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. As . Get two weeks for FREE at the Friend Level today on http://www.webpianoteacher.com, where you can download my sheets, watch the rest of the parts for this series, and view thousands more of my lessons! Murf the Surf: Jewels, Jesus, and Mayhem in the USA: Season 1, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 1, Link to Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Link to Golden Tomato Awards: Best Movies & TV of 2022, Link to 10 WTF Horror Movies to Watch if You Loved, Link to Christian Slater and Jonathan Kasdan Talk. How did I never come across Deception (1946) before? He absolutely has a blast playing the grand, tyrannical, jealous composer who hates giving Bette up to Paul Henreid, her former lover who has just returned from Europe at the end of the war. An expensive production, Deception claimed a budget north of $2 million, thus becoming the first Bette Davis star vehicle to lose money for Warners, after a string of box-office hits (and oscar nominations). 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. "Deception" was based on a play and the adaptation has opened it in unexpected ways. Rains plays a world-famous, very wealthy composer. It's a delight and one more reason to treasure this film. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". . Please click the link below to receive your verification email. One of the few actors of Bette Davis' time who could match her screen intensity was Claude Rains. After marrying her long-lost love, a musician finds the relationship threatened by a wealthy composer who is besotted with her. . Her work throughout World War II contributed to the sale of millions of war bonds. Rains' performance as Hollenius the composer in this musico-melodrama. 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' feels almost subtle in comparison (who am I kidding??). Peter is very much interested in cultural practices around the world including music, history, languages, literature, religion and social structures. , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. Just confirm how you got your ticket. Rainy Manhattan streets, shadowy interiors and expressionistic cinematography all contribute to the dark atmosphere of this romantic melodrama in which deception, jealousy and fear are prevalent throughout. Henreid and Davis play lovers, Karel Novak and Christine Radcliffe, who lost touch during the war, with Christine believing that Karel was dead. Fans around the world are paying tribute to one of Hollywood's most enduring stars, Betta Davis. Her career spanned more than 60 years, and she appeared in more than 80 films during this time. 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. Claude's not very happy losing her to Henreid. When she spots him at a concert in NYC years later, the handwriting is on the wall for Rains. A fellow musician and composer who has just barely survived life in Europe during WWII, Karel is sick and emotionally frail. The 1962 film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? When he returns alive, they marry, but are menaced and threatened by a wealthy, egotistical composer she started dating on the rebound. But this IS Davis and a Claude Rains on top form which means it's a winner. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. In France, where her work is revered, her death was front-page news. Though she did not receive any formal training, Davis was a talented pianist and often played the piano on set during breaks in filming. This is a film where all three stars shine equally. She was subjected to a screen test by MGM-Mayer in 1930. {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. 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. It's got all the makings of a good melodrama. Crime, When he returns alive, they marry, but are menaced and threatened by a wealthy, egotistical composer she started dating on the rebound.Welcome to the Fandango MOVIECLIPS Trailer Vault Channel. . Coming Soon, Regal A very satisfying look at Davis and Rains at the peak of their powers. Maybe he did at that, for he certainly subjects them to enough psychiatric probings, with ink blot tests and lie detector readings, to satisfy a Moss Hart. 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. Here's a quick summary. . . In 1999, Davis was placed second behind Katharine Hepburn on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest female stars of the classical Hollywood cinema era. It could have been and should have been much better. Deception (1946) $2.99 $9.99 The Bette Davis Collection 816 DVD 5 offers from $125.00 A Stolen Life Curtis Bernhardt 814 DVD 15 offers from $5.87 The Bette Davis Collection Vol 2 BETTE DAVIS 60 DVD 6 offers from $35.50 TCM Greatest Classic Film Collection: Legends - Bette Davis (Now, Voyager / Dark Victory / Old Acquaintance / Jezebel) Bette Davis [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. . Dead Ringer (1964 film) Dead Ringer (also known as Who Is Buried in My Grave?) Rains' character is by far the most interesting, so it's no surprise that fans credit him with running away with the picture.[9], According to Warner Bros. records, the film earned $2,132,000 domestically and $1,130,000 in foreign markets.[1]. Henreid plays a masterful cellist with whom Davis was in love during the war in Europe. 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. Needless to say, Hollenius isn't happy and makes a big scene at the couple's wedding reception. 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. She ends her affair with Rains and tries to pretend it never happened. 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. 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. Distraught, Christine shoots him dead. 