Deception (VHS, 1999)

I thought I'd seen the very best of all the motion pictures in which Bette Davis performed; that is, until I experienced "Deception" (1946). Having provided many critiques of Davis' work, I also chose a favorite leading or supporting actor with whom she frequently appeared: Paul Henreid (especially their joint performances in "Now, Voyager" (1942). Within my reviews I've often credited Claude Rains as 1 of the few actors who could remain in character without Bette Davis stealing the show. Though Davis' co-lead is Henreid, & as in "Now, Voyager," Davis & Henreid are madly in love, in "Deception" they marry near the movie's start. Instead of Davis having to carry the lead character's persona as the strongest willed & dominant figure, the actor to whom Sir John Gielgud gave credit for inspiring & developing his own acting skills, Claude Rains, matches the acting talent, intensity & silver screen charisma of Bette Davis! Usually, it's 1 of Davis' characters going off in an emotional scene of 1 kind or another passion: rage, sorrow, bereavement, jealousy, spite, hatred, insanity, outrage, rebellion, etc.. In "Deception," whenever Rains & Davis are together in a scene their combined energies & master acting skills are absolutely engrossing. Clearly, in a film with Davis, this is Rains' finest performance. While I won't go so far to say that Rains steals the show, finally, I'm convinced he's the only actor I've ever known to be Davis' equal. Because of Rains' acting mastery measuring up to Davis', "Deception" is the most exciting film noir, crime drama, starring Davis that I've ever critiqued.

"Deception's" plot is a great noir crime drama about the talented musician, Christine Radcliffe (Davis), believing for years that she's lost her true love, a brilliant cellist Karel Novak (Henreid) during WWII. While Radcliffe believes Novak's dead, she's being mentored in NYC by the famous & much sought after composer, Alexander Hollenius (Rains). It's been speculated that playwright Verneuil based Hollenius upon Richard Wagner.

As if the well crafted script weren't enough to listen to, there's also a fabulous musical score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, a classical music composer. Hollenius (Rains) aptly introduces a difficult cello concerto he's been working on to his protégé's undiscovered & talented new husband--the man who has stolen his lover & pet student from him overnight & without warning: Novak (Henreid). The 3-way tensions build between Radcliffe, Hollenius & Novak. Radcliffe refuses to reveal to Novak that, in his absence, she became a kept woman of Hollenius. This is where Rains delivers a master performance: psychologically blackmailing Radcliffe to the brink of insanity with that secret: their deception. All the while, her temperamental husband, Novak, suspects there's much more than music to the Radcliffe-Hollenius relationship. Both Hollenius & Radcliffe deceive Novak about their past; hardly a 'love' affair since it was more like sexual harassment by Hollenius over Radcliffe. Hollenius as Radcliffe's musical mentor clearly created a quid pro quo dual role of both teacher & forced lover with Radcliffe. She was never in-love with him. The moment she learned Novak was alive there wasn't a question in her mind with whom she belonged & married Novak. Infuriated & humiliated by them, Hollenius seeks revenge by emotional blackmail, threatening to tell Novak. Though Davis steals every show, "Deception" is an exception due to Rains.

Though this drama is called "Deception", it could also have been called "Revealed" for America's finest dramatic actress, Bette Davis, reveals to us the fullest range of human emotions.

This is the story of a woman caught in the all too familiar struggle between holding on to security and reaching out to the man she truly loves.

Her tragic choice brings fame to the man she most dearly loves but also brings with it death and destruction.