The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll
| The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll | |
|---|---|
 British original poster | |
| Directed by | Terence Fisher |
| Produced by | Michael Carreras |
| Written by | Wolf Mankowitz |
| Starring |
Paul Massie Dawn Addams Christopher Lee David Kossoff Francis de Wolff |
| Music by |
David Heneker John Hollingsworth Monty Norman |
| Cinematography | Jack Asher |
| Editing by |
Eric Boyd-Perkins James Needs |
| Release dates | 24 October 1960 (UK) |
| Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country |
United States United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £146,417[1] |
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll is a 1960 horror film by Hammer Film Productions. It was directed by Terence Fisher, and stars Paul Massie as Dr. Jekyll, and co-stars Dawn Addams, Christopher Lee and David Kossoff. It was written by Wolf Mankowitz, based on the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.
In contrast to other film versions, Jekyll was portrayed as a rather bland and faceless person, while Hyde was presented as suave and handsome. This reflects director Fisher's belief in what critics (such as biographer Wheeler Winston Dixon) called "the charm of evil".[2] The film is also unusual in that it is one of the few where the Jekyll/Hyde character does not die in the story's conclusion.
The film was released in North America under the titles House of Fright and Jekyll's Inferno.
Plot summary
Henry Jekyll's wife Kitty cheats on him with his friend Paul Allen (who hounds money from Jekyll). Ignoring the warnings of his colleague and friend Dr. Ernst Littauer, Jekyll concocts a chemical potion which he hopes will help him learn the depths of the human mind.
By testing the potion on himself, he transforms into Mr. Hyde, a young and handsome, but also murderous and lecherous beast. Soon, Hyde becomes bored with conventional debauchery, and when his eyes catch Kitty, he decides he must have her. When Kitty rejects him, Hyde rapes and murders her, and frames his other self for these crimes.
Cast
- Paul Massie as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
- Dawn Addams as Kitty Jekyll
- Christopher Lee as Paul Allen
- David Kossoff as Dr. Littauer
- Francis de Wolff as Inspector
- Norma Marla as Maria
- Magda Miller as Sphinx Girl
- Oliver Reed as Nightclub Bouncer
- William Kendall as Clubman
- Helen Goss as Nanny
- Pauline Shepherd as Prostitute
- Percy Cartwright as Coroner
- Joe Robinson as Corinthian
- Arthur Lovegrove as Cabby
- Felix Felton as First Gambler (uncredited)
Trivia
- A thug who picks a fight with Edward Hyde in one barroom scene was played by a young Oliver Reed.
- Christopher Lee, who played the role of Paul Allen in this film, would later star in a more faithful adaptation of Stevenson's novel, the 1970 Amicus film, I, Monster. Lee played Dr. Charles Marlow and Mr. Edward Blake (the renamed characters of Jekyll and Hyde).
Reception
The film lost Hammer an estimated ₤30,000.[3]
References
- ↑ Marcus Hearn & Alan Barnes, The Hammer Story: The Authorised History of Hammer Films, Titan Books, 2007 p 49
- ↑ Wheeler Winston Dixon. The Charm of Evil: The Films of Terence Fisher (with an introduction by John Carpenter).Metuchen N.J. and London: Scarecrow Press, 1991. 574 pages.
- ↑ Marcus Hearn, The Hammer Vault, Titan Books, 2011 p38
External links
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