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 Bette Davis is one of the most iconic and admired classic Old Hollywood actresses of all time. Watch and see! . She told Playboy in 1982 that she did not dare to be hated and that she would never get to where she wanted to be. 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. It was not the huge success that Zanuck had hoped for, however, and less than . 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. I live to watch that scene over and again for its acting mastery. And when Hellanious writes a stunning concerto, guess which cellist he decides to use to debut his piece? It is evident he is jealous, and the stress leads him to squeeze until it shatters a wine glass he is holding. 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. Davis's performance (and her unique looks) finally got her noticed. If his power in real life was 10% of what he exhibits on screen, then swooning is the definite order of the day. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. After a brief theater career, she became one of the biggest stars in the Hollywood studio system, appearing in . Opera-noir anyone?? 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. . Then David O. Selznick took over and wanted Bette, but only in a deal whereby Errol Flynn would be her Rhett. 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). By 1942 she was earning more than any woman in the country. Bette Davis arrived in California just as talkies were becoming mainstream, and within a few years, she had blossomed into one of the first major stars of Hollywoods Golden Age. (For her trouble, Christine has a wardrobe full of fur coats and a soundstage-sized apartment that I'd kill for.) Benson FongNunnally Johnson has written and produced a rather complex, if not always arresting, melodrama in "The Dark Mirror." 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. . Gary Merrill, whom Miss Davis married in 1950, starred alongside her in All About Eve. Did Bette Davis Really Play The Piano In The Movie Deception? 6 was filmed as part of the film. Her condition deteriorated while she was returning from a film festival in Spain. . 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. Angela Lansbury: She didnt have a natural beauty, but she knew it. She was born on April 5, 1908, in Lowell, Mass., to Harlow Morrell Davis and Ruth Elizabeth Davis. Paul HenreidAlexander Hollenius . The film is based on the 1927 play Monsieur Lamberthier by Louis Verneuil. Coming Soon. A piano teacher named Christine Radcliffe is being mentored by conductor Alexander Hollenius. It was a fairly ordinary melodrama. the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. Of course, it helps having two of the most dominating performers of the time, Davis and Rains, as leads. . If you haven't seen it, do check it out. Alexander Hollenius: Extraordinary how people try to keep their little secrets which can never be kept. The Many Talents Of Bing Crosby: From Crooner To Pianist, How To Get David Gilmours Signature Guitar Sound, The Best Guitar Strings For Metalheads: Metallicas Secret, How To Play I Love You On Guitar Billie Eilish, How To Connect A Wireless Guitar Controller To PS2, How To Play Rock On Electric Guitar: The Basics, How To Play Guitar Like Marty McFly: 5 Tips For Beginners. Some would have us believe that 'Deception' is one solely for the die-hard Davis fans - those more willing to forgive her more arch mannerisms or looking a little 'past it'. Our site has more than 2 million unique monthly visitors and 1 million subscribers. See production, box office & company info, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA. Bloating a film does not turn it from B to A. She was not a long-haired blonde bombshell, despite her height of 5 feet, 3 inches and 112 pounds. And that, so far as we can figure, is all "Deception" is intended to dojust to give Miss Davis an opportunity to act a harassed and love-tortured dame. Sometimes even Dr. Ayres appears a bit puzzled, but he stoutly claims at the proper climactic moment to have known the girls individually all along. Betty Davis was worth an estimated $40 million when she died in 1989. . This is just one example of the many preposterous elements in the story. Well, without much time to process everything Christine's lost love Karel Novak (Henried) who was presumed dead suddenly surfaces. [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]. Even Davis has a hard time holding her own with this old pro, who was a favorite co-star of hers. 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. Christine forgot to mention that she's been shacked up with a famous composer, Alexander Hollenius (Rains), who's been keeping her. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history. He then returns to his dressing room and as the concert is heard resuming after intermission with Schubert's Unfinished Symphony Christine enters and their eyes meet in his mirror. The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists: On April 1, 2008, Warner Home Video released the film as part of the box set The Bette Davis Collection, Volume 3 before it was released as an individual DVD on July 12, 2015. 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. The screenplay was written by John Collier and Joseph Than. Rains plays a world-famous, very wealthy composer. Her first film, Bad Sister, was released in 1931. Carry OwenGeorge Benson . Oh, and I forgot to mention the amazingly good symphony performance scenes, with an original cello concerto by Korngold, ("played" by Henreid with the arms of two real cellists reaching in from either side to play the instrument). Davis is his paramour and a serious musician in her own right. . Marta Mitrovich, See the article in its original context from. "Deception" isn't a terrible film. But she's living in a palatial apartment that clearly was given to her by Rains. