Edgar Neville on AllMovie

Though unappreciated in his day, Spanish filmmaker Edgar Neville's reputation has grown considerably over the years; some modern critics hail his works of the '40s as masterpieces of personal filmmaking. Internationally, he is best known for La Señorita de Trevélez (1935), regarded as one of the great films of the Republican Era. A bona fide blueblood, Neville's formal title is Count of Berlanga de Dubro. Before moving into feature films, Neville studied philosophy and law. He later worked in the U.S. with the Spanish Embassy in 1929; while in America, Neville wrote dialogue for MGM's Spanish-language films and won acclaim for his script for El Presidio/The Jail, the Spanish-language adaptation of George Hill's The Big House (1930). During his time in Hollywood, Neville also became friendly with Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks. Upon his return to Spain, Neville directed the aforementioned La Señorita de Trevélez, and it was hailed one of the best films of its time. When the Spanish Civil War erupted, Neville aligned himself with the Nationalists and made a few short propaganda films for them; he also made a trio of movies in Rome. After 1945, Neville produced films through his own company. In addition to his work in cinema, Neville was a respected playwright and novelist.