Bella Donna

Bella Donna

1934 · 91 min · ★ 3.8 · Drama

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.

Directed by Robert Milton · Written by Vera Allinson

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Cast

Mary Ellis Mary Chepstow Amine
John Stuart Nigel Armine
Cedric Hardwicke Dr. Meyer Isaacson
Conrad Veidt Mahmoud Baroudi
Jeanne Stuart Lady Zoe Harwich
Rodney Millington Ibrahim Achmed
Eve South The Dancing Girl
Michael Shepley Dr. Baring-Hartley

Make it a double feature

2h 41m together

Bella Donna

Husband's Holiday

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