Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

Dr. Jekyll faces horrible consequences when he lets his dark side run wild with a potion that transforms him into the animalistic Mr. Hyde.

Director:

Rouben Mamoulian

Writers:

Samuel Hoffenstein (screen play), Percy Heath (screen play)

Stars:

Fredric March, Miriam Hopkins, Rose Hobart

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Fredric March	...	Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward Hyde
Miriam Hopkins	...	Ivy Pearson
Rose Hobart	...	Muriel Carew
Holmes Herbert	...	Dr. John Lanyon
Halliwell Hobbes	...	Brig. Gen. Danvers Carew
Edgar Norton	...	Poole
Tempe Pigott	...	Mrs. Hawkins

Storyline

Based on the story by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Henry Jekyll believes that there are two distinct sides to men - a good and an evil side. He believes that by separating the two man can become liberated. He succeeds in his experiments with chemicals to accomplish this and transforms into Hyde to commit horrendous crimes. When he discontinues use of the drug it is already too late...

---

Plot Keywords:

experiment | scientist | fiance fiancee relationship | prostitute | london england | 

---

Taglines:

Put yourself in her place! The dreaded night when her lover became a madman!

---

Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 January 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

El hombre y el monstruo

Filming Locations:

Busch Gardens - S. Grove Avenue, Pasadena, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$535,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min 96 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The characters of Muriel Carew and her father do not appear in Robert Louis Stevenson's original story. They are based on similar characters created by playwright T.R. Sullivan for his 1887 stage adaptation of the story.

---

Goofs

When Mr. Hyde and Ivy sit down in front each other in the Variety Music Hall, the objects on the wall behind them change repeatedly between shots.

---

Quotes

Mr. Hyde: Forgive me, my dear. You see, I hurt you because I love you. I want you! What I want, I get!

---

Alternate Versions

Current MGM video version of the film is the 97 minute version.

---

Connections

Referenced in Brainstorm (1983)

---

Soundtracks

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565
(1708) (uncredited)
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Played by orchestra during opening credits and in some scenes by an anonymous organist dubbing Fredric March

User Reviews

March's Hyde

An exceptional cast and intelligent direction seals the quality of the first 'talkie' version of Robert Louis Stevenson's tale. Often hailed as the best of the many screen adaptations of the story, director Robert Moumalin exploits the symbolic potential of the tale as well as boldly tapping into popular Freudian trends concerning sexual repression. The result is not a by-the-numbers rendition but an effective interpretation with quirks and dimensions of its own. Yet the film belongs to Frederic March who scooped an Oscar for his sensational dual role. Although as Jekyll he unfortunately has to trade flowery romantic dialogue with Rose Hobart, there can be no disputing the menace of his Hyde, with his simian-like appearance, top hat, cloak and cane, who turns cockney hooker Miriam Hopkins' life into a nightmare. It's a breathtaking transformation both physically (thanks to stellar make-up and special effects) and artistically and is undoubtedly the centrepiece of this excellent vintage classic.