Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pride

This is an entertaining parody feature in itself, and it is also of interest as one of Stan Laurel's more substantial earlier roles. Although it would probably work all right as a spoof of the basic story, it is particularly designed as a parody of the John Barrymore version of "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde", so if you see or have seen that particular version, there are many more amusing details and parallels that you can spot.

Laurel's character, like the original Dr. Jekyll, has an alter ego, but here it is merely a mischievous one. It's funny to see the light-hearted parallels to the much more serious scenes in the original story, and while the movie is rather unrefined overall, most of it is amusing.

Laurel's approach to the role reflects not so much his own style as a deliberate exaggeration of Barrymore's vigorous performance. Since Laurel also gets to play both the upright doctor and the disreputable alter ego, the role gives him quite a bit to work with. Laurel did a solid job in this kind of parody feature, and it's interesting to watch him perform with an approach that's different from the style that's so familiar from all the great Laurel & Hardy features.

This time, as you can probably tell from the name, of Robert Louis Stevenson's DOCTOR JEKYLL & MR. HYDE. Long a favorite of straight adaptations (there was a famous version featuring John Barrymore a few years earlier, and Frederick March would win an Oscar for his portrayal a few more years down the road), this features Stan in alternating roles as a clumsy research scientist who, his bestial nature revealed by the potion he has accidentally mixed, turns into a capering practical joker. Not polished by any means, the films manages to hold together by means of having a plot.

I've only seen a few of Stan Laurel's pre-Ollie movies and, truth be told, the ones I've seen aren't that great so I wasn't expecting much going into this one. However, this parody of John Barrymore's 1920 turn as the famous Dr. Jeckyll is fairly amusing. Laurel actually does a good imitation of Barrymore in monster mode, and wrings plenty of laughs out of the fact that his 'evil' deeds mostly consist of childish pranks. Laurel seems to be a good example of a talented actor needing to find the single role that's right for him in order to be successful. He's good here, but he isn't particularly memorable as an actor or comedian in his own right. It's sobering to think that, had he not been teamed with Oliver Hardy, Laurel's name might have been consigned to cinema's forgotten history along with the likes of Larry Semon and John Bunny.

Stan Laurel's character in his early solo films was as different as could be from the dimbulb he played in the Laurel and Hardy team efforts a few years later. DR. PICKLE is one of the genre parodies he was making in the mid Twenties with merciless sendups of 'romance' and 'dramatic acting' (if you can, see MUD AND SAND with his devastating parody of Valentino).

DR. PICKLE AND MR. PRYDE is the Holy Grail of Laurel films; it was lost for decades, then a French print turned up in somewhat unsatisfactory video versions. Now it has been beautifully restored with the original titles, which add a great deal of amusement to Laurel's portrayal of Pickle (a veddy, veddy British scientist). But it is his take on John Barrymore's Mr. Hyde that makes this film a must-have for any comedy buff: Laurel is not only hilarious, he is actually SCARY as he 'menaces' the town while capering around with clawed hands outstretched...

This film is on an excellent new DVD of Laurel's work. I just wish they had also included MUD AND SAND...but this one is worth the price of the double disc set, all by itself.

Stan Laurel's "Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde" is flat-out hilarious. It's a perfect combination of concept, gags, and performance to create good comedy. As a formerly lost film this also makes it a rare example of something sought-after and highly touted that lives up to (and probably exceeds) expectations.

This film was released five years after the John Barrymore version of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," which I watched the day before, but Stan Laurel interprets Barrymore's brilliant dramatic performance with a comic turn of equal quality. Presumably, though the direct source material was five years old, audiences would have been familiar enough with the Jekyll-and-Hyde story that there would not have been an actual need to have seen that particular version.

The gags are well-spaced and well-chosen here, getting laughs equally with the stylistic butchering of the Jekyll-Hyde story. What almost makes the film is the look of mischief of Mr Pryde's face as he scurries about the town committing trivial acts of wrongdoing. It's a few different executions of a similar joke, but I cracked up every time. The best moment of the short involves Stan's stealing a child's ice cream cone with a look of triumphant evil glee on his face.

"Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde" also boasts very funny title cards; there's a winning joke in virtually every one. In brief, I was laughing constantly through my viewing of this two-reeler, and I'm extremely glad it's been recovered and restored so we can enjoy it today.