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| Deception | 
 enlarge | Director: Irving Rapper
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
Buy New: $29.91
Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 39961
Format: Ntsc, Black & White
Languages: English (Unknown), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 112
UPC: 085391203124
EAN: 0085391203124
ASIN: B001709JY0
Theatrical Release Date: 1946
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
AN AUTHENTIC REGION 1 DVD FROM WARNER BROTHERS.SYNOPSIS:The three stars (Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains) and director (Irving Rapper) of Now Voyager reunite for this glamorous, angst-ridden melodrama set to a thrilling Erich Wolfgang Korngold score. A favorite of Davis fans, Deception inspired one of the best-known reviews in movie history: "It's like grand opera, only the people are thinner. I wouldnt have missed it for the world"(Cecelia Ager, PM).Based on Louis Verneuil's 1928 play Jealousy, the film tells the story of pianist Christine Radcliffe separated from her great love, cellist Karel Novak by World War II. Unexpectedly reunited with him, Christine desperately strives to hide her wartime dalliance as the mistress of a wealthy, sadistic composer (Rains), with devastating results.BONUS FEATURES: * Commentary by film historian Foster Hirsch * Warner Night at the Movies 1946 short subjects gallery: o Vintage newsreel o Oscar-winning Technicolor Sports Parade Short Facing Your Danger o Technicolor Specials Short Movieland Magic o Classic cartoon Mouse Menace o Trailers of Deception and 1946s A Stolen Life
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| Customer Reviews:
Over the Top -- and Then Some! August 11, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
DECEPTION has long been a favorite of Davis fans -- it's at the top of the list of her second-tier movies -- and this handsome DVD release, with Warners' usual impeccible mastering -- will undoubtedly win it new admirers. Based on a melodramatic piece of boulevard claptrap, there's hardly a believable moment in the entire picture, and certainly nothing about the plot bears scrutiny -- from every character treating a worn and puffy Davis as though she's the cutest little trick in shoe leather within ten blocks of Carnegie Hall, to the deception of the title -- should her husband be able, as the plot would have it, to ignore evidence and common sense and believe all's innocent fun and games, surely someone in the classical music community where these folks run would be happy to clarify for him just how Bette got that mink? But viewers should happily throw these questions aside and revel in one of the screen's great displays of ham run amok. Davis, no slouch in the scenery-chewing department, is constantly upstaged here by Claude Rains, who relishes each innuendo and bon mot in John Collier's witty screenplay. Erich Wolfgang Korngold's ripe score (with a marvelous cello concerto at its center) and Ernest Haller's brilliant cinematography (he was to capture another unforgettable Davis performance in BABY JANE) add to the film's pleasures. Even the decor overacts -- Rains seems to living in the lobby of the Roxy. This one's the GOTTERDAMMERUNG of women's pictures. Irresistable fun.
Second rate Davis but good package May 11, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
"Deception" was the last half decent Bette Davis vehicle from her glorious Warner Brother's years. Released in 1946, the film was based on a 2 character play called "Jealousy". Unfortunately, censorship robbed the film of credibility and the phoney ending just doesn't work as Davis herself recognised. Until then though, the film has some great features:
- an outstanding over the top performance by the great Claude Rains playing a composer/conductor named Hollenius. Rains, as Davis always acknowledged, steals the film.
- great sets, costumes and lighting creating a plush world among the operatic arty set in New York.
The DVD print is excellent and there are some good extras. The commentary is intriguing, carefully noting how the problems behind the scenes, including Davis's troubled private life (she was pregnant at the time) and insecurity about her looks contributed to the tension visible on the celluloid. There is a coloured short film about adventurers riding the Colorado river rapids and one set in Hollywood which puts together technicolour numbers from previous shorts dating back almost 10 years. Jane Wyman sings one of the songs and shows she was a competent singer. The cartoon is an hilarious gem as a mouse outwits Porky Pig. Don't miss when the mouse takes on a mechanical cat. This is animated perfection. Lastly, there is the original trailer of the film plus another Davis opus, "A Stolen Life".
