Svengali is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film directed by Archie Mayo . The film stars John Barrymore and Marian Marsh . It is based on the 1894 George du Maurier novel Trilby and was among the many film adaptations of the book. The film was shot from January 12 to February 21, 1931. On its release in the United States, Svengali received some positive reviews but did not perform well at the box office.