Mason is the possessive guardian of a young, talented pianist, a role played with grace and enormous truth by Ann Todd. The movie-a story of domination and cruelty-has a marvelous twist which this note won't spoil. Suffice it to say that I recall seeing it at a most unsuitably young age and even now the "piano scene" with Mason saying, "If you won't play for me, then you won't play for anyone," stays in the mind. They really don't make them like that anymore. Brian Baxter, National Film Theatre, London Director Compton Bennett and star Ann Todd soared to new highlights of acclaim in this romantic Svengali tale, though neither was able to equal its success later, either separately or together. Actually its success is a little surprising, as it was hardly a markedly original tale, but the secret was probably in the baleful performance of James Mason, then at the height of his new popularity and giving the fans exactly what they wanted in terms of personal suffering and colorful sadism. William K. Everson