Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941 film)
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This article does not cite any references or sources. (April 2013) |
| Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | |
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 Theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Victor Fleming |
| Produced by | Victor Saville |
| Written by | John Lee Mahin Percy Heath (uncredited) Samuel Hoffenstein (uncredited) Robert Louis Stevenson (novel) |
| Starring | Spencer Tracy Ingrid Bergman Lana Turner |
| Music by | Franz Waxman |
| Cinematography | Joseph Ruttenberg |
| Editing by | Harold F. Kress |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | August 12, 1941 |
| Running time | 113 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,140,000 |
| Box office | $1,279,000 (Domestic earnings) $1,072,000 (Foreign earnings) |
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1941 horror film starring Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman and Lana Turner. Rather than being a new film version of the novel, it is a direct remake of the 1931 film of the same name, which differs greatly from the novel. The movie was based on Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novella the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and directed by Victor Fleming, director of Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz two years earlier. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (where Fleming was based) acquired the rights to the 1931 film, originally released by Paramount Pictures, in order to keep the earlier film out of circulation. Every print of the 1931 film that could be located was destroyed, making it essentially a "lost film" for decades except for clips until a full version was found and it was restored.
The MGM version was produced by Victor Saville and adapted by John Lee Mahin from the screenplay of the earlier film by Percy Heath and Samuel Hoffenstein. The music score was composed by Franz Waxman with uncredited contributions by Daniele Amfitheatrof and Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. The cinematographer was Joseph Ruttenberg, the art director was Cedric Gibbons, and the costume designers were Adrian and Gile Steele. Jack Dawn created the make-up for the dissolute Mr. Hyde's appearance.
The film also features Donald Crisp, Ian Hunter, Barton MacLane, C. Aubrey Smith and Sara Allgood.
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Plot [edit]
Dr. Jekyll (Spencer Tracy) believes good and evil exist in everyone. Experiments reveal his evil side, named Mr. Hyde. Experience teaches him how evil Hyde can be: he kills Ivy Pearson(Ingrid Bergman), who earlier expressed interest in Jekyll, and Sir Charles (Donald Crisp), Dr. Jekyll's fiancee's father. At the end of the film, Dr. Jekyll's best friend Dr. Lanyon (Ian Hunter) shoots and kills Mr. Hyde, causing Jekyll to die as well. Poole, Dr. Jekyll's butler, begins to say a prayer for his late master, ending the film.
Cast [edit]
- Spencer Tracy as Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
- Ingrid Bergman as Ivy Pearson
- Lana Turner as Bea Emery
- Donald Crisp as Sir Charles Emery
- Ian Hunter as John Lanyon
- Barton MacLane as Sam Higgins
- C. Aubrey Smith as Bishop Manners
- Peter Godfrey as Poole, Jekyll's butler
- Sara Allgood as Mrs. Higgins
- Frederic Worlock as Dr. Heath
- William Tannen as Intern Fenwick
- Frances Robinson as Marcia
- Denis Green as Freddie
- Billy Bevan as Mr. Weller
- Forrester Harvey as Old Prouty
- Lumsden Hare as Colonel Weymouth
- Lawrence Grant as Dr. Courtland
- John Barclay as Constable at Church
- Colin Kenny as Constable (uncredited)
- Lydia Bilbrook Lady Copewell (uncredited)
- Alec Craig as Waiter
Casting [edit]
Despite having not yet met his later co-star Katharine Hepburn - they met when they made Woman of the Year (1942) - Spencer Tracy originally wanted Hepburn to play both Bergman's and Turner's roles as the 'bad' and 'good' woman, who would then turn out to be the same person (coincidentally Hepburn had hoped to secure Tracy for the part that James Stewart ultimately played in The Philadelphia Story (1940)).
Initial casting had Bergman playing the demure fiancée of Jekyll and Turner as 'bad girl' Ivy. However, Bergman, tired of playing saintly characters and fearing typecasting, requested that she and Turner switch roles, allowing her to play a darker role for the first time.
Awards [edit]
The movie was nominated for three Oscars, for Best Cinematography (Black-and-White), Best Film Editing & Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic Picture.
Critical reception [edit]
The film was not the critical success that the 1931 version had been, although it eventually earned $2 million around the world. Fredric March famously sent his friend Tracy an amusing telegram thanking him for his biggest career boost, as Tracy's performance was routinely savaged when compared with March's version. Tracy was considered too bland as Jekyll, and not frightening as Hyde. Realizing that he was unsuited to playing an English doctor in Victorian London, Tracy had tried to back out of the film, but it was too late.
Other references [edit]
In the 1946 Warner Bros. cartoon Hare Remover, when Elmer Fudd is going through some bizarre side effects after drinking a potion he created, Bugs Bunny turns to the audience and remarks, "I think Spencer Tracy did it much better!".
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941 film) |
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at the Internet Movie Database
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at AllRovi
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at the TCM Movie Database
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at Rotten Tomatoes
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