(as we were):
I want to thank the person (whoever you are) who sent me the huge biography of Peter Lorre off my wish list. I have no email for you, and am not sure of the name either – but I SO appreciate the thoughtful gift! The book looks like a treasure trove, and I’m excited to eventually read it.
It’s funny: The marvelous SZ Sakall, also in Casablanca (and a million other movies), has MORE screen time than any of the other actors playing smaller parts in the film – including Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre – Peter Lorre is in the film for less than 5 minutes all together – but doesn’t he leave the impression that he is all over that movie?? It HAS to be way more than 5 minutes!! But it’s not. Kinda like that famous bit of trivia that Anthony Hopkins’ performance in Silence of the Lambs adds up to less than 17 minutes of screen time altogether. I think it’s about 16 minutes. Hard to believe. He is so omnipresent. It’s the shortest performance ever to win a Best Actor Oscar. I still find it hard to believe that he’s not in the movie for at LEAST 45 minutes! But he’s not. 16 minutes.
A similar situation with Lorre’s part in Casablanca, although he isn’t the lead. He disappears early on in the film – but his part is crucial.
I love Lorre’s oily slightly damaged persona – he’s fascinating. Amoral. Blunted, somehow.
Anyway, nameless person out there who sent me the book: so nice of you. Much appreciated!
Al Stewarts opening lyrics for “Year of the Cat” keep playing through my mind:
On a morning from a Bogart movie
In a country where they turned back time
You go strolling through the crowd like Peter Lorre
Contemplating a crime…
Would believe it wasnt until this past year that I saw Casablanca in its entirety? I know I know! Uncultured fool that I am LOL! But I remember wanting to keep seeing Lorre, even though it was clear he was done in.
And while I soaked up Bogart completely, I also loved Paul Henreid – a friend of mine turned me onto him through “Now Voyager.”
Loooove Now Voyager – that’s a movie I just saw recently for the first time. I mean, I had seen parts of it – the cigarette bit and all that – but I saw the whole thing. I think bette davis is just brilliant in it.
Oh – and Claude Rains is in it, too – if I’m not mistaken. He plays the psychiatrist in the beginning – am I right? I think he only has 1 or 2 scenes but he is, as always, impeccable.
Raines does indeed…I also recognized Mary Wickes…
that lighting of the cigarette was supposed to have been considered very sensual for its time…