Svengali (1983) (TV)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Anthony Harvey

Writers:

Frank Cucci (writer)
George L. Du Maurier (novel)

Release Date:

9 March 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Peter O'Toole	...	Anton Bosnyak
Jodie Foster	...	Zoe Alexander
Elizabeth Ashley	...	Eve Swiss
Larry Joshua	...	Johnny Rainbow
Pamela Blair	...	Trish
Barbara Bryne	...	Mrs. Burns-Rizzo
Ron Weyand	...	Hypnotist
Robin Thomas	...	Mendy Weindenbaum
Brian Carney	...	Abbot Renfrew
Madeleine Potter	...	Antonia
Holly Hunter	...	Leslie
Vera Mayer	...	Gizella
Stuart Charno	...	Boomer
Peter Boruchowitz	...	Chris
Ed Vadas	...	M.C.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Robert Halmi

Movie Connections:

Version of Trilby (1915)

O'Toole & Foster Match Up

Apparently this was a made for TV movie, anyway, the reason to watch this film is not the riveting storyline or spectacular visuals.

What is good about this movie is seeing O'Toole work his magic. He can take a rather silly re-working of the Pgymalian storyline and almost make it seem like art. He really is a wonder to behold.

Foster is not the actress yet she will become in Accused & Silence of the Lambs but you can certainly see the control starting to take shape. Foster shines when she's standing up to O'Toole's dogmatic ways but she falters in romantic moments with O'Toole, you just don't believe that she has romantic feelings for O'Toole.

Elizabeth Ashley is a bit of a disappointment. I was expecting to see some fire from her but I just kept getting the feeling that she was just so much in awe of working with O'Toole that she came off flat. It's a shame cuz it would have been fun to see Ashley & O'Toole spark...ah well.

Sure, the move is a bit melodramatic at times...OK..but if you're an O'Toole fan, you really should check this out. I don't know if he was nominated for an Emmy for this but he should have been.

Oh and there's a great cameo by Holly Hunter in an early performance before her breakout role in Raising Arizona.

Again, this is not the worst movie you'll ever see. It's just a dated early 80s movie that just happens to have a great part for O'Toole which he makes the most of and it's fun to see Jodi Foster as well in a part that we haven't seen her in over and over again..and don't forget, it's always fun to see an actor using their own voice to sing in a movie!