Mary Reilly (1996)

Director:

Stephen Frears

Writers (WGA):

Valerie Martin (novel)
Christopher Hampton (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 February 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Evil is Irresistable.

Plot:

A housemaid falls in love with Dr. Jekyll and his darkly mysterious counterpart, Mr. Hyde.

Plot Keywords:

19th Century | Servant | Prostitute | Class Distinction | Sexual Attraction

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Julia Roberts	...	Mary Reilly
John Malkovich	...	Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward Hyde
George Cole	...	Mr. Poole the Butler
Michael Gambon	...	Mary's Father
Kathy Staff	...	Mrs. Kent
Glenn Close	...	Mrs. Farraday
Michael Sheen	...	Bradshaw
Bronagh Gallagher	...	Annie
Linda Bassett	...	Mary's Mother
Henry Goodman	...	Haffinger
Ciarán Hinds	...	Sir Danvers Carew (as Ciaran Hinds)
Sasha Hanau	...	Young Mary Reilly
Moya Brady	...	Young Woman
Emma Griffiths Malin	...	Young Whore Mary
David Ross	...	Doctor

MPAA:

Rated R for notable gore and some strong violence.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Norway:15 | Netherlands:16 | South Korea:18 | USA:R (certificate #33594) | Iceland:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

TriStar Pictures

Trivia:

Although the crew originally shot an ending similar to the book's (an anticlimax in which Jekyll dies and Mary lies beside him), there were no fewer than 25 rewrites. Months after Mary Reilly's production team had disbanded, the producers called back the stars to shoot three alternative endings. For one of them, Glenn Close was flown back to London on the Concorde for one day of work.

Quotes:

Mrs. Farraday: My answer is always "Yes!"

Movie Connections:

Featured in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: A Legacy of Fear (1996) (TV)

This film gets better as you watch it

Initially, I stayed away from this movie as it received merciless reviews. The fact that Julia Roberts was in it also was another obstacle. Yet as other reviewers have mentioned, she actually gives a good performance. John Malkovich is excellent as the tormented Jekyll/Hyde character.

The cinematography and moods are haunting. One feels they are actually re-living the Victorian era, where the servants woke up at 4AM to complete their drudgery. The kitchen conjures up the stark realities of survival, the eel that is chopped up for dinner (while alive) Mary Reilly turns white as a sheet as she sees the animal die. I actually began to appreciate Ms. Roberts' performances more after this film (also in films like "Mona Lisa Smile", she projects a certain believability; is not just a physical presence). At one point, there is a most effective scene wherein Roberts must see to her mother's burial, and goes to the tenement to make arrangements. The landlord has placed her mother's body in a damp cellar closet, saying she is "most comfortable" as he hands her one shilling, the only money Roberts will inherit. Roberts then says; ..."ä poor wage for a lifetime of drudgery"... We are reminded of the workhouses of Dickens, and the rigid class structures which she must survive...

While the dialect is at times choppy, she is believable as an Irish maid; and the supporting cast also lends credence to this story. Malkovich varies his performance between Jekyll/Hyde, and it is effective and visceral.

If you initially avoided this film, I would highly recommend seeing it now. The atmosphere and music are haunting and sad. 9/10