The DVD is excellent value and even better if purchased as part of the Davis Set Volume 3.
Not the best Bette films, but worth a watch! April 19, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
The three main actors in this film are potentially wonderful! I was somewhat disappointed by Paul Henried's role (he is usually a stronger character); Bette Davis could also have been better compared to other parts; on the other hand (and as stated in another review), Claude Rains is just excellent (he seems to be able to 'rise' above the mediocrity of a role) - this is a film about classical music, personalities, and deception (hence the tile) - well worth a watch; probably would have gone 3+*, if possible, but because of the actors decided on 4* - any film w/ Bette needs to be watched at least once - :-)
Claude Rains Tour de Force! April 18, 2008
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Wow! Any fan of classic movies must own a copy of this one, if only for Claude Rains' amazing performance. This man was brilliant in all of his films, but this slice of ham is truly high art from the Claudester. His character is an egotistical, sexy, flamboyant conductor with the improbable name of Alex Hollenious. He spends his time lazing about in a dressing gown, petting a pillowed kitty and taking biting innuenedo/sarcasm to a level previously unseen on screen. No wonder Bette Davis was infatuated with this man in real life, as she proclaimed to all and sundry. If his power in real life was 10% of what he exhibits on screen, then swooning is the definite order of the day.
In Deception, Rains plays Bette Davis' former lover and he won't let her forget it. Bette foolishly marries the dreary, deadly dull and insipid Paul Henreid, just as she did in Now, Voyager. One wonders why Bette was always making these ridiculous mistakes. She's still in love with Claude, however, since she makes two lengthy visits to his bedroom within one day of her wedding to Henreid. When she tells Rains, "it looks like you haven't been to bed," he snaps back, "That, my dear, is no longer any of your business."
Even more amazing is that the Hays office let some of this type of dialogue slip by unnoticed. Rarely has a film of this era contained so many explicit (and funny) sexual references. When Bette visits Claude in his home while he's eating dinner, he says with devilish deliciousness, "Oh, my dear, you look positively majestic. I think I'd better remain seated." It doesn't take an Einstein to figure out what he really meant, especially when coupled with his salacious facial expressions. High camp indeed! There's another moment after Bette's marriage to Henreid that Claude is begging her to stay with him and keep their affair going. With a leering smile he says, "You can have us both, you know." Mr. Breen of the Hayes office was definitely asleep at the control panel when Warners pushed this baby through.
The highlight of the entire movie is a hilarious scene of 7 minutes in a restaurant. Claude orders and re-orders various ridiculously rich foods and says things like, "We'd like a brook trout, not too large. From a good stream." He also fusses endlessly over whether to order partridges with truffels or glazed partridges soaked in Madeira. He finally decides on a "woodcock!" Bette and Henreid look on with rueful expressions because this type of acting blows them out of the water. Truly, this is one of the most adroitly acted scenes in movie history, a scene to cherish. I've read several times that the restaurant scene is Dick Cavett's favorite scene in movies. No wonder.
There is an option of having additional commentary, and the fellow claims "Bette Davis allowed Mr. Rains to steal this scene." Pardon me, but as riveting as Bette was, there's no way she's going to eclipse Rains in any movie, as she herself freely admitted. The commentary is interesting, but focuses mostly on gushing over Bette's wardrobe, histrionics and general Bette worship.
The film itself is fairly good but very dull when Henreid shows up, but you treasure this one for Claude Rains' performance. If there's been a better actor in movie history, I've never seen him.
 DECEPTION decieves you. April 17, 2008
2 out of 7 found this review helpful
This film was made by Iving Rapper with Bette Davis, Claude rains and Paul Henreid. It was merely a big flop for Bette, the second one in a row (and would be followed by one more, than finally her big comeback All About Eve).This film was made by the director of Now Voyager, and reunited some of the Now, Voyager cast. It wasn't a terribly good picture though. This print is very good ( as is all Warner Films) and you should have no trouble hearing or seeing it.
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