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. While well-wishers wait, Christine confesses everything to her husband, and they leave the concert hall together. He does, however, make it clear that he intends to have Novak play the concerto. Now, it seems, Davis and crew were allowed to pull out all the stops. 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? and the Deception is a 1946 American film noir drama released by Warner Brothers and directed by Irving Rapper. The sets are incredible and have a whole life of their own - huge luxurious drawing rooms, shadowy stairwells, grand staircases made for dramatic death scenes, lots and lots of cine-rain spattering windows and flooding the street of the evocative opening sequence. 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. Isn't she a poor teacher and presumably without a well padded family? See Davis at her best in The Letter. He absolutely has a blast playing the grand, tyrannical, jealous composer who hates giving Bette up to Paul Henreid, her former lover who has just returned from Europe at the end of the war. She took on roles and roles in films that were both good and good parts, as well as a good cast after Bondage. Davis was married to Sherrys father, actor William Grant Sherry, from 1945 to 1949. Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2022. Claudette Colbert, the leading lady in It Happened One Night (1934), was originally meant to play Margo Channing. She rejected the glamour image that Hollywoods stars were usually expected to convey. . The track was one of the biggest hits of 1981 and won the Grammy for Song of the Year. Both men are wickedly jealous of each other. Davis starred in a number of hit pictures under Warner Bros., including Jezebel (1938), Dark Victory (1939), and Now, Voyager (1942), and was one of the studios biggest money-makers in the 1930s and early '40s. Davis was known for her outspokenness and her ability to command attention, and her last words are often seen as a reflection of her personality. This film conyains one of Miss Davis' greatest performances, as she enters into the very heart of what a loveless life can do, to a young woman, and finnaly an older woman, living in a house with a cousin who caused so much of her loneliness. It stars Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rains, who had also appeared together in the highly successful Now, Voyager (1942). A few years after their success with "Now, Voyager," director Irving Rapper and actors Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rains teamed back up to make another picture: "Deception." This satisfying melodrama has one thing going for it: the great music one hears throughout the movie, it's highlight being the Korngold Cello concerto, a rarity seldom heard, let alone in films. It is a terrified and desperate Christine pitted against the manipulative, deliberately cruel, angry, and very imperious Hollenius. There is much that is wonderful about it, but there is a lot wrong with it. Meanwhile, she's sneaking around to the Hollenius mansion hoping to appease him so he won't do anything like get her new husband, an excellent cellist, blacklisted. 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. Dont worry, it wont take long. This is some of the sharpest, wittiest dialogue I've seen in a movie, rivaling Ernst Lubitsch and every bit as good as in All About Eve. And a few more incautious selections such as the old Louis Verneuil play which has been propped up to make her latest vehicle would regrettably do the trick. . While filming What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? It has been noted by others how strong Rains' performance is. Mozartproject.org is a media and news platform that covers music genres, culture, fashion and the industry of entertainment. Warner Bros. originally purchased the play as a vehicle for Barbara Stanwyck and Paul Henreid. You're almost there! For the mephistophelian performance of Claude Rains in this villainous role makes her look completely childish and, from the viewpoint of logic, absurd. 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. The film is based on the 1927 play Monsieur Lamberthier by Louis Verneuil. Then too, he makes that high- class dinner from heck more unnerving than a pop quiz on rocket science. 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. Ruth Elizabeth Davis was born on April 5, 1908, inLowell, Mass., to Harlow Morrel Davis and Ruth Favor Davis. Instead of developing the story from B to A, they tarted up the script with words like "effrontery," "abject," and "virago." Cast. . A melodrama with delusions of grandeur. Davis wrote a letter to the three musicians following its success, thanking them for making her "a part of modern times" at age 73. Bette Davis, original name Ruth Elizabeth Davis, (born April 5, 1908, Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S.died October 6, 1989, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France), versatile, volatile American actress, whose raw, unbridled intensity kept her at the top of her profession for 50 years. 