Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (1941) [VHS]

Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (1941) [VHS]
by Victor Fleming

Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (1941) [VHS]

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Product details

Actor: Donald Crisp, Ian Hunter, Ingrid Bergman, Lana Turner, Spencer Tracy
Director: Victor Fleming
Cinematographer: Joseph Ruttenberg
Producer: Victor Fleming
Producer: Victor Saville
Writer: John Lee Mahin
Writer: Percy Heath
Writer: Robert Louis Stevenson
Writer: Samuel Hoffenstein
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: English (Original Language), Analog
Format: Black & White, NTSC
Running Time: 113 minutes
Release Date: 1998-09-01
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Publisher: MGM (Warner)
Studio: MGM (Warner)

VHS Movie Reviews of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (1941) [VHS]

Movie Review: Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun
Summary: 4 Stars

This is a review for the MGM DVD release of DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, both versions.
The first version, from 1931 is on Side A and the second version, released in 1941, is on Side B of this double sided disc.

Both versions of this film are nicely done, the picture quality is fine and the sound is very good. Special features include a commentary on the first version of Jekyll & Hyde as well as a Bugs Bunny cartoon satire on the film. Side B contains a trailer for the 1941 version and both sides have optional subtitles in your choice of English, French or Spanish.

The 1931 version of DOCTOR JEKYL AND MR. HYDE was released by Paramount Pictures and directed by Rouben Mamoulian and stars Frederic March and Miriam Hopkins along with a fine cast of Paramount players.
Rouben Mamoulian kept his camera active and used shadows and light to unique advantage.
But central to this version of the Robert Louis Stevenson story is the performance of Frederic March, whose tour de force as both Jekyll and Hyde was supposedly quite shocking
for its time. March used a fair amount of make up to transform himself from the smooth leading man to the rugged ape-like Mr. Hyde and it worked spectacularly. It worked so well in fact that Frederic March tied Wallace Beery (THE CHAMP) for the Oscar for Best Actor of 1031.
This version of DOCTOR JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE is the superior one, in my opinion.

The second, probably more familiar version, occupies side two of this disc.
It was directed by Victor Fleming, one of MGM's highly skilled craftsmen who
seemed to be able to direct most anything including some of GONE WITH THE WIND and most
of THE WIZARD OF OZ. This 1941 version of Dr.JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE stars Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, Ingrid Bergman and Donald Crisp along with a virtual boatload of fine character actors. The artistry involved in this version is almost palpable, the MGM gloss almost shimmers from the screen and the viewer is served notice that this is a quality production.
The performances by Spencer Tracy in the title roles are remarkable and he used not much make-up at all in his transformation from Jekyll to Hyde. It looks like they rearranged his hair and eyebrows and Tracy used a scowl that was quite unfriendly looking. In fact, the first time Jekyll morphs into Hyde, Tracy's visage scowling from a mirror resembles James Whitmore blowing himself a Bronx cheer. Also, Tracy (or possibly a stuntman) exhibits an unexpected agility while being pursued by the constables. It's quite entertaining to watch him elude the law.
Lana Turner does a good, low key job as well but Ingrid Bergman is really very fine in this movie, the one she made before CASABLANCA.
The main problem with this version of Jekyll and Hyde is that it is too long and a little too slow paced. As much as I enjoyed this version, the first version had a verve and
energy to it that this one lacks, unfortunately.

So I rate this double sided, two movie DVD 4 1/2 stars, 5 stars for the 1931 version and 4 stars for the 1941 version. Both versions are good films and worth watching more than once.

Movie Review: A true horror film
Summary: 3 Stars

This film, with a wealth of talent is directed brilliantly by Victor Fleming. A fine performance by Spenser Tracy in the lead role (as Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), makes this a worthwhile movie to watch in spite of the fact another version was made in 1932, with the lead player Fredric March was honored with an academy award in the best actor category. This movie is based on Robert Louis Stevenson's novella "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", first adapted as a play in the 1900s and filmed as a silent in 1920.

This story is about a physician named Henry Jekyll who incurs the ire of his older colleagues because of his experiments and views on separating the good and evil aspects of man's nature. Harry decides to take the serum, which he had invented himself and is briefly transformed into an evil alter ego named Mr. Hyde. When his fianc?e Beatrix Emery (Lana Turner), the daughter of Sir Charles Emery (Donald Crisp) is out of town, Harry turns into Hyde using his serum and goes to a music hall where he meets a barmaid named Ivy Peterson (Ingrid Bergman); an attractive and sensual young woman whom he had rescued from an attacker few weeks ago. Later, Hyde manages to enslave her in a rented apartment. At the end of the movie everything goes wrong for Hyde as he kills Charles Emery and destroys property; the police will eventually catch him.

