While channel-surfing last night, I stumbled upon Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the 1931 version, on TCM. I've experienced countless adaptations of this story, from radio to cartoons, but it occurred to me that I've never seen a film version. So I propped up the pillows and settled back for a couple of hours.
Throughout the film, I wavered between enjoyment and derision.
The sets were beautiful and the depiction of Victorian London was wonderfully atmospheric. With plenty of fog. Overall, it was well-paced and well-acted. Despite some laughable dialogue. Which may have been deliberately laughable to contrast Jekyll's very proper world with Hyde's more carefree environment. I'll give the writers the benefit of the doubt.
My derision appeared along with the character of Hyde.
The character of Hyde was somewhat . . . overstated. He was almost giddy with evil. During his scenes, the movie felt like a parody of itself. It was difficult to feel genuinely fearful of this small creature. Except of course when he was murdering someone.
The character of Hyde was somewhat . . . overstated. He was almost giddy with evil. During his scenes, the movie felt like a parody of itself. It was difficult to feel genuinely fearful of this small creature. Except of course when he was murdering someone.
This film has been widely praised as one of the best. And despite its flaws, it was an enjoyable way to spend an October evening. I'm curious now about the other film versions. And about how they compare.