Bella Donna
Synopsis
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.
Top Cast
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Release History & Theatrical Window
December 11, 1934
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Robert Milton
- Screenplay & Story
- H. Fowler Mear, Vera Allinson, Robert Hichens, James B. Fagan
- Original Score
- W.L. Trytel
- Original Title
- Bella Donna
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 31m
- Production Studios
- Julius Hagen Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Robert Milton
H. Fowler Mear, Vera Allinson, Robert Hichens, James B. Fagan
W.L. Trytel
Sydney Blythe, William Luff
Julius Hagen
Department Leadership Roster
Robert Milton
Director
H. Fowler Mear
Writer
Vera Allinson
Writer
James B. Fagan
Writer
Julius Hagen
Producer
W.L. Trytel
Original Music Composer
Sydney Blythe
Director of Photography
William Luff
Director of Photography
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Bella Donna.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bella Donna
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Bella Donna about?
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.
Who directed Bella Donna?
Bella Donna was directed by Robert Milton.
Who stars in Bella Donna?
The principal cast of Bella Donna includes Mary Ellis, John Stuart, Cedric Hardwicke, Conrad Veidt, Jeanne Stuart.
When was Bella Donna released and how long is it?
Bella Donna was released in 1934 with a total runtime of 1h 31m.
Who composed the musical score for Bella Donna?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Bella Donna was composed by W.L. Trytel.