Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Western Guy
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by Western Guy »

That's exactly the role I was thinking of, Joe, when writing about Jason Robards Sr.
RedRiver
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by RedRiver »

I remember that character well.
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Joe Macclesfield
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by Joe Macclesfield »

Also remember Robards Sr. from a short entitled Follow That Music (a showcase for Gene Krupa and Band), and, The Falcon's Alibi (the last Tom Conway Falcon film, I think).
"...Then as a bee, which among weeds doth fall,
Which seem sweet floures with lustre fresh and gay,
She lights on that, and this, and tasteth all,
But pleasd with none doth rise and sore away..."
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knitwit45
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by knitwit45 »

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"Life is not the way it's supposed to be.. It's the way it is..
The way we cope with it, is what makes the difference." ~ Virginia Satir
""Most people pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it." ~ Soren Kierkegaard
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by Rita Hayworth »

I still prefer the MARCH version over the TRACY version period.
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Joe Macclesfield
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by Joe Macclesfield »

The screen treatment that comes closest to Stevenson's original yarn is a 1970 Amicus production entitled: I, Monster. The character names were changed, and the story is set in 1910. Apart from these, and some other slight changes, it remains reasonably faithful to Stevenson. The film stars Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. I've not seen it for years. May look it up on DVD. It's not bad.
"...Then as a bee, which among weeds doth fall,
Which seem sweet floures with lustre fresh and gay,
She lights on that, and this, and tasteth all,
But pleasd with none doth rise and sore away..."
Western Guy
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by Western Guy »

I'm familiar with that version, Joe, but, as with you, haven't seen it in many a moon. Yeah, I found it curious why Jekyll/Hyde was changed to Marlowe/Blake, yet other characters from the novel have retained their names: Utterson, Lanyon, Poole.
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Joe Macclesfield
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by Joe Macclesfield »

I don't suppose that it would have bothered American audiences much, if at all. But, English/British audiences must, surely, have noticed the fact that neither Fredric March or Spencer Tracy are overly bothered about adopting an English/British accent for their respective portrayals of Jekyll and Hyde. Anyone agree?
"...Then as a bee, which among weeds doth fall,
Which seem sweet floures with lustre fresh and gay,
She lights on that, and this, and tasteth all,
But pleasd with none doth rise and sore away..."
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by Rita Hayworth »

Joe,

I haven't seen any of the British Version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Movies and I'm afraid that I can't compare with them with either March and/or Tracy versions.
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by Rita Hayworth »

LIST OF ALL DR. JEKYLL and MR. HYDE Films

http://public.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/jekyll.hyde.films.html
Source: public.wsu.edu

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1908) -- Selig Polyscope Company, one-reel.
The Duality of Man (1910) -- Wrench version.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1910) -- Nordisk version with Alwin Neuss.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1912) -- James Cruz and Henry Benham.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1913) -- Universal, with King Baggot.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1913) -- Urban's Kinemacolor Company.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1919) -- Louis B. Mayer's with Sheldon Lewis.
The Head of Janus (1920) -- F.W. Murnau's Der Januskoph, lost.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920) -- John Barrymore, tarantula-like.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) -- Fredric March, simian.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) -- Spencer Tracy, gangsteresque.
Son of Dr. Jekyll (1951) -- Louis Hayward.
Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953) -- Boris Karloff.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1954) -- Michael Rennie, made for tv.
Daughter of Dr. Jekyll (1957) -- she frets about having inherited Daddy's curse.
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960) -- Hammer, Hyde looks better than Doc.
The Nutty Professor (1962) -- Jerry Lewis.
Mad Monster Party (1968) -- stop-motion.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1968) -- Jack Palance.
Dr. Jekyll vs. The Werewolf (1971) -- descendent of Dr. J. to help?
Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971) -- Ralph Bates, Martine Beswick.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1973) -- Kirk Douglas, musical.
Dr. Jekyll's Dungeon of Death (1980) -- James Mathers.
Jekyll and Hyde...Together Again (1982) -- disco.
Edge of Sanity (1988) -- Anthony Perkins.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1989) -- Anthony Andrews.
Jekyll and Hyde (1990) -- Michael Caine.
Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (1995) -- great-grandson Tim Daly.
Mary Reilly (1996) -- Julia Roberts as Irish servant to Jekyll.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1999) -- Adam Baldwin in present-day Hong Kong.
Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical (2001) -- David Hasselhoff.
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (2002) -- Mark Redfield.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (2002) -- John Hannah.
The Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde Rock 'N Roll Musical -- (2003)
Jacqueline Hyde (2005)


Hey, Joe ... which of these movies that you want us to compare with March and/or Tracy Versions? Just Curious?
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jdb1
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by jdb1 »

Joe Macclesfield wrote:I don't suppose that it would have bothered American audiences much, if at all. But, English/British audiences must, surely, have noticed the fact that neither Fredric March or Spencer Tracy are overly bothered about adopting an English/British accent for their respective portrayals of Jekyll and Hyde. Anyone agree?
You're right, Joe. I don't think American audiences then or now would have remarked much on the accents of the stars. They spoke the way we expected them to speak. Besides, these were typical Hollywood productions, with actors from everywhere, and regional accents galore. I think we generally tune such things out, especially when watching the older films. We hear so very many accents from all over, here in the US. Since members of our own families may speak with accents, it doesn't seem strange to us. Have one, don't have one -- it's all the same here.

There seems to be a preference on this thread for March's performance. I can't agree. It's likely because I don't care much for March generally and I love the screen work of Tracy. I recall reading that Tracy didn't like his performance as Jekyll/Hyde. He probably felt uncomfortable in such an uncharacteristic, "darkest side" role, but I think he did quite well. I thought his Hyde was pretty scary in an appropriately dominating, sexual way that I didn't feel from March. I get no sex vibes at all coming from the screen from March, and don't like enjoy him in romantic parts, or Hyde-like parts for that matter. Frankly, he turns me off.

I do remember liking the Palance version, although it's been years and years since I've seen it. I've probably seen countless versions of the story, but I don't really remember any ones in particular as outstanding; the March and Tracy versions stand out to me for various reasons. And I can remember John Barrymore hamming it up as well.
RedRiver
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by RedRiver »

Love your picture of Stan, JDB1!
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jdb1
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by jdb1 »

Thank you. I love Oliver, too, but haven't found a small enough photo of both of them that I want for an avatar. Still looking.
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Joe Macclesfield
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by Joe Macclesfield »

RH, I didn't know there'd been SO many versions of the tale commited to film/tape. It says something about the universal appeal of the story. The '54 TV version with Michael Rennie sounds interesting. I'll bet there's no recording of it, though. I did see a bit of the TV effort with Michael Caine, when it was first broadcast. The less said about that one, the better! As I stated in an earlier post, the version most faithful to Stevenson's original tale was a film entitled: I, Monster. It has a nice period feel, and Peter Cushing, but, Christopher Lee always strikes me as a bit of a cold fish.
"...Then as a bee, which among weeds doth fall,
Which seem sweet floures with lustre fresh and gay,
She lights on that, and this, and tasteth all,
But pleasd with none doth rise and sore away..."
Western Guy
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Re: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Post by Western Guy »

Here you go, Joe:

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