Claude Rains

[JackFavell]

I personally love Now Voyager, and Casablanca, but of course everyone does.

Adventures of Robin Hood is a wonderful film, with three great villains. Rains' slimy, syrupy-voiced, LAZY, snake-in-the-grass Prince John will always be the standard, the villain every actor aspires to play but can't ever match. He remains the best, considering all the other historical epics to come. Right through today. I even include the slimy, syrupy voiced, and lazy John Castle, as Geoffrey in The Lion in Winter, who does the best ever Claude Rains imitation. He comes close, but fails, as all actors will fail when compared to this genius.

His incredible performance in They Won't Forget really wows me. In fact, the whole movie wows me. For years all I ever read about this film was how Lana Turner got discovered - the sweater girl, etc. I finally saw it last year on TCM. Well, the movie is achingly good and Rains is the best in a cast of really great character actors - he and Allyn Joslyn are truly horrifying. But Rains is the glue that holds the entire story in place and the final scene is as good a one as I have ever seen. The film is really underappreciated.

In Passionate Friends I found myself sweating waiting for Rains to discover his wife in the arms of another man. When he does, it is the most bone chilling moment I have ever seen. I don't know how he does it, he seems to do nothing, but your heart just sinks into your stomach watching him watch her....

When watching different actors play Caesar, I ALWAYS have a little niggling voice in the back of my head that says, "YOU are Caesar? You've got to be kidding me. You aren't anything close to powerful enough, charismatic enough, or brilliant enough to be playing the great Caesar!" EXCEPT for Claude Rains. He simply IS that great.

[jdb1]

I personally love Now Voyager, and Casablanca, but of course everyone does.

Oh, dear, JF. Really, one must never assume such things, especially here at SSO. I don't mind Now, Voyager, but Casablanca is one of my least favorite movies ever. We've already had numerous discussions about what's not to like, and I learned that I'm not alone in my lack of enthusiasm for this movie, Claude Rains notwithstanding (I do like him in both movies).

[ChiO]

Thank you, Judith.

Of course, I'm on the other side of the fence. CASABLANCA, for me, is one of a handful of films that is beyond criticism. Not in my Top 10 (or 20, but probably 50), but still a part of my DNA. NOW, VOYAGER, on the other hand...Top Thousand?...maybe...on a good (and charitable) day. I'm shocked....

[CineMaven]

I personally love Now Voyager, and Casablanca, but of course everyone does. - JackFavell

Jackaaaay, I'm with you on that score. Such a dramatic difference in this one man playing these two parts: kindly and doctorly in one film, smarmy and manipulative in the other; all done with a voice like liquid velvet. And then there is "Notorious." Reading your post and the others...I must say mea culpa to the gods of classic films. I missed a fantastic opportunity to record, in one fell swoop, one of the great character actors of motion pictures.

...And I say that with great regret.

[JackFavell]

Personally I prefer smarmy and manipulative....

[rohanaka]

Notorious is my FAVORITE Claude Rains performance.

And I also liked him in Now Voyager as well.

But Casablanca.... (well, can I confess this here w/out being banished or something?? Oh... this is so embarrassing to admit. Oh the drama… ha) I have NEVER seen it. (gasp... I know... how SHOCKING!!!) ha

[CineMaven]

Jackaaaay, I'm with YOU on the smarmy and manipulative Claude Rains persona. Yum-meeeeeeeeeee!!!

Ro-Ro, they say "confession is good for the soul," but NOT on a classic movies message board. Get thee to a DVD store and purchase "CASABLANCA" now!! One day when you have nothing pressing waiting for your attention, sit down and watch Bogart...Bergman...Rains...Veidt...Greenstreet...Dooey and Cuddles. (Pay careful attention to S.Z "Cuddles" Sakall. One of our members will be at his feet painting his toenails).

When you're done watching...let us know wha'cha think...good or bad. I will vicariously experience "CASABLANCA" through your virgin eyes; Bogart's a man in pain and Ingrid Bergman is a woman in love. Oh, there's some stuff in there about WW II in it as well.

Viva la France!!!

[JackFavell]

Oh my gosh, Ro, I am so jealous of you, getting to watch Casablanca for the first time.... I wuish I could be sitting right next to you when you see it!

I think you will just love it.

Maybe you'll even become a Bogie fan!

[rohanaka]

Maybe you'll even become a Bogie fan

HA!! Having just watched The Searchers the other night... You KNOW what I REALLY want to say to that, don't you????????? Alas.. you have guessed the REAL reason why I have always avoided that movie, though... ha. I AM that obvious, I guess.. ha. I have had NUMEROUS opportunities to watch Casablanca over the years and have let them all slip right through my fingers.. all because of my "Bogie" issues...ha.

But now I could not live w/ myself if I disappointed you and Miss Maven by ignoring it yet again.. I just feel somehow now that if I don't watch Casablanca in the near future I will somehow live to:

..regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of my life. HA!!! (I may not have seen the movie.. but WHO hasn't seen THAT a gazillion times over the years... ha.

Ok gals... You win... I will make a point of it. You've never steered me wrong.. so I will trust you on this one. I will report back as soon as I can and let you know...

[CineMaven]

Gosh, I didn't know you had Bogie issues. Why don't you PM our Moderators for some private counseling. It might help.

If you don't like the movie...blame Jackaaaay!

No seriously, Rohanaka, I hope you enjoy the movie. At least if you see it in its entirety, you'll never have to see it again.

Here's looking at you, kid!

[knitwit45]

Hey, neighbor, would you like me to stay by your side, in case you have bogie issues during the viewing??? trust me, you will like this movie.

[JackFavell]

If you don't like the movie...blame Jackaaaay!

Hey! I'm not worried, cause I know she'll like it!

[CineMaven]

Hey! I'm not worried, cause I know she'll like it!

Whew! Okay. Sorry I had to throw you under the bus like that.

[JackFavell]

[CineMaven]

THE WHOLE HOUSE???

Whoa. I'm more powerful than I thought.