Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde (1971)

Director:

Roy Ward Baker

Writers:

Robert Louis Stevenson (novel)
Brian Clemens (screenplay)

Release Date:

April 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The sexual transformation of a man into a woman will actually take place before your very eyes!

Plot:

Dr. Henry Jekyll, in attempting to find a toxin that will wipe out all common diseases, accidentally...

Plot Keywords:

Experiment | Evil Woman | Tense | Evil Doctor | Good Versus Evil

Cast

Ralph Bates	...	Dr. Jekyll
Martine Beswick	...	Sister Hyde
Gerald Sim	...	Professor Robertson
Lewis Fiander	...	Howard
Susan Brodrick	...	Susan
Dorothy Alison	...	Mrs. Spencer
Ivor Dean	...	Burke
Philip Madoc	...	Byker
Irene Bradshaw	...	Yvonne
Neil Wilson	...	Older Policeman
Paul Whitsun-Jones	...	Sergeant Danvers
Tony Calvin	...	Hare
Dan Meaden	...	Town Crier
Virginia Wetherell	...	Betsy
Geoffrey Kenion	...	1st Policeman
Anna Brett	...	Julie
Jackie Poole	...	Margie
Rosemary Lord	...	Marie
Petula Portell	...	Petra
Pat Brackenbury	...	Helen
Liz Romanoff	...	Emma
Will Stampe	...	Mine Host
Roy Evans	...	Knife Grinder
Derek Steen	...	1st Sailor
John Lyons	...	2nd Sailor
Jeannette Wild	...	Jill
Bobby Parr	...	Young Appentrice
Julia Wright	...	Street Singer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Fielder	...	Local Man (uncredited)

Directed by
Roy Ward Baker

Writing credits
Robert Louis Stevenson		(novel "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde")
Brian Clemens		(screenplay)

Produced by
Brian Clemens	....	producer
Albert Fennell	....	producer

Original Music by
David Whitaker

Cinematography by
Norman Warwick

Film Editing by
James Needs

Casting by
James Liggat		(as Jimmy Liggat)

Production Design by
Robert Jones

Costume Design by
Rosemary Burrows

Makeup Department
Trevor Crole-Rees	....	makeup artist
Bernadette Ibbetson	....	hair stylist (as Bernie Ibbetson)
John Wilcox	....	makeup supervisor (uncredited)

Production Management
Roy Skeggs	....	production supervisor
Don Weeks	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bert Batt	....	assistant director

Art Department
Bill Greene	....	construction manager
Len Townsend	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Charles Crafford	....	sound editor
A.W. Lumkin	....	recording director
Bill Rowe	....	sound

Special Effects by
Michael Collins	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Godfrey A. Godar	....	camera operator (as Godfrey Godar)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows	....	wardrobe supervisor
Kathleen Moore	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
Sue Kingsley	....	assistant editor
David Block	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Brian Clemens	....	composer: song "He'll Be There"
Philip Martell	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Sally Ball	....	continuity
Sally Jones	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hammer Film Productions (as A Hammer Production)

Distributors

• Anglo-EMI Film Distributors (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• MGM-EMI (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• American International Pictures (AIP) (1972) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (1990) (UK) (VHS)
• Cinema Club (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (video)
• Republic Pictures (II) (199?) (USA) (video)
• Thorn EMI/HBO Video (198?) (USA) (VHS)
• VTI Home Vídeo (Brazil) (video)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

97 min | USA:94 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:(Banned) (1972) | Norway:16 (1972) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2004) | UK:18 (video rating) (1990) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

Caroline Munro was offered the part of Sister Hyde but refused because it required some nudity.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The Prostitute killed at the beginning of the film is wearing modern high-heeled shoes.

Quotes:

Dr. Jekyll:I walked the streets, brooding on the bitter irony that all I wanted to do for humanity, for life, would be cheated by death... unless I could cheat death.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Monster Mania (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack:

He'll Be There

Superb variation on the classic tale!

First of all, the tagline and the claim in the trailer that you will actually see a man transform into a woman before your very eyes isn't exactly true. A man does change into a woman in this film; but the change doesn't take place 'before your very eyes'. That being said; this is still a great horror film. Hammer studios have done some great variations on classic tales, and this one stands up as one of their best. The story follows Dr Jekyll, a scientist that, when trying to find cures to every disease going realises that his efforts to prolong life will, ironically, be beaten by death. This then leads to him trying to 'beat' death with the use of chemicals, but somewhere along the way, as his experiments are oestrogen based, he ends up turning himself into a woman. Oops!

As you might expect, this isn't an entirely serious horror film. However, there are more than enough moments of horror: the scenes where Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde battle for 'control' of their body is a brilliant piece of psychological horror, and the parts where Sister Hyde goes out to kill women in order to get more oestrogen are gratuitously bloody and should delight any horror fan. The film is also very atmospheric; the scenes on the streets are filled with smoke and are very gloomy in the way that they are filmed, which makes for a delicious setting. The cast is also brilliant; Ralph Bates is sublime as Dr Jekyll; he creates just the right mood for his character and is very believable, particularly during the split personality scenes. Martine Beswick, whom you might remember as the Bond girl in "From Russia With Love" is both sexy and sadistic as the evil Sister Hyde. She is the stand out of the movie for me. And most other men. Also in the cast is the lovely Susan Broderick, and the competent Lewis Fiander as brother and sister duo; Howard and Susan, who make for an interesting sub-plot when they both fall for Dr Jekyll. If you haven't realized already; Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde is a great horror film, and therefore comes with the highest recommendation that I can muster.