This Oscar nominated film stars John Barrymore in a riveting performance as Maestro Svengali, a music teacher who uses his hypnotic powers to control his students for his own pleasure and gain. Svengali becomes enamored with his latest student Trilby O'Farrell (Marian Marsh) and uses his abilities to completely control her. Empowered by his hypnotic manipulations, O'Farrell abandons her family and boyfriend and embarks on a singing tour of Europe. Suspicion of his girlfriend's disappearance, the boyfriend, Billee (Branwell Fletcher), tracks down the pair with the hope of freeing O'Farrell from the control of Svengali.