Svengali (1954 film)
| Svengali | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Directed by | Noel Langley |
| Produced by | George Minter |
| Screenplay by | Noel Langley |
| Based on | the novel Trilby by George Du Maurier |
| Starring |
Hildegard Knef Donald Wolfit Terence Morgan |
| Music by | William Alwyn |
| Cinematography | Wilkie Cooper |
| Edited by | John Pomeroy |
Production company |
George Minter Productions |
| Distributed by | Renown Pictures Corporation (UK) |
Release dates | December 1954 (UK) |
Running time | 82 min |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Svengali is a 1954 British drama film directed by Noel Langley and starring Hildegard Knef, Donald Wolfit and Terence Morgan.[1] A svengali hypnotises an artist's model into becoming a great opera singer, but she struggles to escape from his powers. It was based on the novel Trilby by George Du Maurier. Donald Wolfit was a last minute replacement for actor Robert Newton, who left three weeks into filming, and can still be seen in some long shots. [2] [3]
Amongst the end credits is the acknowledgment: "The producer expresses his grateful appreciation for the magnificent singing voice of Madame Elizabeth Schwarzkopf." [2]
Cast
- Hildegard Knef ... Trilby O'Farrall
- Donald Wolfit ... Svengali
- Terence Morgan ... Billy Bagot
- Derek Bond ... The Laird
- Paul Rogers ... Taffy
- David Kossoff ... Gecko
- Hubert Gregg ... Durian
- Noel Purcell ... Patrick O'Ferrall
- Alfie Bass ... Carrell
- Harry Secombe ... Barizel
- Peter Illing ... Police Inspector
- Joan Haythorne ... Mrs. Bagot
- Hugh Cross ... Dubose
- David Oxley ... Dodor
- Richard Pearson ... Lambert
- Michael Craig ... Zouzou
- Arnold Bell ... Tout
- Martin Boddey ... Doctor
- Cyril Smith ... 1st Stage Manager
- Marne Maitland ... 2nd Stage Manager
- Elisabeth Schwarzkopf ... Trilby O'Farrall (singing voice)
Critical reception
Under the heading, "Sixth Filming of Novel Fails to Hypnotize," The New York Times described the film as "a stylized curio that seems out of place in the atomic age...as old-fashioned as side whiskers and bustles" ;[4] while DVD Talk, comparing it to the 1931 John Barrymore version wrote, "the 1954 British film fleshes out the characters of Trilby and Billy considerably and adds a lot of color and subtlety, but the results suggest that a more flamboyant approach might have worked better than the lush but tame version that resulted. The Eastmancolor production aims for an evocative atmosphere akin to John Huston's gorgeous Moulin Rouge (1952), photographed in Technicolor by Oswald Morris. Svengali was made on a fraction of that film's budget, though does look handsome for what it is." [3]
References
- ↑ "Svengali". BFI.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Svengali (1955) - Notes - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Svengali (1931 & 1954 versions)". DVD Talk.
- ↑ "Movie Review - Svengali - Dated 'Svengali'; Sixth Filming of Novel Fails to Hypnotize - NYTimes.com".
External links
- Svengali at the Internet Movie Database