Another weak aspect is the editing. Her two Academy Awards for best actress were the first for a woman in film history. Claude RainsBertram Gribble . American actress Bette Davis was born on April 5, 1908, in Lowell, Massachusetts. The scene where the great composer unexpectedly arrives at Bette's and Paul's festive wedding party at her great loft apartment overlooking the river in New York (modeled on Leonard Bernstein's apartment) and trades poisonous banter with Bette and Paul makes the movie worth it by itself. But her off-screen was as dramatic as her movies, with her infamous feud with Joan Crawford still tantalizing people today. In 1955, Davis starred as Queen Elizabeth I in The Virgin Queen, and Joan Crawford starred as Baby Jane in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Deception is a 1946 American film noir drama released by Warner Brothers and directed by Irving Rapper. Needless to say, hell hath no fury like a Hellanious scored, and the remainder of the film has Christine telling lie upon lie to keep the truth from Karel (who is prone to fits of jealous rage), while the vindictive Hellanious watches on in malicious amusement. If you haven't seen it, do check it out. [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. Richard LongDistrict Attorney . Bette Davis in a series of superior films. . Bette Davis was born on April 5, 1908 in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Sherry was born in 1945, when Davis was 23 years old. 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. She was most recently known as Oscar during the Academy Awards ceremony. Of course, Karel turns up alive and well, and Christine keeps her relationship with Hellanious a Big Secret. . She took on roles and roles in films that were both good and good parts, as well as a good cast after Bondage. Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. [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]. Of Claude Rains' character in this picture. She died in 1989 at the age of 79. Davis wrote a letter to the three musicians following its success, thanking them for making her "a part of modern times" at age 73. Though she did not receive any formal training, Davis was a talented pianist and often played the piano on set during breaks in filming. . It stars Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rains, who had also appeared together in the highly successful Now, Voyager (1942). Fans around the world are paying tribute to one of Hollywood's most enduring stars, Betta Davis. The younger guy is Paul Henreid playing a WWII survivor, thought dead by Davis. Davis also starred in a number of contemporary films, such as What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? 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. Paul HenreidAlexander Hollenius . Didriksen . . "Deception" was based on a play and the adaptation has opened it in unexpected ways. With her first Oscar, Dangerous, she moved up in the ranks of Hollywood actresses. She ends her affair with Rains and tries to pretend it never happened. Her friends at work were her closest of friends. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. She was a Laguna resident from the late 1950s until her death in 1980. What transpires next is a cat and mouse game between Christine and Hollenius. Drama. 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. Or, was it the other way around? She was well known for portraying outspoken, complicated, often unlikable characters. Mozartproject.org is a media and news platform that covers music genres, culture, fashion and the industry of entertainment. If you haven't seen it, do check it out. 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: It was not the huge success that Zanuck had hoped for, however, and less than . No wonder Bette Davis was infatuated with this man. When they become reunited, they marry. He was a notorious scene stealer, filling the molds of his cinematic characters so completely it is virtually impossible to think of another actor in his place. The play was presented again on Broadway on October 1, 1946 under the title Obsession at the Plymouth Theatre, with Eugenie Leontovich and Basil Rathbone. Daviss solo piano performance of Beethovens Piano Sonata No. Cellist Karel Novak (Paul Henreid) was presumed to be killed during the war; so his sudden return surprises everyone, especially his lover Christine Radcliffe (Bette Davis). The cast begins with two principals, played with usual intensity by Bette Davis and with usual restraint by Paul Henreid. 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. They inserted serious classical music here and there. Peter Williams is a graduate of B.A Arts and Culture from the University of Technology Sydney. It also had very nice music. Coming as it does, not only on the cusp of Hollywood's golden age but also Davis's at Warners, 'Deception' is often forgotten or dismissed in favour of the previous classics she made with Warners or the gothic hysterics of her later films. We are the go to news media platform of people who would like to find the latest trends in the entertainment industry. 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. Deception (1946) A marvelous chamber piece, in a way, involving orchestral music. It was a time when they cared enough about high production values and reveled in artifice, glamour and the pure indulgence of escapism. Coming Soon. A great film moment! Her lawsuit against Warner Bros. resulted in a $5 million judgment. Experience The Magic Of Allens One-Hour Show Of Spectacular Illusions! Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! Did Bette Davis Really Play The Piano In The Movie Deception? The upcoming reissue will be released through Warner Archive Collection. featured her in a role. the plot was interesting and it had me guessing for a while. 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. . Bette Davis passed away on October 6, 1989, at the age of 81. There is much that is wonderful about it, but there is a lot wrong with it. 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. Isn't she a poor teacher and presumably without a well padded family? You're almost there! Four years later,the three actors of Irving Rapper's "now,voyager" -an ugly duckling melodrama-,Bette Davis,Paul Henreid and Claude Rains sign up for the cast of "deception" .One could hardly call "deception" a melodrama;it's rather a psychological drama for it lacks the "enough is enough", the extravagance of the plot which made Stahl and Sirk so priceless.It's actually a subtle movie,with a Bette Davis at her most generous and a Claude Rains at his vilest.A true gourmet,at the French restaurant ,you should see him talk woodcocks and partridges with the chef (with French lines galore)!A composer,he treats his fellow creatures as puppets ,buy them fancy clothes,luxury apartments,statuettes worthy of a museum.but as the heroine will learn,the rent is always due. The cause of death was breast cancer. . Bette Davis last words is a phrase that is often used to describe the final words spoken by the actress Bette Davis. Did Bette Davis Really Play The Piano In The Movie Deception? 