THE TWO FACES OF DOCTOR JEKYLL

UK, 1960, 88 minutes, Colour.
Paul Massie, Dawn Addams, Christopher Lee, David Kossoff, Francis de Wolff.
Directed by Terence Fisher.

The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll is yet another version of Robert Louis Stevenson's famous story. Filmed with John Barrymore, with Fredric March in 1932 in his Oscar-winning performance, with Spencer Tracy in 1941 and then with many television versions with actors like Jack Palance. This version is different and stars Paul Massie. Novelist Wolf Mankowitz has reversed audience expectations. A bearded Dr. Jekyll turns into clean-shaven and dashing cad, Mr. Hyde. Kitty, Dr Jekyll's wife, is unfaithful and having an affair with his best friend, Paul Allen. The dancer-prostitute is a loving woman even though she is murdered by Jekyll/Hyde. The film plays interestingly on audience expectations of good and evil.

There is an interesting supporting cast including Dawn Addams as the wife, Christopher Lee as the best friend, David Kossoff as an adviser. One can glimpse a young Oliver Reed before he is bashed to death by Mr. Hyde. This is a Hammer Films production, directed by Terence Fisher, the director responsible for the revival of Hammer horror films with the Dracula and Frankenstein series from the late '50s. This is a much more restrained horror film, the emphasis on atmosphere and the double standards of Victorian England.

1. The popularity of Robert Louis Stevenson's fable? The two aspects of human personality, good and evil? Good exterior masking evil tendencies? The interest in psychology in the 19th century? In scientific experimentation? The running of risks? Consequences? Victorian England and its surface morality and its lack of morality under the surface?

2. The atmosphere of 19th century, Victorian England, repression, sexuality, violence, the human psyche and freedom? Responsibility and irresponsibility?

3. Hammer film production; wide screen re-creation of the period, the laboratories, the atmosphere of the psychological rather than the violent, London society, the inns and taverns, high society? The musical score?

4. The introduction and explanations about human nature, human freedom, the inner psyche, moral responsibility, playing God? The long discussions between Dr. Jekyll and his friend? His using children as an illustration - serious behaviour and play? Jekyll wanting to explore this in his own psyche?

5. The effectiveness of the unexpected device of the bearded Jekyll and the handsome Hyde? The reversal of roles of the unfaithful wife and the faithful mistress?

6. Jekyll and his personality, his experiments and laboratory, cold, his relationship with his wife, her affair with Paul? His reliance on the friendship of the doctor? The experiments, injection, his keeping a diary, his consciousnee of change? His charity towards the children on his property? The change in Dr Jekyll, the take-over of Mr Hyde? The difficulty in knowing who was acting? The interior dialogues between himself and Hyde with the same voice? His looking in the mirror and Hyde looking back? Dr. Jekyll continually re-emerging? Hyde taking over Dr. Jekyll? The ultimate responsibility as he returned to his person of Dr Jekyll?

7. The contrast with Hyde: handsome and smooth. free, the echoes of Dorian Gray, experimentation with the self-indulgent life, opium, sex, the Snake Woman and the affair, his determination to seduce his wife, giving Paul Allen the money in order to destroy him, the bashing of the man at the inn, mixing with low life, the opium den, the boxing, the gambling, being beaten in the streets, coming and going? Setting up Paul? Finally killing him with the snake? His hounding his wife and her suicide? The Jekyll/Hyde murdering of the prostitute? His talking back to Jekyll from the mirror? The schizoid conversations? The setting up of Jekyll's death? Hyde being overcome by Jekyll?

8. Kitty as the faithful wife, the cold relationship with her husband, external decorum, the affair with Paul Allen, going to the tavern, being sen by her husband yet not knowing it? The strength of the affair with Paul, the borrowing of money, her resisting Hyde? The build-up to Paul's death, her own mental breakdown and crashing suicide?

9. Paul as the suave best friend, his betrayal, his being with Kitty, his violence, sexuality? The clash with people at the hotel? Borrowing money, the friendship with Hyde? His being killed by the snake?

10.The prostitute, her dance, her attraction towards Hyde, not worrying whether he was good or evil, her being killed?

11. The Picture of frivolous and wealthy society? External decorum? Behind closed doors lack of restraint?

12. The contrast with the doctor and his advice, the police and their investigations, the children and the nurse and Jekyll terrifying the child?

13. Stevenson's story as a moral fable about the good and evil in each person? About the arrogance of scientific experimentation? About freedom becoming license? His critique of Victorian society?