Conrad Veidt on TCM: More Than Major Strasser

[RedRiver]

I liked DARK JOURNEY. It looks a lot like the Powell/Pressberger spy films, and it's just about as good. It could be a little more clear as to who's who and what they're up to. But I found it clever, charming, fairly exciting. I've said more on another thread, so I won't repeat myself. But this is a journey I was happy to take at 4:00 in the morning!

Classic movie fans are really dedicated!

[JackFavell]

I like Nazi Agent a a lot, Christine. I know that many of Veidt's later roles were standard 40's fare, nothing special, but in this one he gets to play two roles, and I find that I completely fall into thinking of him as two different men. I just adore the gentle Otto, he's marvelous at making a nice character fascinating.




Maven, thanks! I just love that photo...partly because of his hands. I found a few more nice ones:




Veidt with his second wife Felicitas and daughter Viola.

I watched Contraband yesterday, a very odd mix of a movie - comic, which I wasn't expecting, and after seeing that it was a Powell Pressberger film, I was ever so slightly disappointed in it. However, it has many good things going for it. Veidt is superb, he plays a Danish ship's captain who gets drawn into Nazi subterfuge while chasing a charming female passenger who absconds with his dinghy.

Claude Rains gets to play two idiotic brothers, one a cook, and the other an official. For me, the most pleasurable part of the film was watching Veidt think his way out of each situation... Powell gives us time to watch him... as he falls for Valerie Hobson and as he gets further and further away from his ship. Veidt comes up with ideas to help her, since she turns out to be a spy for our side, and then he is invaluable in escaping from their Nazi captors. It's really all about Veidt using his brain for figuring out what the next step will be, which his experience on board ship seems to have taught him how to do.

There's a wonderful scene at the beginning, after he has just confronted Hobson for not wearing her life jacket. He is left in her room alone, momentarily, and stands near her dressing table. He lifts her stocking from the table where it is lying loosely.... and runs his hand along the inside of it. It's so sensual a move I wished there had been a little more romance in this more comic adventure film.

[RedRiver]

I believe I liked THE SPY IN BLACK a little more than CONTRABAND. At this point in my life, it's hard to remember!

[JackFavell]

The more I think about it, the more I think you are right about Dark Journey seeming like an early Powell Pressburger. The way it's shot, the undercurrents between the leads, the storyline, it all comes together in a very similar way.

[Ann Harding]

I watched Contraband yesterday
Claude Rains gets to play two idiotic brothers, one a cook, and the other an official.

You might have thought it was Claude Rains, but in actual fact it's Hay Petrie who plays the engineer (on the ferry boat) in The Spy in Black.

[JackFavell]

Holy cow! I'm stunned they weren't both Rains! I need to go back and check my recording now... when I first saw him, I had doubts, wondering about whether Rains would actually be in England at that time. I think I need to check my glasses prescription.

[knitwit45]

There's a wonderful scene at the beginning, after he has just confronted Hobson for not wearing her life jacket. He is left in her room alone, momentarily, and stands near her dressing table. He lifts her stocking from the table where it is lying loosely.... and runs his hand along the inside of it. It's so sensual a move I wished there had been a little more romance in this more comic adventure film.

right up there with that scene is the last line in the movie "Drop that lifejacket!" whoa!!!!!

[JackFavell]

oh yeah.... once again we're on the same wavelength....

[Ann Harding]

There's a wonderful scene at the beginning, after he has just confronted Hobson for not wearing her life jacket. He is left in her room alone, momentarily, and stands near her dressing table. He lifts her stocking from the table where it is lying loosely.... and runs his hand along the inside of it. It's so sensual a move I wished there had been a little more romance in this more comic adventure film.

right up there with that scene is the last line in the movie "Drop that lifejacket!" whoa!!!!!

I also loved the scene where they are both tied up and he manages to untie himself before giving her a little kiss. Here is a nice review of the film:
http://www.sensesofcinema.com/2005/cteq/contraband/

[JackFavell]

"I shall hurt you."

"go ahead."

[knitwit45]

gulp. But he meant when he had to pull the ropes against her wrists, so he could escape....didn't he?????

[JackFavell]

um....yeah....

Oh, I can't help it! That line still thrilled me.

[knitwit45]

I know, I giggled, too....mainly because he was so INTENSE when he said it....

[JackFavell]

mmmm.... mmm...

[RedRiver]

Am I gonna have to come up there?