Thanks for the memories!

Expected more

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Master hypnotist and composer, Svengali (John Barrymore at his very best) yearns for a young beauty (Marian Marsh) who is in love with painter, Billie (Bramwell Fletcher; he's the one with the very small role but immortal line in The Mummy (1932): "He went for a little walk. You should have seen his face!"). Using his hypnotism, Svengali fuses his control over Trilby, in a way "owning" her. Billie is always in her heart, which is a problem Svengali attempts for the rest of the duration of the film to diffuse, with little luck. Could he ever secure her affection for him or will Trilby always long for Billie in her heart when his health dissipates and the control loosens? With the Anton Grot sets which give the locales for which the characters exist a unique type of architectural design reminiscent to what the German expressionists were doing at the time, Barrymore's grotesque features (the way his hair and beard give him the look of a vaudeville villain, how his eyes lose their pupils and turn into a complete color when he fully uses his hypnotism to great lengths to grab hold of victims and tell them what he wants them to do at his bidding, his far-reaching height which looks as if he had stilts for legs), the spirited Pre-Code energy in the dialogue and adult material (the way the characters speak on sexual situations such as Trilby's model duties and sexual escapades which Svengali uses to torment her into leaving Billie, Trilby posing nude which horrifies Billie when he sees her allowing artists to paint her body in all its naked glory, the "bath scene" where two of Billie's English artiste pals remove Svengali's clothes (behind a curtain, but we see the cloth fragments scatter out to the floor!) making sure to dump him in a tub, a horrible-voiced singer leaving her abusive husband for an unsatisfied Svengali who was just using her for the money that came out of the marriage to his pocket, etc.), the exciting camera-work (the scene where the camera "follows" the "mind control" of Svengali's hypnotism as it travels from his room, out the window, over the rooftops of Parisian homes (cool miniatures, by the way), and eventually into Trilby's room is a thing of beauty), and tragic melodrama that sees a popular singing act decline due to Svengali's health and age (he is the real reason Trilby's singing voice can achieve the tonal degrees it does (he realizes when looking into her mouth that it has potential to reach the exact lengths he so desires for his composed music)) all certify Archie Mayo's horror film is must-see for film buffs. The film really allows Barrymore carte blanche to take his character and expressively play this character to the hilt. He's so much fun to watch: he clashes with the "more civilized" characters, although Donald Crisp's Laird and Lumsden Hare's burley and jovial pair of English artists trying to make it in Paris, with their beards and excitable personalities (life-loving pair, this two are), meet him half way in the larger-than-life category. Barrymore just knew how to lose himself in these really baroque and often hideous characters, while he could also offer up his handsome "profile" for elegant parts, too. Grand Motel could be seen as an obvious example of Barrymore allowing his regular features to breath absent the mask of grotesquerie. As far as sound films go, Barrymore gave us Svengali, and did he ever sink his teeth into it! Trilby is a shining light that is dimmed by Svengali while Bramwell is saddled with the heart-of-gold romantic love interest Trilby pines for but feels too spoiled by the sins of life to be good enough for (yecch).While not in the conversation with Dracula and Frankenstein although it came out at the same time, perhaps Svengali deserves to be. I think horror fans need to see this and decide, because I love both the Universal films and believe Svengali is right there with them.

SVENGALI (Warner Brothers, 1931), directed by Archie Mayo, stars the great profile, John Barrymore, in one of his most celebrated movie roles of his career as well as one of his finest for the Warner studio. Based on the classic 1894 novel "Trilby" by George DeMaurier, which had been filmed twice before under its original book title during the silent film era (1915 and 1923), this latest edition, the first with sound and retitled SVENGALI, certainly fits with the Barrymore style through voice and dark pointed beard image, almost similar to the Fagin character from Charles Dickiens "Oliver Twist." Marian Marsh, a newcomer to films with some previous extra roles to her credit, assumes the role of Trilby.The screenplay by J. Grubb Alexander, set in 19th century Paris, introduces Svengali (John Barrymore) as a composer and music teacher living in an apartment which he shares with Becko (Luis Alberni), and not only owes some back room rent, but owes everybody in town. After Ronori (Carmel Myers), one of his pupils, leaves her husband for Svengali, who rejects her for not getting a cash settlement from her spouse, Svengali encounters a doll-faced beauty named Trilby O'Ferrall (Marian Marsh), a model in the studio of fellow artists Monierd (Donald Crisp), DeTefi (Lumsden Hare) and Billie (Bramwell Fletcher). Because Trilby shows more attention towards the younger artist, Billie, Svengali, who wants her all to himself, hypnotizes her affection over to him. Later, Svengali takes Trilby with him to Paris where, under his trance, develops "his manufactured love" into a famous concert opera singer. Left to believe Trilby had taken her own life following his disapproval of her posing in the nude, Billie, discovering Madame Svengali to be his one and only Trilby, follows their concert tours, hoping to somehow set her free of her maestro's hypnotic eyes.Often classified as a Gothic horror film with similarities between this and Bram Stoker's "Dracula," with female victim living under a trance from her evil mentor, SVENGALI is very much a love story of rejection told through the crazed hypnotist's point of view. Released the same year as Universal's own "Dracula" (1931) with Bela Lugosi in the title role, it's a wonder how SVENGALI might have turned out had Lugosi assumed the task instead of Barrymore. Definitely Lugosi's Hungarian accent would have been natural enough for good measure, but through Lugosi's acting style, his Svengali might have leaned heavily towards Dracula, thus, stirring some confusion for its viewers as to which role he's playing. Yet even by not doing Svengali in the Dracula mode, his Dracula has permanently cemented Lugosi's screen image as Svengali has for Barrymore.For Barrymore's interpretation, his Svengali is a German Jew, ja (though classified by uncertain terms as being of Polish decent by the Billie character), who often addresses his protégé Trilby as "mein leibchen" (German for "my dear"). For a little dose of humor, Svengali must leave a foul odor about town, considering his reputation for not bathing. When asked when he last took a bath, Svengali's reply: "Not since I tripped and fell into the sewer," thus, having his fellow artists stripping and placing Svengali into the tub covered in soap suds. As for Marian Marsh, such a role should have turned her into a major star attraction for the Warners studio. Although she did get plenty of exposure and movie parts during her two years at the studio, she soon drifted to obscurity after leaving Warners by 1932. SVENGALI, along with her Marlene Dietrich style-like interpretation in Columbia's CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (1935), and her featured role opposite Boris Karloff in THE BLACK ROOM (1935), are certainly the only other two films of distinguishable effort by Marsh before her movie retirement by 1941. Paul Porcasi (Senor Banelli); Adrienne D'Ambricourt (Madame Vinard) and Ferike Boros (Marta) are other members in the supporting cast seen in smaller parts.Aside from Barrymore's bravura performance, highlights include the close-up caption of Svengali's hypnotic glass-marble eyes, along with camera tracking around the buildings as Svengali hypnotizes Trilby at a distance from his quarters to hers to the sound of passing winds. The pacing is good as is its direction, special effects and occasional underscoring helps with the proceedings during its 81 minutes.The success of SVENGALI lead to Warners to re-teaming its major cast members of Barrymore, Marsh, ALberni and Carmel Myers in THE MAD GENIUS (1931), but it's SVENGALI that has had more exposure in latter years on commercial television in the sixties and seventies, followed by further exposure in the eighties on numerous cable and public television stations, such as the 1989 presentation on The Learning Channel where its opening seven minutes with Barrymore and Myers was cut for time restrains involving movie discussion in its 90 minute time slot. Becoming a public domain title, SVENGALI became available onto video and DVD formats from various distributors.Even with newer SVENGALI editions as the 1955 British adaptation and 1983 made to television presentation, it's the 1931 oldie with John Barrymore and the blondish Marian Marsh film buffs seem to remember most. Watch for it the next time it appears on Turner Classic Movies. (***)

