Classic Films

He had a way of making the most rascally characters loveable, like Captain Renault in Casablanca (1942). On paper, the Captain is a despicable man, who takes bribes and extorts sex from frightened refugees. And yet, and yet. When he says, "I'm shocked! Shocked to find that gambling is going on here!", we grin at his outrageousness.

I loved his character in Now, Voyager (1942), Dr. Jaquith. He's a no-nonsense psychiatrist, who is very strict with Bette Davis' character, Charlotte Vale. And yet, and yet. He gets that twinkle in his eye and lets her go off to do things that don't fit the standard of care, because he is practical and willing to try something different.

I guess you can tell I'm a Claude Rains fan!