More than a Monster: The Vulnerability of John Barrymore’s Svengali (1931)

It was long ago when first I saw him. Dressed to the nines with a beautiful lady on his arm.

He didn’t say much, but he didn’t have to. That was the power of his performance. It was in his body language, the way he moved, but most of all it was in his eyes.

Those eyes spoke every thought, every word for him more clearly and distinctly than speech ever could. The frightening, piercing gaze demonstrated the hold he had over this young singer who felt she owed him her life.

The movie was Maytime (1937) and Jeanette MacDonald the lovely songbird to her overbearing impresario, the incomparable John Barrymore.

Unbeknownst to me, Barrymore was no stranger to portraying this type of character. And just a few years prior to Maytime, he stepped into a role that would echo throughout his career: Svengali.

Creating Svengali: Du Maurier and his Novel, Trilby (1894)

Svengali entered the world through the best-selling novel Trilby (1894) by George du Maurier, grandfather of Daphne du Maurier (author of Rebecca), and the Llewlyn boys, the inspiration for Barrie’s Peter Pan. It tells a gothic tale of obsession, ambition, and romance, woven into a web of manipulation and mysticism.

The setting is 1850’s bohemian Paris. Trilby, a young artist’s model, becomes prey to the monstrous Svengali. Through mesmerism, he convinces Trilby to abandon her fiancé and marry him. Svengali molds her into a singing sensation and together they tour Europe’s concert halls. But his manipulation comes with a price, and as his world begins to crack, so does Trilby’s chance at freedom.

From Stage to Screen

Trilby was brought to the stage a year after its publication in both England and America and was wildly successful. Several silent film adaptations followed in the 1910’s and 20’s before Warner Brothers chose their star, John Barrymore, to portray the lead in the first talkie of the tale.

This time the title would shift emphasis onto the villain, giving the actor who was making a come back from illness a much needed boost, while the project energized him artistically.

Barrymore Wields the Baton

Barrymore gave the screenwriters precise instructions as to who his character should be. In a cable to Warners he wrote:

“Impress the writer with the fact that the male character must be funny and get lots of laughs, especially in the first part of the story. Although a sinister figure…he has an enormous sense of humor. The funnier he is, in a proper way, the better the picture will be, and the greater contrast to the sinister part…”

His premonition was right on target. Svengali is a most interesting character study.

He quotes Hamlet with quizzical mockery, gently strokes his pet kitten–while his soul contains the power of a demon.

Comically amusing, menacing, yet enthralling.

As dark and twisted as he may be, we can’t help but be fascinated by him and wonder which face he presents is the ‘real’ Svengali.

This is the genius of Barrymore’s interpretation.

As the film goes on we are taken by surprise as Barrymore reveals yet another layer. Fearing he is losing control of his beloved Trilby, he pleads for her love and tears well up in his eyes. Those eyes, once the source of his power, now betray their diabolical master as a broken man appears beneath.

The story is simple, but it asks one of humanity’s eternal questions: how much of ourselves do we lose in our pursuit of fulfillment? Do the results satisfy, or are we merely trapped in an illusion of our own making?

Full confession – I expected to despise the character of Svengali as portrayed by Barrymore, much as I do his Nicolai in Maytime. But, dear readers, I was wrong.

Barrymore’s subtle approach to Svengali’s internal struggle offers a masterclass in sympathetic villainy. He unlocks the monster, revealing someone searching for something more, something true.

I’m still trying to grasp the ending of Svengali–it is open to interpretation, and I think each one is valid. But that uncertainty doesn’t diminish its power. It has taken hold of me completely and I can think of no better recommendation than that.

Notes from the Set

• 17-year-old Marian Marsh landed a Warner Bros. contract and her first leading role as Trilby thanks to a fortunate coincidence–her resemblance to Barrymore’s wife, Dolores Costello, who was retiring from films. Barrymore graciously coached Marsh’s performance, leading to their natural onscreen chemistry.

• By Twentieth Century (1934), Hollywood was in on the joke. Lily Garland (Carole Lombard) throws the perfect line at her possessive director/lover (Barrymore) exclaiming, “I’m no Trilby!”.

• While Trilby may have faded from popular memory, it’s influence endures. Dracula (1897) and The Phantom of the Opera (1910) are direct descendants of the Svengali story, and countless other works have borrowed from its template of obsessive mentorship and control.

This post is my contribution to the Early Shadows & Pre-Code Horror Blogathon hosted by the Classic Movie Blog Association.

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