Svengali | |
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Directed by | Archie Mayo |
Written by | J. Grubb Alexander |
Based on |
Trilby 1894 novel by George du Maurier |
Starring | John Barrymore |
Music by | David Mendoza |
Cinematography | Barney McGill |
Edited by | William Holmes |
Production
company |
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Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date
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Running time
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81 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Svengali is a 1931 American Pre-Code supernatural drama/horror film produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The film stars John Barrymore and co-stars Marian Marsh. It was directed by Archie Mayo and the screenplay was written by J. Grubb Alexander. It is based on the gothic horror novel Trilby (1894) by George du Maurier. The film was originally released on May 22, 1931. Warner Brothers was so pleased by the box office on this film that the studio hurriedly reteamed Barrymore and Marsh for another horror film The Mad Genius, released on November 7, 1931. The region 1 DVD of Svengali was released on October 17, 2000 by the Roan Group.
The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, one for Best Art Direction by Anton Grot, and one for Best Cinematography by Barney McGill.
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
The film survives complete. It was transferred onto 16mm film by Associated Artists Productions in the 1950s and shown on television. This film and The Kennel Murder Case were the two Warner Brothers films that lapsed into the public domain and have been available freely for decades.