Dr. Jekyll und Mr. Hyde

Certain roles, like Hamlet, Ebenezer Scrooge, and Dr. Jekyll, are continually redone. Usually it's because big stars wish to show off their acting chops and play these iconic roles, and no matter how many times we've already seen the story, we usually flock to the theaters and support our favorite leading men. The only versions of Robert Louis Stevenson's story Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde I've seen are the ones starring Michael Caine and Kirk Douglas! Where my celebrity boyfriends go, I go.

In this television musical, there's a juxtaposition of two very different movies. One movie is a classic adaptation of the spooky drama in which a respected scientist takes his experiments too far and transforms into a monster. The other is a very silly musical with very silly songs. As the music and lyrics were written by Lionel Bart, of Oliver! fame, you might think the contrast of a very dark story with silly songs might work out. Unfortunately, in this case, it doesn't. As hard as Kirk Douglas tries to inject a little class into the movie, he's given such lousy raw materials to work with, there really isn't any chance that the audience can take the movie seriously. The opening song, in which passersby believe Dr. Jekyll to be a man of good character, is pretty cute. But, after you've heard the last chorus of "Whatever it is, whatever Jekyll's doing, I'm sure it's something very, very good!" you've heard the last cute song. The rest are so silly and simple they just might turn you into your own version of Mr. Hyde.

This TV production did not have songs cut from Oliver, The score was to be an original by Oliver's composer Lionel Bart. Uncredited composers were brought in to "doctor" Bart's awful score. Certainly that horrid graveyard number with Jekyll playing a gravestone shaped like a piano has to be the worst moment in the film. On the other hand some of it is so unintentionally funny you end up enjoying it anyway. Kirk Douglas' performance is pretty good, his singing isn't. Still compared to the David Hasselhoff video of the Broadway musical this could be called a masterpiece. Maybe Jekyll and Hyde shouldn't be musicalized, or at least should be given to more talented creators.

In my opinion this is an excellent remake of the classic story. Kirk Douglas in the role of Dr. Henry Jekyll and his evil counterpart Mr. Edward Hyde, is as good as Fredric March was in the 1931 film, and better than Spencer Tracy in the 1941 version.

And Susan George is better for the part of two bit hooker than both Miriam Hopkins (1931) and Ingrid Bergman (1941).

Only blemish is the singing, which does not contribute to the atmosphere but almost destroys the tension and excitement.

Overall though a very good enjoyable film.

Kirk Douglas co-produced this videotaped NBC production through his Bryna Productions, and cast himself in the lead. It's rumored to feature castoff songs from Lionel Bart's OLIVER! If so, they've been shoehorned somewhat inappropriately into a truncated but serviceable version of the Stevenson tale.

The cast and performances are good-- particularly Susan George, Judi Bowker and Donald Pleasence (who displays an impressive singing voice).

Some of the songs are fine-- the one Michael Redgrave sings at the engagement party is beautiful-- but others are cringe-making. One may watch this show wincing in dread that another one will start.

Despite this, it's an interesting version-- certainly a curiosity-- and worth a look.

It has always been my humble opinion that the best player in the history of the screen who could go quickest into a rage and convince you of it is Kirk Douglas. So the dual role of Dr.Jekyll/Mr.Hyde should have been a natural for him. And when it's strictly acting Kirk takes his place along side John Barrymore, Fredric March, Spencer Tracy even to the guy who created the role in the Victorian era theater Richard Mansfield.

But this musical adaption of Dr.Jekyll And Mr. Hyde fails precisely because of that, it's music. Lionel Bart who wrote so many good songs in the 60s for British pop stars and the score of the musical Oliver was in a lot of financial and health problems. The story goes that Bart opened the trunk and provided a lot of previously unpublished stuff for the score. It hadn't been used because it wasn't that good.

Can't critique the cast here though only Stanley Holloway as Poole the butler could be properly identified as a musical performer. Kirk Douglas had sung on the big screen previously in 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea and Man Without A Star, but he had better material there. Donald Pleasance is his usual slimy self as the man from London's underworld who discovers Douglas's dual nature.

The women in the story no matter which version also emphasize the dual nature. Susan Hampshire is the daughter of Michael Redgrave who Douglas courts as Jekyll. But it's Susan George as the music hall performer who Hyde wants to make his love slave.

I wish Kirk Douglas had done a straight dramatic version, it would have been better received.