While there have been actors whose names may be more recognizable, few performers throughout the history of cinema can lay claim to a more impressive or illustrious career than that of Claude Rains, something Letterboxd users can attest to with their rankings of his greatest films. A prolific supporting actor defined by his enormous presence, his flawless line delivery, and his debilitating right eyebrow raise and sarcasm, Rains was a delightful feature in some of the best movies ever made.
Born into poverty before serving in WWI, Rains rose up the ranks of the English theater scene before breaking into American cinema with the eponymous role in 1933’s The Invisible Man. While he proved himself to be adept in any kind of role, it was his excellence as scene-stealing side characters – usually villains – that defined his career, and there have been few, if any, who have been able to match his consistent brilliance in such roles.
10 'Here Comes Mr. Jordan' (1941)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.6/5
A truly wonderful comedy gem, Here Comes Mr. Jordan follows Joe Pendleton (Robert Montgomery), a boxer whose plane crashes while he is flying to his next fight, only for his soul to be claimed prematurely by an overly eager angel. As his body is cremated despite Joe being meant to live for another 50 years, the angel’s superior, Mr. Jordan (Rains), is brought in to amend the situation, leading to Joe’s spirit being implanted in a recently murdered playboy, which sees him meet the idealistic Bette Logan (Evelyn Keyes) and fall completely in love.
Effortless in its charm, the film runs with its ridiculous premise to great effect through its warmth and its lovable characters. While playful and upbeat, it still has ambitions of wrestling with its heavier themes, largely doing so with Montgomery’s affable protagonist and Rains’ perfectly hammy angel overseer.
Close9 'The Sea Hawk' (1940)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.7/5
One of the best swashbuckler films of its era, The Sea Hawk proved to be a major success for Warner Bros. as the company sought to capitalize on the unmatched popularity of its leading man, Errol Flynn. The renowned actor stars as Geoffrey Thorpe, an English privateer who is hired to disrupt the progress of the Spanish armada and captures a ship carrying ambassador Don José Alvarez de Cordoba (Rains) and his enchanting daughter Dona Maria (Brenda Marshall).
With its fun-loving thrills and its gushing romance, The Sea Hawk invites audiences to enjoy themselves, especially as Thorpe and his crew set out on their dangerous expedition to secure Spanish treasure. The Sea Hawk marked the seventh of 10 collaborations between Rains and director Michael Curtiz, which actually falls short of the 12 collaborations between Curtiz and Flynn.
8 'The Passionate Friends' (1949)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.8/5
A taut and polished film from director David Lean years before he came to be known for his grandiose epics, The Passionate Friends worked as a beautifully realized and powerful romantic drama about the complicated nature of love and relationships. Based on H. G. Wells’ novel, it unfolds episodically as it focuses on the love triangle between Mary (Ann Todd), her husband Howard (Rains), and Steven (Trevor Howard), the man that Mary truly loves despite the fact she turned him down years earlier.
With Howard and Mary sharing a sophisticated marriage based on affection and personal freedoms more so than romantic passion, both parties appreciate the functionality of their arrangement, even as Mary begins to yearn for Steven as they are reunited in the Swiss Alps. A technical achievement with great acting to boot, The Passionate Friends was decades ahead of its time with its depth, intensity, and its sensitivity.
Close7 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' (1938)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.8/5
Viewed by many to be the greatest swashbuckling adventure ever made, The Adventures of Robin Hood coasts by on the charm and charisma of its ensemble cast to be one of the most rollicking fun films of all time. With Errol Flynn in the starring role, it follows the bandit king of Sherwood Forest as he and his merry men rebel against Prince John (Rains), all the while Robin strives for the affections of Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland).
While Flynn and de Havilland’s renowned chemistry was the defining core of the film, audiences also have a difficult time not falling in love with Rains’ and Basil Rathbone’s delightfully dastardly villains. It is a blight on modern day Hollywood that light-hearted, fun-loving action adventures of such a high quality so rarely hit the screens these days.
6 'The Invisible Man' (1933)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.8/5
Another, more famous, adaptation from H. G. Wells' work to feature Claude Rains, The Invisible Man was a pre-code science-fiction horror movie which served as just the second film of Rains' career (the first being a largely unseen silent film from 1920) and his American cinematic debut. It follows a young chemist who, having inadvertently created an invisibility potion, begins to show signs of insanity as his mischievous antics escalate with deadly consequences, leaving his desperate colleagues struggling to apprehend him.
It was lauded as a substantial technical achievement of its time, and its ingenuity remains an impressive feat to behold even by today's standards, while its mounting tension and its quirky sense of humor still make for an impactful viewing experience. Upon reflection, The Invisible Man was an uncharacteristic leading role for the supporting actor, but few would deny that Rains was exceptional in the part even though he is seen on screen only briefly.