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. By 1942 she was earning more than any woman in the country. True, there could have been a tad (make that a megawatt) more chemistry between her and Henreid: premise, she thinks he's dead, meets him again, he, theoretically, loves her with equal passion but when they meet again instead of ripping each others' clothes off they embrace almost platonically and even when she takes him back to her apartment they're content to make small talk. . And they made every scene longer than it had to be. Bette Davis is one of the most iconic and admired classic Old Hollywood actresses of all time. Even Davis has a hard time holding her own with this old pro, who was a favorite co-star of hers. Hollenius' Cello Concerto was written by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, who composed the music for this film. She was not a long-haired blonde bombshell, despite her height of 5 feet, 3 inches and 112 pounds. Her father, Gregory Aller, coached Henreid in plausible bow movements. It could have been and should have been much better. The scene where the great composer unexpectedly arrives at Bette's and Paul's festive wedding party at her great loft apartment overlooking the river in New York (modeled on Leonard Bernstein's apartment) and trades poisonous banter with Bette and Paul makes the movie worth it by itself. This is a true Bette Davis special, so much to watch for Bette plays Beethoven's Apassionata sonata! By creating an account, you agree to the 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. Henreid plays a masterful cellist with whom Davis was in love during the war in Europe. But, the script-stealing scene is between Davis and Rains. He does, however, make it clear that he intends to have Novak play the concerto. No matter--it cannot be stated too often. But, more than this, the camp of 'Deception' is positively elevated to high art. Then David O. Selznick took over and wanted Bette, but only in a deal whereby Errol Flynn would be her Rhett. Evilly stroking his white cat, Rains predates the cartoonish baddies of James Bond by several decades, and gives a, well, operatic performance that not even Donald Pleasance (or Michael Myers) could top. Still, they quickly marry in an attempt to rebuild their lives. I saw them kill you.". But this was still a time when people cared and cynicism hadn't taken over so much that now anything not total po-faced realism (outside of a comedy proper) is sneered at knowingly or declared "so bad it's good" by a seemingly more 'sophisticated' audience. We wont be able to verify your ticket today, but its great to know for the future. [5], Despite the earlier success of Davis, Henreid, Rains and director Rapper, and generally positive reviews, Deception proved to be an expensive exercise for its producers. According to Alicia Malone's introduction on Turner Classic Movies, stories persist that pianist Shura Cherkasskys hands are seen on-screen during Davis's solo piano performance of Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. Where trailers from the past, from recent to long ago, from a time before YouTube, can be enjoyed by all. 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. Hollenius doesn't see it that way since Christine is his mistress and that is where all the goodies that Christine enjoys are coming from. Mr. Ayres is noticeably more mature than he was five years ago, but his acting hasn't been adversely affected by the long absence. . Also gumming up the works is the Production Code, which wasn't about to accept a woman finding happiness after admitting to years of unmarried sex.[9], The working title of the film was Her Conscience, but Davis objected. Her last film was The Whales of August, which was released in 1987. Benson FongNunnally Johnson has written and produced a rather complex, if not always arresting, melodrama in "The Dark Mirror." . The title Jealousy was not available. 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. With a hit in the can, at long last, her star was on the rise. This broods a bit and suggests trouble, and then comes the third player, who outdoes them both, in the form of Claude Rains. Cast. I wouldn't have missed it for the world." This is just one example of the many preposterous elements in the story. Also, I've grown to appreciate Bette Davis movies as I got older and feel she gives a heart-rending performance that is thoughtful and, thank goodness, not so overwrought. Henreid's cello playing was dubbed by Eleanor Aller, who was pregnant with her son Frederick Zlotkin, who is now a noted cellist. She planned on packing it up and going back to New Yorkjust before she booked The Man Who Played God, a film about a deaf pianist. "Deception" tried to be more than it was. She stops him with the confession she lowered herself to taking "rich, untalented pupils" who gifted her with the items. 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. Crime, She has told him that she is living a financially precarious life as a pianist but this conflicts with what Karel sees in her apartment, such as a fur coat hanging in the closet and rare art on display. This is a complete filmography of Bette Davis.Davis began acting in films in 1931, initially as a contract player with Universal Studios, where she made her film debut in Bad Sister.She was initially seen as unappealing by studio executives, and was assigned to a string of B-movies early in her career.. Davis made a transition to Warner Bros. in 1932, and made her breakthrough performance in . A plot summary gives a hint of the sheer silliness that unfolds in "Deception" (POSSIBLE SPOILERS): Christine (nicknamed "Schatzy"!) 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). . 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. [6] In the play, the character played by Rains is a voice on the phone. Feel free to send us your trailer requests and we will do our best to hunt it down. 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. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. And, I have to admit, an out and out camp classic. . Doesn't the great Hollenius seem a tad too possessive? It was a fairly ordinary melodrama. He makes assumptions and confronts her, but frightens himself with his own vehemence and apologizes, though says he is leaving. After marrying her long-lost love, a musician finds the relationship threatened by a wealthy composer who is besotted with her. And they made every scene longer than it had to be Hollywood actresses is between Davis Rains. The music for this film of 'Deception ' is positively elevated to high art mozartproject.org a... Much better poor teacher and presumably without a well padded family next is a cat and mouse game Christine! The world. Gregory Aller, coached Henreid in plausible bow movements was born on April 5, in! Lawsuit against Warner Bros. resulted in a $ 5 million judgment marvelous chamber,... Of did bette davis play the piano in deception films, such as what Ever Happened to Baby Jane that music... 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