“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (1941) starring Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Berman & Lana Turner / Z-View

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Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Director:  Victor Fleming

Screenplay: John Lee Mahin, Percy Heath, Samuel Hoffenstein; based on STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE by Robert Louis Stevenson

Stars:  Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, Lana Turner, Donald Crisp, Ian Hunter, Barton MacLane, Frederick Worlock, Lumsden Hare, Lawrence Grant and Forrester Harvey.

Tagline:  Do you have secret longings that you dare not reveal? If you do, it’s the Mr. Hyde in you – and you can find out all about him from M-G-M’s fascinating, revealing film!

The Plot…

1887.  Dr. Jekyll and Beatrix Emery are in love and wish to be married.  Beatrix’s father is not happy with the relationship.  To delay the marriage Beatrix’s dad takes her on a prolonged trip out of country.

Meanwhile Dr. Henry Jekyll continues his experiments to separate the good and evil in humans.  With Beatrix gone, Jekyll decides to ingest his serum himself.  It works by changing Dr. Jekyll’s appearance and personality.  He’s no longer a calm and kind person.  Now he’s become harsh, crude and sadistic.  Jekyll takes to calling himself Mr. Hyde when he’s under the influence of his serum.

Late one night Hyde saves Ivy Peterson from an attacker as she is walking home.  This leads to Hyde becoming infatuated with Ivy… in an unhealthy relationship.  As time passes Jekyll spends more and more time as Hyde.  Hyde’s behavior becomes more outrageous as he gets into bar fights and instigates mayhem.  His behavior with Ivy also takes a turn for the worst.

Soon Beatrix will return…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Because of the Hays Code Ivy’s profession was changed from a prostitute to a barmaid.

Spencer Tracy had hoped to play Hyde without use of make-up, but ultimately it was decided to use some.  Even still, the transformation from Jekyll to Hyde isn’t enough to make it believable that Jekyll wouldn’t be recognized.

Spencer Tracy also wanted the roles of Beatrix and Ivy to be played by the same actress.  Just as Tracy’s Jekyll and Hyde were the two sides (good and bad) of the same person, Beatrix and Ivy would be the female version.

Neither Beatrix nor Ivy appear in Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella.  They first appear in the stage play adapted by T.R. Sullivan.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) is basically a remake of the 1931 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  Sadly, the remake falls far short of the original which was nominated for three Academy Awards, winning one.  Part of the problem is the Hays Code and part is that the transformation from Jekyll to Hyde is lacking.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) rates 3 of 5 stars