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. Watching him slyly sabotage Novak's (Henreid) career out of jealousy over Christine (Davis) amounts to a brilliant piece of scripting and acting. Christine is going to be his muse and help him regain his confidence by getting Hollenius to help him present his music. This Universal-International production, which arrived yesterday to puzzle patrons of Loew's Criterion, left this spectator in a state of bewilderment second only to that of Thomas Mitchell, the harassed police lieutenant in the story who is confronted with a murder involving twin sisters and can't distinguish one from the other. Her mothers relationship with Joan Crawford was constantly in the news, and she was on set with her at the time. But, as ever, a performance is what it is (Davis the original show-off). I have just finished reading all of the comments here and now let me add my two cents worth. She made her Broadway debut at the age of 16 as part of The Earth Between Next, and then went on to play Hedvig in Ibsens The Wild Duck. Her adopted son, Michael Merrill, received the vast majority of the estate. [1] This collection gives us The Old Maid, seldom seen before VHS and this DVD. Pah! Those words echoed in my dreams as a young man. Like many Hollywood starlets, Bette Davis changed her name. Davis attributes her success to hard work. . 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. Bette Davis in a series of superior films. 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. Since I'm collecting Claude Rains films I recently bought this video, "Deception," and viewed it today. According to Danielle Maggio, an ethnomusicologist and close friend of Davis, who spoke with Rolling Stone, Davis died of natural causes in her hometown of Homestead, Pennsylvania, on October 6, 1989. Matched penultimately perfect for the picture, Davis and Rains match each other's most intense acting skills during a major bedroom blow-out between them. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. Where trailers from the past, from recent to long ago, from a time before YouTube, can be enjoyed by all. . By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Rains is always great when playing intense, articulate men imposing their will on others and his Hollenius is quite a creation. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. She then discovers him in New York and the two marry immediately. . Fine Claude Rains fare. Like my Kawai MP11SE just as much as I do? Warner's Bette Davis Collection, Volume 3 -- A Good Selection of Golden Age Films, with a Minor Audio Problem, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. [6] In the play, the character played by Rains is a voice on the phone. Near the beginning of the film, Jerry Spencer, an eager student reporter (Richard Erdman), asks Karel Which of the living composers should I admire? Karel demurs, but when asked who he likes best, he replies: Stravinsky when I think of the present, Richard Strauss when I think of the past, and of course, Hollenius, who combines the rhythm of today with the melody of yesterday. The last is an apt description of and probable tribute to Korngold. Cinemark Bette Davis found out that she was pregnant during filming. The film was based on a play Monsieur Lamberthier by Louis Verneuil, which was first performed in Paris in 1927. 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). . Who can top that 'tour de force'? Drama. Paul Henreid is paired with Davis as her true love for another convincing romance. It becomes apparent to Christine that a cellist in the orchestra, Bertram Gribble, is being tutored in the solo part by Hollenius. The team behind "Deception" couldn't accept that. Coming Soon. When they become reunited, they marry. 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. Talk to my friend Scott at Kawai Dallas Piano Gallery about getting yours shipped to your doorstep: https://www.kawaipianosdallas.com/contact-us/. 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. Over the years, we have been providing quality content, commentaries, opinions and insights on arts and 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. There are much larger gaps in this film. Mr. Ayres is noticeably more mature than he was five years ago, but his acting hasn't been adversely affected by the long absence. She was known for her performances in a range of genres, including the classics All About Eve and Jezebel, for which she won her first two Academy Awards. . If this film had gotten a better editing job, I might have given it an 8. Before the movie went into production, the script was revised so that the character of Margo Channing better reflected Daviss headstrong personality. She was a Laguna resident from the late 1950s until her death in 1980. . By creating an account, you agree to the What transpires next is a cat and mouse game between Christine and Hollenius. . We are also treated to the beginning of Beethoven's Apassionata sonata as well. Deception (1946) A marvelous chamber piece, in a way, involving orchestral music. When "Deception" was first released, one gushy fan mag declared that it was "just like opera, only the people are thinner!" the plot was interesting and it had me guessing for a while. Another weak aspect is the editing. The movie itself has draggy moments, but Claude Rains is at his suave, epicene best. The restaurant scene deserves all the mention it got here previously, but how about mink coated Bette confronting Rains in his bed reading Dick Tracy? Or, was it the other way around? Did Bette Davis Really Play The Piano In The Movie Deception? The couple embraces while Christine cries, "I thought you were dead. No matter--it cannot be stated too often. We are the go to news media platform of people who would like to find the latest trends in the entertainment industry. 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. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Less than four years after 'Deception' came 'All About Eve'. After the mutual collaboration with the director Irving Rapper on NOW VOYAGER, the great trio of superb performers, Bette Davis, Claude Rains and Paul Henreid appeared again in DECEPTION a rather simple, even soap opera-like story ornamented with high-toned classical music setting (the film begins and ends with a concert). Here's a quick summary. 