‘I’ve gone further than man should go…’
1931 will always be associated with Universal monster movies as the year saw the release of both Dracula and Frankenstein. Where one studio is successful, of course, others will follow, and so, not to be outdone, Paramount Pictures followed Universal’s formula of turning to classic Victorian literature and released their adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde over Christmas weekend at the tail end of 1931. While it’s not as effective as the Universal movies, it resulted in a Best Actor Oscar for Fredric March and was hugely successful at the box office…
Dr Henry Jekyll (March) is obsessed with separating man from his inner demons, and in the process of exploring this dichotomy, he discovers a potion that literally creates a manifestation of evil personified by the insidious Mr. Hyde (also played by March).
This is very much a mixed bag for me despite its stellar reputation. March is excellent in a dual role, worth the admission fee alone, but the supporting cast are routinely uninspiring and forgettable. It is also far too long. Long scenes of two characters talking in a room drag on seemingly forever, and the lack of a score, rather than adding to the atmosphere as in Frankenstein, only adds to the sense that is very much an old fashioned film. Director Rouben Mamoulian does spice things up with the use of split screen, and the make up and in camera effects are genuinely excellent for the era, but it’s not enough to push Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde into the upper echelons of early horror.
As an example of early experimentation into cinematography and editing (the transformation sequences are great), or for its place in horror history, this adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s iconic novel surely has its place. Alas, it also occasionally feels like homework. I won’t be in a rush to revisit it.