Lana Turner is charming, but Spenser Tracy and Ingrid Bergman have offered a fine performance in this horror movie appropriate for Halloween time viewing.

1. Jekyll & Hyde - The Musical
2. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde

Movie Review: Two different visions that create one united front...
Summary: 4 Stars

When I saw that these two films were not available separately I initially was reluctant to review them at all, but then I decided that it might be kind of fun to give a collective review, comparing the two and pitting them against one another. What is so remarkable about both features (released ten years apart) is that they really complete one another. Separately neither film hits all the marks needed to make a great film, yet when paired together they create a complete vision of what this impressive tale could be seen as.

So, let's pick this apart a bit.

I think the most appropriate place to start would be with the actors portraying Jekyll and Hyde; Fredric March and Spencer Tracy. Both takes on the character were very different from one another. March had an almost regal take on Jekyll, yet his Hyde was a ferocious almost macabre creation. Tracy made Jekyll very human, very relatable. His Hyde, for me, was like Alfred Molina impersonating Jack Nicholson's interpretation of Fredric March. It had this crazed almost campy personification that reminded me of Nicholson's `Joker'. March's portrayal was much more `horrific' in that the macabre aspects added layers of complete insanity. He reminded me of a character out of a 70's horror film, like one of the members of the grotesque family depicted in `The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'. For me he gave the better (or more effective) Hyde, but Spencer Tracy just blew me away with his version of Dr. Jekyll. The '41 version of `Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' is very much a film about Jekyll, and so the film really relies on Spencer's humanization of the doctor. His take on Hyde doesn't bother me; it just isn't as terrifying as March's.

Still, if I had to choose a performance, I'd go with Tracy in a heartbeat.

Then we have the objects of Jekyll's (and Hyde's) affections. In the '31 version these roles are tackled by Miriam Hopkins and Rose Hobart. Hopkins delivers one of my all time favorite supporting female performances of all time, so we know who wins this one (in a cakewalk). Her devilishly seductive qualities are only matched step by step by her gradual and realistic spiral towards fearful insanity. She is utterly brilliant. I also really adored Rose here, who captured Muriel's loving support yet fearful suspicion of her fianc?s work. The women of the '41 film don't fare as well. Ingrid Bergman (one of my top ten favorite actresses of ALL TIME) is way out of her comfort zone here, and while she captures the seductiveness needed to carry the character of Ivy (and that close up shot of her teary-eyed face as she faces Hyde for the final time is just utterly gorgeous) she doesn't quite get a firm grasp of the entirety of the character, the full arc. Her accent work is atrocious, and that takes away from the character development for me. Lana Turner is effective, but an afterthought for me. She works well, but she doesn't pop (and I love her work generally). For me, the biggest standout in the supporting cast was Donald Crisp who just sizzles with commanding presence as Beatrix's father Charles.

So then we have the plot. Both films are very similar in plot, yet the '41 film, for me, really expounds on the basic material. The beginning especially sheds a lot of light on the man that is Dr. Jekyll. Like I said, the '41 version is focused on Jekyll, and the '31 film is more about Hyde. That is why the films need to be seen together to really appreciate them fully. A lot of the center portions of the film are very similar to each other, but their strengths definitely lie in separate areas. I can't really say which is better (I prefer the '41 for the mere fact that is fleshes out Jekyll so well) because they are so obviously focused in separate areas.

The direction is also very different for each film. The '31 film is much darker in tone and construction. The way in which film was made then (almost gritty and grainy by default) add layers of terror to the scenes, even those that are simply not meant to be fear-inducing. The glossed over direction of the '41 version dampens the fear a tad, but it is much more beautiful to the eye (the use of fog mixes very well with the black and white, almost grey tone to the film). Visually, the '41 film is more appealing and almost more easily appreciated, but I have to go with the '31 here, for it really captures a desired tone effortlessly and carries that tone without ever once losing it.

In the end, neither film is perfect. Neither film would make my ballot for best of the year, but both films would litter my ballot in other areas. Like I said, Miriam Hopkins is a revelation and would win my supporting actress award in '31, and her co-star Rose Hobart would get a nomination. I'd also nominate it in Directing and a slew of technicals (if I really gave much thought to those races). The '41 version would get three different major nominations from me, in supporting actor (for Crisp), lead actor (for Tracy) and adapted screenplay, for it definitely has a stronger screenplay in my opinion.

If I had to judge the films separately I would give the edge to the '41 vehicle mainly for the added depth to the screenplay, but both films have their strengths and weaknesses. So, as far as my grade is concerned, I struggled with what to do. Do I give the DVD an A, since when watched together the films complement each other in a way that creates a sense of completed vision, or do I grade the DVD based on the actual films involved and give it a B, since when viewed separately the films are incomplete?