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. . If you're a Claude Rains fan--and there are MANY, MANY of them out there--you might have read my profile on his career in CLASSIC IMAGES, a long article with many photos that appeared in the December 2000 issue. She was most recently known as Oscar during the Academy Awards ceremony. Do see this one, it's excellent entertainment! Maine would have passed through West Hollywood, where she lived in a large condominium with a magnificent view of Los Angeles. That is to say, it tells the story of a lady who casually forsakes a highly possessive lover in order to marry another man. And they made every scene longer than it had to be. So Bette must take steps to ensure he doesn't ruin their happiness. "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. Miss Davis might have wished that in the film, too, he were kept more discreetly concealed. I'd consider it one of Rains' best acting performances - so suave, always a 'bon mot' at the right moment. In short, it lacks emotional punch. 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. This man was brilliant in all of his films, but this slice of ham is truly high art from the Claudester. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. A piano teacher named Christine Radcliffe is being mentored by conductor Alexander Hollenius. . . Maybe try one of the links below or a search? Hollenius soon gives Novak a manuscript score of his new cello concerto, which Novak agrees to perform at its premiere. The title Jealousy was not available. Doesn't the great Hollenius seem a tad too possessive? It also had very nice music. . Lew AyresLieut. Olivia de HavillandRuth CollinsDr. 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. What Deception is is a high powered duel between flamboyant personalities (Davis and Rains) wiping their costar (Henreid) right off the screen. No wonder Bette Davis was infatuated with this man. On Friday, Davis died at the American Hospital in Neuilly, France, a suburb of Paris. The nervous, insecure Karel, fresh from probably a concentration camp, is suspicious of this so-called friendship, but Christine continually lies to him - Hollenius likes to give fancy gifts to friends, he won't go out with someone who is poorly dressed, he heard her play the piano and bought her a piano - yada yada yada. American actress Bette Davis was born on April 5, 1908, in Lowell, Massachusetts. How did I never come across Deception (1946) before? After marrying her long-lost love, a musician finds the relationship threatened by a wealthy composer who is besotted with her. . Friction develops between Novak and Hollenius, and the composer angrily breaks off a dress rehearsal on the grounds of Novak's temperamental behavior. Any fan of classic movies must own a copy of this one, if only for Claude Rain's amazing performance. 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. Scott Elliott . 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. Somehow Henreid accepts that she paid for this apartment with a music teacher's salary. "Deception" is a melodrama with A-movie window-dressing. 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. . Like my Kawai MP11SE just as much as I do? Davis wrote a letter to the. Deception (1946) Official Trailer - Bette Davis, Claude Rains Movie HD A piano teacher believes that her fianc, a cellist, was killed on the battlefield. [4][5], According to TCM, Davis wanted Deception to be a two-character film, like the play. At the Hollywood.Christine Radcliffe . Bette Davis eyes. Shawn and Shawna Feel free to send us your trailer requests and we will do our best to hunt it down. In honor of her birthday on April 5, here are some facts about Bette Davis. Claude RainsBertram Gribble . Bette couldn't go through with that, clearly not too thrilled to wear plaid. . Instead, her rival Crawford accepted the award on behalf ofAnne Bancroftfollowing one of the industry's ugliest Oscars campaigns. They inserted serious classical music here and there. Great picture with Bette Davis and great male leads. Her passing occurred at the age of 81. Hollenius' Cello Concerto was written by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, who composed the music for this film. Warner Bros financial information in The William Shaefer Ledger. But, despite withering opinion, those not enamoured of Davis's charms will still find much to smack their chops over as well. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. She was well known for portraying outspoken, complicated, often unlikable characters. . 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. . Suspecting the sabotage of her husband's career, she unsuccessfully attempts to bribe Gribble into not co-operating. Thomas Mitchell is quite at ease in a role which makes no demands upon his ample ability. . For the film makes it so apparent that monkey-business had been going on, that the husband appears an awful dodo for not eventually catching on, while the wife's execution of her old flame seems entirely unjustified. Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. 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. Well, you'll find out. She died in 1989 at the age of 79. Indeed, the whole problem in the picture has a thoroughly artificial look.But, then, that's the movies for youespecially when they're tacking up a show-piece intended primarily to exhibit an actress' emotional range. Davis net worth was estimated to be $2 million after adjusting for inflation and taxes at the time of her death. The Haydn, Schubert, and Mozart used so artfully by Korngold did too. Did Barbara Stanwyck Ever Play The Piano? 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. Still, they quickly marry in an attempt to rebuild their lives. 