Conrad Veidt memorabilia 1893-1943

[Belle]

Here is a poster for "Casablanca", which is actually not a favourite film of mine. What is interesting is its big cast and the fact that Veidt was second-billed, yet he received the highest salary for the film than any other of the actors! And he wasn't in the film very much at all. This speaks to his international cachet at the time.

What I have learned so far about "Casablanca" is the sheer professionalism of Conrad Veidt and how much Paul Henried (Austrian) was disliked by the cast because of his prima donna behaviour. He labelled Bogart "a second rate actor"!!



I've bought a book on Michael Powell from Amazon and it has quite a lot of information about the Powell-Pressburger-Veidt professional relationship.

[Belle]

Beautiful poster for "The Thief of Bagdad", the only film Veidt made in colour. How splendid these look on the internet in blazing clarity!! Only one problem: I don't think that's the correct way to spell Bagdad, which is how it appears in the film.

[Belle]

I think the eyes have it!!

As Cesare in 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' - one of the most famous images in cinema history: it all started here for Conrad Veidt in 1919:



Two beautiful production stills from "Orlac's Hands" - from 1924. Here is Veidt with Anna Sorina. What a finely crafted and androgynous face Veidt had. Ideal for cinema. The second image is filled with greater sensuality, which comes alive in this scene in the film through the use of his eyes (the same as Cesare in "Caligari") and which was a huge part of Conrad Veidt's cinematic persona, particularly in the silent era; that and refined elegance. Those deep pools of eyes were devastating - especially for female audiences - and Veidt had a mannerism where he often closed his eyes during a performance - probably so audiences could all enjoy his long eyelashes!! Conny was 31 years old when the 'Orlac' pictures below were taken.

British director Michael Powell said of Conrad Veidt, "he was one of the most magnetic and romantic men in the world"!! And there's nothing quite as classy as a classy German!!





From 19:30 here you can see the scene from "Orlac's Hands" from which those production stills were taken. It's phenomenally sensual and Veidt does it all with his face and eyes. This scene, with its explicitly sexual overtones - and there are others in this same film - was light years ahead of British and American film. (I cannot speak for the French or elsewhere as I don't know.) In many respects, the films of the Wiemar Republic made American film appear clumsy and gauche.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf9PKWJlzzE

"Lady Hamilton" from 1921.



A colour still from "Thief of Bagdad", 1940, and those eyes!!



From "Dark Journey", 1939 - more beautiful eyes. And this time with Vivien, who's a rare beauty herself.



"The Spy in Black", 1939. Turning a 'baddie' into a sympathetic character through eyes and the sheer force of charisma.

[Belle]

Conrad Veidt; to acknowledge the 80th anniversary of his death, 3 April, 1943. Six days after Rachmaninov, same city - Los Angeles.