cinema history class: dr. jekyll and sister hyde

Session: Saucy Jack, Week 4
Movie: Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971)
Directed by Roy Ward Baker

As always, there may be spoilers here. And the trailer may be NSFW and/or NSFL.

Plot:
Trying to end all disease, Dr. Jekyll finds a way to turn himself into a woman, which leads to a battle for control. Horror ensues.

Reaction and Other Folderol:

The interesting thing about DJ&SH is that it's a three-way crossover, trying to combine the stories of Dr. Jekyll, Jack the Ripper and Burke & Hare. What's even more interesting is that it actually works. Brian Clemens managed to put together a script that combines these elements seamlessly in a way that doesn't seem forced.

Also to Clemens' credit, the dialog is smart and snappy with lots of well-placed humor and clever lines.  As the guys in class were quick to point out the film never gets to the point of being a comedy, but it is clever and humorous. Similarly, the romantic subplots have raise the potential for this to become a screwball comedy, but it never actually went there.

I loved watching Jekyll/Hyde descend into a tug of war, as the two personalities vie for control of the one body they share. And I felt sorry for Howard and Susan, the well-meaning but unknowing Spencers who each had romantic interests in Jekyll/Hyde. But, of course, their loves were not to be.

The casting of Ralph Bates and Martine Beswick as Jekyll and Hyde was really well done. The two look like they could be brother and sister, which lends an air of believability.

 

Ratings

Me: 9

Bob-O: 9

Dave: 9.8

Ethan: 8.5

Joe: 10