Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Rouben Mamoulian

Writers:

Samuel Hoffenstein (screenplay) and
Percy Heath (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

31 December 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Put yourself in her place! The dreaded night when her lover became a madman!

Plot:

Dr. Jekyll faces horrible consequences when he lets his dark side run wild with a potion that changes him into the animalistic Mr. Hyde.

Plot Keywords:

Experiment | Scientist | Drug | Potion | Human Experimentation

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Fredric March	...	Dr. Henry L. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
Miriam Hopkins	...	Ivy Pierson
Rose Hobart	...	Muriel Carew
Holmes Herbert	...	Dr. Lanyon
Halliwell Hobbes	...	Brigadier General Carew
Edgar Norton	...	Poole
Tempe Pigott	...	Mrs. Hawkins

Runtime:

98 min | 96 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

UK:12 (video rating) | UK:A | Australia:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Sweden:15 | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | UK:12A (2008) | USA:Approved (PCA #1002-R: 22 June 1935 for re-release) | Finland:(Banned) (1932) | Finland:K-16 (1933)

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

When discussing whom to cast as Jekyll/Hyde, studio head Adolph Zukor initially suggested Irving Pichel for the part. Director Rouben Mamoulian turned it down because he wanted an actor who could play both parts convincingly and felt Pichel could only play Hyde. 'Phillips Holmes (I)' was considered and rejected for the opposite reason: he would have been a good Jekyll but a poor Hyde. Mamoulian then suggested Fredric March. Zukor felt that this was a bad choice because, up till then, March had been featured in mostly lightweight roles. Mamoulian insisted that March was perfect for the part, and Zukor acquiesced. In addition to winning March the first of his two Oscars, Jekyll/Hyde was the part that finally led to Hollywood taking him seriously in more demanding roles.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: At the beginning of the movie, when Jekyll is putting on his cape in the "mirror", the reflection of a crewmember can be seen flitting across his stomach in the glass.

Quotes:

Dr. Jekyll: I have no soul. I'm beyond the pale. I'm one of the living dead!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "My Favorite Martian: Miss Jekyll and Hyde (#1.31)" (1964)

Soundtrack:

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565

Excellent

I haven't read Stevenson's famous novel, but this film is adapted from a play which is supposedly a lot different anyway. The story is really not especially great. A scientist makes a potion that turns him into a total spazz. The spazz version ruins Dr. Jekyll's romance with Rose Hobart and tortures a loose woman, played by Miriam Hopkins. The film turns out to be completely amazing, however, thanks to the lead performance, by Fredric March, and the elegant direction by Rouben Mamoulian. Every time I see March in a film, I become more impressed by his range. Of course, this is a perfect vehicle to demonstrate one's range, and he excels as both Jekyll and Hyde, though his Hyde is what most will remember. Looking at his filmography, Mamoulian directed relatively few films for a director of his era (not to mention talent). I need to see more, most notably Love Me Tonight, but he will always be a genius in my book for Queen Christina. His direction of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is beautiful and nearly flawless. A lot of the film is made from the direct point-of-view of Jekyll, and he uses a first-person technique that works brilliantly. Between March and Mamoulian, the general silliness of the story is completely made up for. March's female co-stars, Hopkins and Hobart, are quite good, as well.