Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1973) (TV)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

David Winters

Writers:

Robert Louis Stevenson (novel)
Sherman Yellen (writer)

Release Date:

7 March 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Horror

Plot:

Musical version of the story in which Dr. Henry Jekyll experiments with scientific means of revealing the hidden...

Plot Keywords:

Experiment | Evil Doctor | Experiment Gone Wrong | Role Reversal | Mental Illness

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Kirk Douglas	...	Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
Susan George	...	Anne
Stanley Holloway	...	Poole
Michael Redgrave	...	Danvers
Donald Pleasence	...	Fred Smudge
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Judi Bowker	...	Tupenny
Susan Hampshire	...	Isabel
Geoffrey Moore	...	Wainwright
Nicholas Smith	...	Hastings

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Movie Connections:

Version of The Jekyll and Hyde Portfolio (1971)

The OTHER Jekyll & Hyde musical

Kirk Douglas co-produced this videotaped NBC production through his Bryna Productions, and cast himself in the lead. It's rumored to feature castoff songs from Lionel Bart's OLIVER! If so, they've been shoehorned somewhat inappropriately into a truncated but serviceable version of the Stevenson tale.

The cast and performances are good-- particularly Susan George, Judi Bowker and Donald Pleasence (who displays an impressive singing voice).

Some of the songs are fine-- the one Michael Redgrave sings at the engagement party is beautiful-- but others are cringe-making. One may watch this show wincing in dread that another one will start.

Despite this, it's an interesting version-- certainly a curiosity-- and worth a look.