Rains will spill the beans on their long affair to her new husband Paul Henried. Korngold subsequently expanded this material and published it as his own cello concerto. Instead of developing the story from B to A, they tarted up the script with words like "effrontery," "abject," and "virago." . He was much, much more than the performer that gave us that memorably dapper chief of police. Still, they quickly marry in an attempt to rebuild their lives. After marrying her long-lost love, a musician finds the relationship threatened by a wealthy composer who is besotted with her. One of the truly astonishing and monumentally memorable episodes in the film has him ordering and re-ordering, and ordering again, an elaborate meal in a restaurant as he imperiously delays Paul Henreid from meeting a scheduled appointment. I'd consider it one of Rains' best acting performances - so suave, always a 'bon mot' at the right moment. . The film is based on the 1927 play Monsieur Lamberthier by Louis Verneuil. Davis's performance of "23 Appassionata" at the wedding reception was dubbed by the composer Erich Korngold, who had been a child prodigy when he was a teenager. But, then, let's not quibble on that point. And Bette, a trained pianist, playing Beethoven at her wedding party (she really wanted to play it herself but Jack Warner decided against it but you can see she knows what she's doing in fingering the keys).
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