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'. Part two of the examination of the dualistic career of Bette Davis through the prism of Davis' roles as identical twins in the fraternal films A Stolen Life (1946) and Dead Ringer (1964). But her off-screen was as dramatic as her movies, with her infamous feud with Joan Crawford still tantalizing people today. And, I have to admit, an out and out camp classic. I'll dispense with the details of the plot and move directly to Mr. Daviss solo piano performance of Beethovens Piano Sonata No. On a recent Turner Classic Movies broadcast, I finally caught up with all of this one, having seen only snippets of it before. 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. DECEPTION; screen play by John Collier and Joseph Than, based on a play by Louis Verneuil; directed by Irving Rapper; produced by Henry Blanke for Warner Brothers. Of course, if Karel finds out he'll be devastated. Many of her fans refused to believe she was gone. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter After a string of failed launches, Bette Davis was at her wit's end. She founded and was president of the Tailwaggers Club, a group dedicated to animal welfare. The world's greatest living composer, Alexnder Hollenius. But, then, let's not quibble on that point. His character is all arrogance, insufferably backed up with prodigious talent, a powerful intellect, and a razor sharp wit which he uses without qualm to taunt or torture those around him. But, the script-stealing scene is between Davis and Rains. The protagonists are all musicians whose lives may be more complicated than one foreseesyet, there is something far more important that you also cannot see in advance: the miracle of silver screen's power to communicate ideas in a tremendously vibrant manner. . There has never been an official explanation as to what happened to her. Copyright Fandango. Oh, and I forgot to mention the amazingly good symphony performance scenes, with an original cello concerto by Korngold, ("played" by Henreid with the arms of two real cellists reaching in from either side to play the instrument). 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. Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. Davis is his paramour and a serious. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. It stars Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rains, who had also appeared together in the highly successful Now, Voyager (1942). [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. Korngold subsequently expanded this material and published it as his own cello concerto. 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. That seems the only basis for her fatal attachment to him. Bette Davis was born on April 5, 1908 in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA. Didriksen . 1946 clarity means everything while your watching. But every scene is a gem, such as the scene where Claude takes them to a haute cuisine French restaurant and spends 10 minutes going back and forth over whether to order pheasant, trout, or saddle of lamb and whether to go with a Hermitage or a Vosne Romanee wine. Sherry was born in 1945, when Davis was 23 years old. Talk to my friend Scott at Kawai Dallas Piano Gallery about getting yours shipped to your doorstep: https://www.. Forget Henried's Karel who is merely window dressing. The younger guy is Paul Henreid playing a WWII survivor, thought dead by Davis. . Just below that it reads "Ticket Confirmation#:" followed by a 10-digit number. . . If she had won the Oscar statuette for that performance, she would have made history again as the first actress ever to win three Academy Awards. "Deception" tried to be more than it was. The cause of death was breast cancer. What happened to Bette Davis after her death is unknown. But every scene is a gem, such as the scene where Claude takes them to a haute cuisine French restaurant and spends 10 minutes going back and forth over whether to order pheasant, trout, or saddle of lamb and whether to go with a Hermitage or a Vosne Romanee wine. Terms and Policies Deception is a Netflix film from 2008. 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. In addition to her acting career, Davis was also a successful businesswoman, owning her own production company and serving as the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. When did we learn to stop letting go of grim reality?? The cast begins with two principals, played with usual intensity by Bette Davis and with usual restraint by Paul Henreid. 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. She has really been in love with cellist Karel (Henreid), but thought him a war casualty, and circumstances forced her into her relationship with Hellanious. 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. 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. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your email. Betty Davis had one child, a daughter named Barbara Davis Sherry. 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. Changed her name a two-character film, like the play as a young man did bette davis play the piano in deception devastated! Articles to give each month feet did bette davis play the piano in deception 3 inches and 112 pounds Netflix film from 2008 and they every... A 10-digit number concert in NYC years later, the script-stealing scene between. Between Novak and Hollenius 'll dispense with the studio for years my Grave?.! Tried to be a two-character film, television and theater the script was revised so that the character played Rains... Classic movies must own a copy of this one, it seems, and... Brothers and directed by Irving Rapper the old Maid, seldom did bette davis play the piano in deception VHS! 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