IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022454/?ref_=nv_sr_2
IMDB rating: 7,0
Director: Archie Mayo
Main Cast: John Barrymore, Marian Marsh, Donald Crisp
"The George du Maurier novel Trilby, about a hypnotist who controls a female musician, was originally filmed as Trilby, a 1920s silent. In the 1931 talkie, the emphasis shifts from the music student to the teacher, Svengali. John Barrymore gives a scenery-chewing performance as Svengali, who is originally seen tutoring Honori (Carmel Myers). Trilby (Marian Marsh) is making her living as a nude model, but she wants to use her musical talents to earn money and hopes to settle down with Billee (Bramwell Fletcher). Unfortunately, his upper-class family simply wouldn't approve. Svengali falls for Trilby and starts teaching her music while manipulating her hypnotically. Eventually, she becomes so dependent on him that she can't perform outside of his presence. This film became so well-known that the word 'Svengali' became incorporated into the English language, meaning 'someone who, with evil intent, tries to persuade another to do what is desired'.
Two components contribute to make Svengali a classic: John Barrymore's performance and the famous surrealistic sets (Trilby's art-deco-bedroom!). Barrymore's acting diverts from some stiff direction. At first he looks like a crude caricature with his tog, make-up and thick german accent (when Alec Guinness played Fagan in a similar way, he caused a scandal because it looked anti-semitic), but soon his eye-twinkling charm enchant the viewer and near the end his performance becomes nearly soul-stirring. Critics had not one good word for Marion Marsh, but the central premise - singing arias under hypnosis - is impossible to play, because a singer needs temperament, which a puppet has not.
An interesting story: Barrymore's fourth wife fell so completely in love with him after watching Svengali, that she chased him by train, plane and even via radio-address until he finally said 'yes'.
A British version of the film was released in 1955."
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