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Produced entirely at the World Film Company's studios in Fort Lee, NJ, and on location in Greenwich Village's MacDougal Alley, this faithful rendition of George du Maurier's tale of mesmerism stars Clara Kimball Young in the title role and stage actor Wilton Lackaye as the monstrous Svengali. The latter, a depraved hypnotist, lures the naïve Trilby to his lair and hypnotizes her into writing a farewell letter to her boyfriend, the artist Little Billy (Chester Barnett). But when despite his best efforts he cannot force the girl's affection, Svengali instead turns her into an opera star, hypnotizing the girl before every performance. Trilby was remade in 1931 starring John Barrymore and Marian Marsh, by many considered the definitive version.