utgard14 Bette Davis believed her true love Paul Henreid was killed in battle. When he returns, their romance is rekindled But during the time he was believed dead, Bette had become involved with composer Claude Rains. Claude's not very happy losing her to Henreid. So Bette must take steps to ensure he doesn't ruin their happiness.Paul Henreid is the weak link in this dynamic trio of stars. But, to be fair, he doesn't have the juiciest part. Bette is at her soap operatic best here, serving up her role with a hefty side of ham. Claude Rains owns every scene he's in. Like Bette, the man knew his way around a melodramatic role. Unlike Bette (usually), Rains could keep from going over-the-top. He's a better actor, quite frankly. But stars like Bette Davis and Joan Crawford aren't beloved for their realistic acting. People like them for their enjoyable excesses. They were the precursors to the television soap opera stars that would come decades later.Wonderful sets and costumes, filmed beautifully. Glamorous production from Warner Bros. Loved the Erich Wolfgang Korngold score, as well as the other classical pieces featured. It's a fine melodrama with touches of film noir. Great performances from Davis and Rains. Fans of both will enjoy this one.

GManfred ...Of Claude Rains' character in this picture. As has been stated, he is an older guy who loses out on Bette Davis to a younger guy. The younger guy is Paul Henreid playing a WWII survivor, thought dead by Davis. When she spots him at a concert in NYC years later, the handwriting is on the wall for Rains.The mise en scene is the world of classical music, about which I know little but which sounds, uh, classical in several pieces played during the film. Henreid plays a cellist, so the pieces for the cello leave me out completely. Rains is a master composer, a genius referred to by his last name, Hollenius, thereby cementing his genius label. Not only is he a genius, he is a vengeful genius.One does not often encounter such a high level of acting as that found in "Deception", and it elevates the film above the ordinary. All three principals are outstanding, especially Rains, whose performance towers over the other two. It is a character study and a straight drama. Speaking for myself I was not aware of any elements of 'noir', but if you are a fan of good acting, "Deception" is for you, as it is exceptional in this department.

dougdoepke Keeping audience interest with just three players over a two hour time presents a real challenge. But the pro's at Warner Bros. manage to do it, in spades. Of course, it helps having two of the most dominating performers of the time, Davis and Rains, as leads. Watching them play off one another is a real histrionic treat. In fact, was there ever a more detestable egotist than Rains' arrogant composer, Hollenius. His high-falootin' vocabulary just oozes civilized mayhem. Watching him slyly sabotage Novak's (Henreid) career out of jealousy over Christine (Davis) amounts to a brilliant piece of scripting and acting. Then too, he makes that high- class dinner from heck more unnerving than a pop quiz on rocket science. From now on, I'm sticking to tuna on rye.Actually Davis has one of her more sympathetic roles. True, she deceives poor Novak about her affair with Hollenius, but it's to spare him more agony after the horrors of WWII. And when she has finally had enough of Hollenius' abusive manipulations, she understandably puts a hole in him, while he takes a symbolic tumble down the stairs. I was hoping she'd let the tyrant have all six rounds, but I guess that would cross a criminal line barring her from eventual redemption. Anyway, it appears the movie's moral is that there are deceptions and there are deceptions. Christine's are not intended to harm, whereas Hollenius's are, and likely that's why the movie ends as it does.The production is slickly mounted, worthy of Hollywood's so-called Golden Age. The furnishings, costuming, and set design create just the right high-class ambiance. Watching these well upholstered people glide between gilded rooms is a tour most of us never get outside of the movies. Plus, it's a perfect setting for big shark Hollenius to forage in. My only gripe is with poor Gribble (Abbott). Did they have to telegraph his fall guy status with a comical name like 'Gribble'.Anyway, this is a Rains showcase, showing why an actor doesn't have to be physically big to dominate the screen, even when the formidable Davis is on the same screen.

moonspinner55 Louis Verneuil's play "Monsieur Lambertheir", first filmed in 1929 as "Jealousy", became the last screen-teaming of Warners stars Bette Davis and Claude Rains; results are typically florid and predictably melodramatic. Paul Henreid is a European cellist who relocates to New York City after the war and is reunited with former flame Davis, a talented pianist; she quickly moves him into her luxurious apartment and marries him, forgetting to disclose that she has become the protégé (or rather, mistress) of a tyrannical, world-famous composer and conductor. The apparently-intimate relationship between Davis and the wittily snide Rains isn't disclosed in detail, but we are to assume he lavishes gifts upon her in the context of a sexual union (although there hardly seems to be any passionate energy between them, the writing being so frothy and hot-headed). Screenwriters John Collier and Joseph Than are far too wordy in their setting-up of what amounts to a maddeningly ineffectual plot. Somehow, between the classical music and the overheated performances, the picture is entertaining enough, but the old spark seems to be missing. Davis (pregnant in real-life) looks a bit haggard, and practically hands the film over to Rains, who is full of spite and malice. There are few principal supporting characters, and one eventually tires of the trio's tantrums. It's a fairly well-upholstered production, although literate in the sense that soap operas can be intelligent. Davis soon left Warner Bros., and one can see why: the magic is gone. ** from ****