Disraeli is a good example of stage legend George Arliss's powers as a actor. Though the sound is primitive and the production set-bound, Arliss's performance and Julian Josephson's screenplay create a compelling portrait of Britain's former Prime Minister. The film was a strong box-office success for Warner Bros., suggesting that audiences would spend money to see something more serious than talking musicals and frivolous sound-enhanced comedies. Arliss had originated the role on the stage, frequently performing with his wife, Florence Arliss, who plays Disraeli's wife, Mary, in both this and the earlier 1921 version of the film. Though her role is largely ahistorical, it suits the film's dramatic needs and observes the tradition of providing a love interest for the protagonist. Disraeli received three nominations for the third annual Academy Awards -- Best Picture and Best Writing, which it did not win, and Best Actor, which it did.