As you can see, I went with my gut and gave my film grade, thus the four star review.

Movie Review: Well-Crafted
Summary: 4 Stars

Everyone knows the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll is a scientist who believes each man has two sides, the good and the bad. He concocts a potion that brings out his brutish side, who he calls Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde then becomes uncontrollable, and a menace to Jekyll.

This is definitely a literary adaptation, so the action is slower than one might expect. Rouben Mamoulian created more of a legitimate production rather than a sensationalized Hollywood flick. As a result, the craftsmanship of the movie is superior. The transformation from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde is impressive, especially for 1932 before the days of computer animation. The photography is quite haunting too. The scenes of Dr. Jekyll escaping to his laboratory are very memorable, as is the grand finale where Mr. Hyde runs down the streets away from the angry mob as their shadows loom on the walls behind them.

However, not everything is exactly the same as the book, which is rather short.

There are also pre-code elements that fans of the genre will enjoy. Ivy is a prostitute after all, and references of her immorality and the things Hyde does to her are quite shocking. The most memorable image is Hopkins practically nude in her bed beckoning Jekyll to return to her.

Movie Review: Voluntary Evil
Summary: 5 Stars

This review is primarily about Frederick March's 'Jekyll and Hyde'. I've seen the Spencer Tracy version but, other than the wonderful young Ingrid Bergman, I find the March version far more interesting and disturbing.

March undergoes a number of hideous physicaal transformations as he degenerates into the ultimate, completely depraved Hyde persona. Interestingly, in doing so, the producer/directors make a deliberate effort to take us backward in human evolution. Hyde becomes not only psychologically bestial but, physically, he reverts to something like proto-Homo erectus. This probably isn't fair to our ancestors. They might have been a rough crowd but it is unlikely that they were evil and destructive in the 'Hyde' sense. Otherwise the human race would have disappeared 600,000 years ago.

Also March, as Jekyll, is not a particularly sympathetic figure [at least I didn't find him sympathetic]. Yes, his initial transformation is more-or-less an accident and, later, the transformation comes over him although he wishes it otherwise.

But this simplistic viewing of it misses a major point. Somewhere between his first dose and his subsequent uncontrollable changes, he apparently takes the pottion time and again. Knowing that he will go back to sexually abuse, torture and humiliate Hopkins, as the dance hall girl, he takes the dose ANYWAY. He enjoys being depraved and evil and his evil leads him to murder.

Fortunately, for the sake of London and the sake of the world, Hyde is shot dead. Too bad the dance hall girl didn't think of that one, herself.

About the same time I was seeing this fascinating film, I watched Brando's 'Last Tango in Paris' and immediately noted the distinct similarity between the Hyde and the Brando character. They are both sexual sadists and both deliberately abuse and humiliate a young girl. The difference is, perhaps, in level of consent. Intitially, at least, Brando's female victim is entirely complicit in her own degradation. Slowly, gradually she comes to the realization that things have gone very wrong and she absolutely must escape. In both cases...Hyde and Brando...the only escape is death.

The Hyde victim is less consensual but, initially, at least, her mistake is that she does, at a certain basic level, agree. Rather than leave the dance hall with the bestial Hyde, she can kick, scream and make a commotion. She doesn't. She goes with him and, later, when she has some bare possibility of escape, she doesn't. Both the Hyde and Branco victim are similiar indeed.

Ron

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Summary of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (1941) [VHS]

Classy MGM was not the studio most likely to make a horror movie in 1941, and in fact its production of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ended up looking more like a glossy costume drama than a B-movie frightfest. The mood of Robert Louis Stevenson's tale of a divided doctor is ably captured in Joseph Ruttenberg's Oscar-nominated cinematography--more so, perhaps, than in Spencer Tracy's lead performance. Tracy wasn't especially happy about playing the role, although his transformations from good Dr. Jekyll to evil Dr. Hyde are convincing enough. One of the main reasons to see this version of the story is the young, impossibly beautiful Ingrid Bergman, then still a year shy of Casablanca. Bergman was cast in the good-girl part, but proved a shrewd judge of material, even this early in her Hollywood career; she finagled her way into playing the floozy instead, thus securing a more colorful acting platform than Lana Turner, who ended up in the more respectable role. Director Victor Fleming's previous movie was a little number called Gone with the Wind, and the Big Picture approach to that project may have influenced his work here--this Dr. Jekyll is just a bit too stately, too polished to really engage. The picture is so dignified it never cuts loose with the kind of wild invention that marked the 1932 version of the story, which won Fredric March an Oscar. It's the tale as imagined by Jekyll, rather than Hyde. --Robert Horton

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