Instead of watching Valentino tonight, I watched John Barrymore in Svengali. (1931) Really not sure what to think of this one, though I did like the set design, and Barrymore did a wonderful job here, bringing some sympathy to the character. Some may say that Svengali is anti-Semitic, (it really is) as was the characterization in the book it was based on, Trilby (1894) by George du Maurier. While the character in the film is never identified outright as being Jewish, his appearance and demeanor fit with many of the gross stereotypes of the day.
