Svengali (1931 film)

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Svengali (1931)

Directed by	Archie Mayo
Written by	J. Grubb Alexander based on the novel by George L. Du Maurier
Starring	John Barrymore Marian Marsh Donald Crisp Bramwell Fletcher Carmel Myers
Cinematography	Barney McGill
Editing by	William Holmes
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	May 22, 1930
Running time	81 Minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
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Svengali is a 1931 drama/horror film starring John Barrymore, Marian Marsh and Bramwell Fletcher, directed by Archie Mayo and written by J. Grubb Alexander. It is based on a gothic horror novel by George du Maurier published in 1894 entitled Trilby. The film was originally released on May 22, 1931. The region 1 DVD was released on September 9, 2003.

[edit] Plot

Sinister music maestro Svengali (John Barrymore) can control the actions of women through hypnotism and his telepathic powers. When a pupil he has seduced announces she has left her husband for him, he uses his powers to cause her suicide and promptly forgets her. He meets a beautiful model, Trilby (Marian Marsh), and becomes infatuated with her, but she, in turn, falls for a young artist named Billee (Bramwell Fletcher) who also loves her. One day Svengali hypnotizes Trilby to cure her headache, but also examines her upper palate and decides it is an ideal cavity for great singing. He convinces her to fake her suicide, so Billee and friends will forget her, and goes on a singing tour with her. Svengali uses his powers to make her sing wonderfully and Madame Svengali, as Trilby is now known, becomes a sensation throughout Europe. But Billee discovers the ruse and begins to follow the pair, upsetting Svengali enough to have him cancel performances too frequently, so they no longer can perform in Europe. They go to Egypt, but Billee relentlessly follows.