Movie spotlight
Bella Donna
That old theatrical war-horse Bella Donna (previously filmed in America by Alla Nazimova) was resurrected by Britain's Twickenham Studios in 1934. Conrad Veidt stars as sinister Egyptian Mahmoud Baroundi, who even before the film gets under way has left a long trail of ruined women behind him. His latest victim is American girl Mona Chepstow (Mary Ellis), whom Baroundi treats like dirt and makes her like it. The plot centers around a murder by poison, as evidenced by the film's deliberately exotic title. Critics in 1934 praised newcomer Mary Ellis for underplaying her role, but many film fans preferred Nazimova's arm-waving histrionics in the earlier version.
Insights
Plot Summary
Based on the novel by Robert Hichens, the film follows the story of a beautiful and ambitious woman who marries a British doctor in Egypt. Driven by her desire for wealth and status, she embarks on a series of manipulative schemes, including an affair with a wealthy Arab sheikh, to secure her future.
Critical Reception
As a pre-Code film, "Bella Donna" likely received moderate attention for its melodramatic and somewhat scandalous themes for the time. Contemporary reviews would have focused on the performances and the adaptation of the popular novel.
What Reviewers Say
The film is a melodramatic portrayal of ambition and infidelity.
Sidney Fox's performance as the titular character is central to the film's dramatic arc.
The exotic Egyptian setting provides a visually interesting backdrop for the unfolding drama.
Google audience: Information on Google user reviews for this specific 1934 film is not readily available.
Fun Fact
The 1934 film is actually the second screen adaptation of Robert Hichens' 1905 novel "Bella Donna," the first being a silent film version released in 1923.
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