Svengali
1954 | 100m | English
Popularity: 1 (history)
| Director: | Noel Langley |
|---|---|
| Writer: | George du Maurier, Noel Langley |
| Staring: |
| A man hypnotizes a young woman into being an opera singer. | |
| Release Date: | Sep 01, 1954 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Noel Langley |
| Writer: | George du Maurier, Noel Langley |
| Genres: | Drama, Romance, Thriller |
| Keywords | paris, france, painter, mannequin |
| Production Companies | George Minter Productions |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Jul 30, 2025 Entered: Apr 24, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Hildegard Knef | Trilby O'Farrell |
| Donald Wolfit | Svengali |
| Terence Morgan | Billy Bagot |
| Derek Bond | Landlord |
| Alfie Bass | Carrell |
| Noel Purcell | Patrick O'Farrell |
| Jeremy Brett | Pierre |
| Paul Rogers | Taffy |
| David Kossoff | Gecko |
| Hubert Gregg | Durian |
| Harry Secombe | Barizel |
| Peter Illing | Police Inspector |
| Joan Haythorne | Mrs. Bagot |
| Hugh Cross | Dubose |
| David Oxley | Dodor |
| Richard Pearson | Lambert |
| Toots Pounds | Mama Martin |
| Michael Craig | Zou Zou |
| Neville Phillips | Contran |
| Martin Boddey | Doctor |
| Rica Fox | Dresser |
| Joan Heal | Barmaid |
| Arnold Bell | Tout |
| Cyril Smith | Stage Manager |
| Marne Maitland | Stage Manager |
| Michael Hordern | Billy's Uncle |
| Elisabeth Schwarzkopf | Trilby O'Ferrall (singing voice) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Anne Barker | Assistant Editor |
| George Minter | Presenter |
| Maude Spector | Casting |
| Frederick Pusey | Art Direction |
| Beatrice Dawson | Costume Design |
| Nora Bentley | Hairstylist |
| Gordon Bond | Hairstylist |
| Harold Fletcher | Makeup Artist |
| Ben Arbeid | Production Manager |
| Denis O'Dell | Assistant Director |
| Sash Fisher | Sound Recordist |
| Wilkie Cooper | Director of Photography |
| William Alwyn | Music |
| Muir Mathieson | Music |
| John Pomeroy | Editor |
| George du Maurier | Novel |
| Noel Langley | Director, Screenplay |
| Alan Hume | Camera Operator |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Douglas Peirce | Associate Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 1 |
| 2024 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 2 |
| 2024 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 1 |
| 2024 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 2024 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
| 2024 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 2024 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2024 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 2024 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Trending Position
A better example of over-acting you will struggle to find in this overly theatrical adaptation of George Du Maurier's 1894 novel "Trilby". Hildegard Knef is a young, impressionable, girl who falls under the spell of the almost Rasputin-esque Donald Wolfit in the title role. He hypnotises her to rid ... her of pesky headaches, and give her the voice of an angel - and soon she becomes an international star of the opera. Robert Newton was originally slated for the lead, but I can't imagine he could have done better than Wolfit, who has the maniacal look (eyes, especially) and pithy dialogue down to a T. The support from Terence Morgan - as her much younger beau "Billee Bagot", Paul Rogers, David Kossoff and the truly wonderful singing of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf keep this entertaining enough, but the staging and style are just to limiting to let this version of a really menacing and evocative story soar.