The Invisible Man
Approved Release Date February 24, 2020 Director James Whale Cast Claude Rains , Gloria Stuart , William Harrigan , Henry Travers Runtime 71 minutes5 'Now, Voyager' (1942)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.9/5
Now, Voyager is something of an underrated gem of 40s cinema, with the romantic drama following Charlotte Vale (Bette Davis), an emotionally abused recluse living under her domineering mother who, after being taken in by a psychiatrist, flourishes as an independent woman. Vacationing on a lengthy cruise, she falls in love with Jeremiah Duvaux Durrance (Paul Henreid), a man devoted to his daughter but trapped in a marriage to a jealous and spiteful woman.
The film is a triumphant tale of growing through therapy, one which, even with the limitations of 40s cinema, delves into troubling and complex emotions all while delivering a rewarding romantic story to boot. To focus on Rains, the actor was renowned for his deviously fun rogues, but his portrayal of the supportive Dr. Jaquith emphasized what power he bore in more noble roles as well. While the Academy overlooked his supporting, Now, Voyager received three Oscar nominations in total and won for its score.
4 'Notorious' (1946)
Letterboxd Rating: 4.1/5
It would be easy to mount an argument that Notorious is the most underrated film in director Alfred Hitchcock’s filmography, with the romantic spy thriller rich with the filmmaker’s trademark penchant for suspense. It centers on Devlin (Cary Grant), an American agent who enlists Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman), the daughter of a convicted Nazi spy, to infiltrate a group of Nazi scientists hiding out in Brazil, with an Alexander Sebastian (Rains) being the prime target.
Under Hitchcock’s guidance, the plot becomes a captivating medley of deceit and distrust as Devlin and Alicia begin to fall for each other as Alicia is instructed to win the affection of Alexander to gain information. In addition to the film truly establishing Hitchcock as a masterful filmmaker, it also featured two dazzling performances from Grant and Bergman, while Rains received his fourth Oscar nomination for his supporting performance.
3 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' (1939)
Letterboxd Rating: 4.1/5
Filled with director Frank Capra’s trademark idealism, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington uses a medley of great performances to brilliant effect. It focuses on Jefferson Smith (James Stewart), an optimistic politician appointed to the U.S. Senate where he finds a mentor in Senator Joseph Paine (Rains), but his advisor’s ulterior motives start to become apparent when Smith faces opposition as he tries to secure a bill to authorize a national boys’ camp in his home state.
Stewart excels at epitomizing the hopeful good will of the American everyman, something he did prolifically throughout his career, but Rains is just as adept at representing the cynical corruption of the political system laced with razor-sharp wit and no small amount of devious hubris. The film garnered 11 Oscar nominations, even winning Best Original Screenplay, and remains one of the greatest films about politics ever put to screen even though it was banned in some countries upon release.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
NR Release Date October 9, 1939 Director Frank Capra Cast James Stewart , Jean Arthur , Claude Rains , Edward Arnold Runtime 129 minutes2 'Casablanca' (1942)
Letterboxd Rating: 4.3/5
Often heralded as the single greatest movie ever made, Casablanca is nothing short of iconic as a romantic war drama focusing on a tumultuous love triangle in Nazi-occupied Morocco. It follows Rick (Humphrey Bogart), an American nightclub owner who faces a moral conundrum when his past lover, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), arrives in town with her lover, a renowned figure in the Resistance, Victor Lazlo (Paul Henreid).
With a mesmerizing screenplay rich with electric dialogue, compelling characters, and one of the greatest stories ever put to screen, director Michael Curtiz managed to extract a monumental impact from every facet of the film. This extended even to its supporting characters, with Peter Lorre, Dooley Wilson, and Conrad Veidt all attention-grabbing when they need to be, but Claude Rains was truly the scene-stealer as Louis Renault, the devilishly corrupt police captain defined by his complete amorality and his venomous wit which gave the film much of its comedic punch.
Casablanca
PGRelease Date January 23, 1942 Director Michael Curtiz Cast Humphrey Bogart , Ingrid Bergman , Paul Henreid , Claude Rains , Conrad Veidt , Sydney Greenstreet Runtime 102 minutes1 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962)
Letterboxd Rating: 4.3/5
A sweeping war epic, Lawrence of Arabia is universally celebrated as being the defining highlight of David Lean’s career and remains one of the most awe-inspiring pictures ever made. The 227-minute odyssey documents the achievements of T. E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole), an English lieutenant who united and led the warring Arab tribes against the Turks during World War I.
The classic film boasts an all-star cast, including Alec Guiness, Omar Shariff, Anthony Quinn, José Ferrer, and Claude Rains, and beautifully realizes the staggering true story with breathtaking cinematography and an ambition to use its extensive runtime to showcase the magnitude of what Lawrence accomplished. Lawrence of Arabia’s brilliance was aptly recognized at the Academy Awards, winning seven Oscars from 10 nominations to be one of the most decorated films in the history of the event.
Lawrence of Arabia
PGThe story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.
Release Date December 11, 1962 Director David Lean Cast Peter O'Toole , Alec Guinness , Anthony Quinn , Jack Hawkins , Omar Sharif , Jose Ferrer Runtime 227 minutesncG1vNJzZmibn6G5qrDEq2Wcp51ksK2t1J2cZqqRnru0ecyoraKdo2K%2ForrKnptmpJWpwaa%2BwaivnWc%3D