Deception (film)

"This article is about the 1946 version of the film. For the 2008 film starring Hugh Jackman and Ewan McGregor see Deception (2008 film)."

Infobox Film
name = Deception


caption = Original film poster
director = Irving Rapper
producer = Henry Blanke
writer = John Collier
Joseph Than
Louis Verneuil (play)
starring = Bette Davis
Paul Henreid
Claude Rains
music = Erich Wolfgang Korngold
cinematography = Ernest Haller
editing = Alan Crosland Jr.
distributor = Warner Bros.
released = flagicon|USA 18 October 1946
runtime = 110 min
country = USA
awards =
language = English
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0038461

"Deception" is a 1946 film noir made by First National Pictures-Warner Bros.. It was directed by Irving Rapper. The film is based on the play "Monsieur Lamberthier" by Louis Verneuil. The screenplay was written by John Collier and Joseph Than.

It stars Bette Davis, Paul Henreid and Claude Rains who had also appeared together in the highly successful "Now, Voyager" (1942). Despite their earlier success as a team, and generally positive reviews, "Deception" proved to be an expensive exercise for its producers. With high production costs and modest cinema patronage, it became the first Bette Davis film to lose money. [cite book |last= Spada |first= James |title= More Than a Woman |year= 1993 |publisher= Little, Brown and Company |id= ISBN 978-0-316-90880-1 |pages= p 241]

Background and notes

* The play on which the film is based was first performed in Paris in 1927. It opened on Broadway on October 22, 1928 under the title "Jealousy", at the Maxine Elliott's Theatre, as a two-hander, with Fay Bainter and John Halliday. It was turned into a film also entitled "Jealousy" (1929) with Jeanne Eagels and Fredric March and directed by Jean De Limur. 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.

* Warner Bros. had purchased the play as a vehicle for Barbara Stanwyck and Paul Henreid.

* Davis' solo piano playing was performed by Shura Cherkassky. Henreid's cello playing was dubbed by Eleanor Aller.

* The music for Hollenius' "Cello Concerto" is by Korngold.

Plot

The film opens with Christine Radcliffe (Bette Davis) running up the stairs of a college concert hall in the rain. She slips into the back of the hall which is filled with rapt students, and her eyes fill with tears as she recognizes the cellist on stage: Karel Novak (Paul Henreid). After the performance Novak is mobbed by student well-wishers, and a student reporter questions him about his favorite composers. Novak lists some famous composers and then adds, "And, of course, Hollenius".

When the crowd dies down and Novak returns to his dressing room, Christine enters and their eyes meet in his mirror. The couple embraces while Radcliffe cries, “I thought you were dead. I saw them kill you.”

Karel and Christine return to her apartment where Karel becomes suspicious of the rare artwork on display and the fur coat hanging in the closet. Christine has told Karel that she is living a hand-to-mouth existence as a piano player and this does not jibe with the evidence in the apartment. It soon becomes clear that Christine’s relationship with the composer Alexander Hollenius (Claude Rains) is much more serious than Christine has been letting on.

Principal cast

*Bette Davis as Christine Radcliffe
*Paul Henreid as Karel Novak
*Claude Rains as Alexander Hollenius
*John Abbott as Bertram Gribble
*Benson Fong as Hollenius' Servant

External links

*

References

*Martin, Mick and Porter, Marsha "DVD & Video Guide 2006"