If you are looking for a faithful retelling of the Robert Louis Stephenson novel, then you'd better keep looking--though I never have seen a film that is terribly close to the book (which is a shame). However, unlike many of the Dr. Jekyll films out there, this one offers some new interpretations and ideas that make it worth seeing.
The film begins with Jekyll as an obsessed researcher who spends all his time working on his projects and he completely ignores his sexy wife. Perhaps out of frustration, she has an affair. Later, however, Jekyll's experiments are successful and he's able to unlock the Id, so to speak, that was buried deep within himself. In this film, however, there is a reversal. Jekyll is rather homely with his beard, bushy eyebrows and gruff voice and Mr. Hyde is very handsome and well-spoken--the exact opposite of the original story. But this is still interesting, because in this new guise, Hyde is able to infiltrate the brothels where his wife and her lover often go for "entertainment". In an odd twist, eventually Hyde begins cheating on his wife....with himself! While I really wished they'd followed up on this concept more and explored this relationship in depth, even what they did was pretty interesting.
The film is also interesting in how it chose to end the saga. Instead of following the book, it chooses a very novel approach to winning the struggle between Jekyll and Hyde. I can't really say more--it would spoil the film.
While Christopher Lee is in this film as the wife's lover, the film starred the relatively unknown but very talented Paul Massie. I'd sure love to know why he didn't get that many more roles after this film--perhaps he found something to do with his life that he enjoyed more. Or, perhaps the non-actor part of his personality took over once and for all.
Overall, a very different take on the Jekyll and Hyde story. Not as good as a film would be that sticks closely to the novel, though none do and it is interesting throughout.
The film begins with Jekyll as an obsessed researcher who spends all his time working on his projects and he completely ignores his sexy wife. Perhaps out of frustration, she has an affair. Later, however, Jekyll's experiments are successful and he's able to unlock the Id, so to speak, that was buried deep within himself. In this film, however, there is a reversal. Jekyll is rather homely with his beard, bushy eyebrows and gruff voice and Mr. Hyde is very handsome and well-spoken--the exact opposite of the original story. But this is still interesting, because in this new guise, Hyde is able to infiltrate the brothels where his wife and her lover often go for "entertainment". In an odd twist, eventually Hyde begins cheating on his wife....with himself! While I really wished they'd followed up on this concept more and explored this relationship in depth, even what they did was pretty interesting.
The film is also interesting in how it chose to end the saga. Instead of following the book, it chooses a very novel approach to winning the struggle between Jekyll and Hyde. I can't really say more--it would spoil the film.
While Christopher Lee is in this film as the wife's lover, the film starred the relatively unknown but very talented Paul Massie. I'd sure love to know why he didn't get that many more roles after this film--perhaps he found something to do with his life that he enjoyed more. Or, perhaps the non-actor part of his personality took over once and for all.
Overall, a very different take on the Jekyll and Hyde story. Not as good as a film would be that sticks closely to the novel, though none do and it is interesting throughout.