Svengali is an impoverished singing professor, of Polish extraction, down on his luck. Living is Paris in precarious conditions, he forces his way into the flat of Taffy, and the Laird, two Englishmen painters. He seizes the opportunity for a bath and borrows clothes that turn him into a more distinguished person.The unexpected appearance of Trilby, a model that has been sent to the English painters, produces a change of heart in Svengali. He cannot have the beautiful girl on his looks alone, so he decides to use his mental powers to cast a spell on the unsuspecting young woman. This will change them forever; Svengali will use Trilby as his trophy because he finds she has the right bone structure in her mouth to be a great singer.Trilby, who was attracted to a young friend of the Englishmen, Billee, until to his shock, he finds her posing nude for a group of painters. Overnight, Trilby becomes a singing sensation with Svengali taking her throughout Europe. The spell works out for a while, but Trilby begins to have problems and Svengali cancels her appearances. It is in Cairo, where Billee had followed Trilby and Svengali that she is able to break the spell she has fallen under.Archie Mayo directed this classic 1931 production. The great John Barrymore, almost unrecognized in his appearance, makes a wonderful take on the legendary man with magical powers. Marian Marsh, one of the screen early beauties is seen as Trilby O'Farrell. The restored DVD had an excellent picture and sound qualities. The supporting cast included Donald Crisp, Bramwell Fletcher, Luis Alberni and Lumsden Hare.What was remarkable in this feature was the art direction of Anton Grof. For the time it was made, and with the resources of the time in which it was filmed, one cannot help being impressed by the sets that were used in the film. Barney McGill was the cinematographer and the musical score is credited to David Mendoza. Archie Mayo directed with an eye for detail the classic novel by George DuMaurier.

Wow. Creating opera singers in Paris was at one point, apparently, all the rage in literature - we have Christine Daae coached by the Phantom of the Opera and here, we have Trilby becoming an opera star under the tutelage of the great Svengali. This 1931 film stars John Barrymore in the title role, Marian Marsh as Trilby, along with Bramwell Fletcher as Billee, Trilby's boyfriend, and Donald Crisp.The poor, unkempt, dirty Svengali becomes obsessed with the artist's model Trilby. He hypnotizes her and takes over her mind. Though her boyfriend (Bram Fletcher) and the artists believe her dead, five years later, Svengali, now prosperous and clean, appears in concert with his wife, the phenomenal Mme. Svengali, the great opera star. After performing "The Mad Scene from Lucia," she leaves the theater, and her friends recognize her. Just one small problem - Svengali has a weak heart, and he is more and more losing control over her. And now that Billee has seen her, he keeps showing up.This is a classic film, thanks to the performance of Barrymore and the great sets, which, as many people have mentioned, were inspired by The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Barrymore brings great humor and a vulnerability to an overtly scary role, and Marsh is adorable. Seventeen years old here, she retired at the age of 30, except for some TV appearances, and died at the age of 93. Blond Bramwell Fletcher, who often appeared on stage throughout his career, is Trilby's love interest. Eleven years after this film was made, he married Barrymore's daughter Diana.Had this film been made a few years later, it might have been a touch better. The actors and studio were still getting used to the sound process, so the rhythm of the dialogue is a little off. Nonetheless, this is an excellent film, and I'll take any opportunity I can to see the great Barrymore.