The Ugly Duckling

Bernard Bresslaw had already appeared in Hammer's 'The Men of Sherwood Forest' in 1954, and only lost the role of Frankenstein's monster to Christopher Lee because his agent asked for more money. Ironically his best known horror role was in the Carry On spoof 'Carry On Screaming' (1966)' and it was in comedy that he was making his name in TV's 'The Army Game' when Hammer invited him back to star in their big screen version, 'I Only Arsked' in 1958; which was sufficiently successful to spawn this sequel of sorts in which he became the first actor to play Jekyll & Hyde for Hammer.

Reversing Hammer's 'straight' version, 'The Two Faces of Jekyll' (1960), he sprouts facial hair in the form of a rakish moustache as part of the transformation; and like Jerry Lewis's 'Buddy Love' in 'The Nutty Professor' (1963) also acquires a slick new wardrobe in which he wows the girls and develops an amoral new persona.

So far, so good, and under veteran director Lance Comfort's assured tutelage the first two thirds is enhanced by vivid black & white photography by Michael Reed and an almost expressionist rooftop set by Bernard Robinson. But it's at this point it rather loses its way and begins to fizzle out; although it lingered strikingly in the memory when I originally saw it aged about 10 over half a century ago; and Jean Muir makes an appealingly elfin little beat chick.

Despite her name Miss Muir's not the fashion designer, although the rather patrician vowels she's inclined to occasionally slip into would better accompany one of the latter's creations than the fetchingly boyish short hair and slacks she wears for much of the film.

Bernard Bresslaw is the clumsy and backwards member of the once proud family of Jeckle. While working on a pick-me-up, he samples the concoction and turns into..... yep, you guessed it, Teddy Hyde.

It's Hammer's humorous take on the Robert Louis Stevenson classic, and has such talented comic performers as Jon Pertwee and Maudie Edwards in support. The trouble is that Bresslaw is more to be pitied than laughed at as he turns unconsciously into a dangerous man of action who steals the crown jewels without realizing it as his better self. I found myself more interested in Joe Loss's orchestra and the issue of where they had had found a contrabass saxophone and someone to play it, than the story, or the lack of funny shenanigans.

THE UGLY DUCKLING, a 1959 Hammer Films crime comedy, is a parody of DR JEKYLL & MR HYDE. In fact, the opening credits state the idea for the film was stolen straight from Robert Louis Stevenson. The movie, like its namesake, was underappreciated for a very long while but seems to have come into its own. As of now a pristine print is available on YouTube and one can only hope it stays there until whoever owns the rights decides to issue UGLY on home video complete with subtitles, commentary, and additional extras. It's that good. Great, not, but amusing in its British way, really quite charming, and an excellent time capsule of the era.

The movie reimagines DR. JEKYLL & MR HYDE as a comic farce, and incorporates elements of the heist picture genre so popular at that time. Henry Jeckle (note the change in spelling) is a klutzy pharmacist's assistant who accidentally stumbles upon the transformation formula of his infamous ancestor (the reason for the spelling change) mixes it up, and after mistakenly drinking it, becomes Teddy Hyde, a smooth, suave, confident man about town who is in control of every situation. There's no way Jerry Lewis didn't see UGLY before making his 1963 THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (remade by Eddie Murphy in 1996).

Henry, his brother Victor, and their sister Henrietta run a small chemist's shop (pharmacy) in a neighborhood district in London. Victor and Henrietta enjoy participating in community dance gatherings which are also attended by local youths who are keen on swing dance, much to the consternation of their seniors, who come to watch formal-dress performances of old fashioned ballroom dancing. Joe Loss and his orchestra, one of the top British big band outfits of the day, perform a lively style of swing, and accompany a well-choreographed, crisply edited dance sequence at the beginning of the film, which is reprised at the end.

After clumsy Henry gets pressed into service for a ballroom dance performance that fails miserably, he discovers the formula which turns him into Teddy Hyde, everything Henry Jeckle is not. Cavalier Teddy is taken in by a gang of criminals (the owners of the club where the Jeckles go dancing) and helps them steal a set of valuable jewels through a series of bold and daring maneuvers. When Teddy becomes Henry again, he tries to return the jewels with the help of his girlfriend Snouty, and his brother Victor. Bernard Bresslaw, who plays the dual role of Henry and Teddy, is 6'7" tall and it's hard to see him and not think of Ted Cassidy's Lurch from THE ADDAMS FAMILY or Fred Gynne's Herman Munster although Bresslaw predates both by several years.

Jon Pertwee (of DOCTOR WHO fame) plays Henry's brother Victor while pint sized Jean Muir (no relation to the fashion designer) is Henry's plucky girlfriend Snouty. The comic contrast between Muir and Bresslaw is considerable. Character actor Reginald Beckwith is ideal as Henrietta's put upon suitor while Maudie Edwards as the spinster sister is the picture of punctured dignity. THE UGLY DUCKLING was intended as a comic opposite to Hammer's upcoming TWO FACES OF DR JEKYLL (1960) and was produced to show that, now that Hammer had become successful, they could still make something other than horror movies...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.

FYI: There's an in-joke in UGLY which would have been recognized instantly by Hammer horror fans. When Henry turns into Teddy, it's to the soundtrack of James Bernard's theme for Christopher Lee's DRACULA. DRACULA had been made the previous year (1958).

This film has not been seen since it (rumoured) was shown on TV in 1967 and 1973. This was considered by many to be a lost film, although some believed it still existed, This was proven right when then it was shown in the UK on talking pictures on 14/10/2018.

The story is simply, Henry Jekyll (Bernard Bresslaw) is a clumsy oaf, with no confidence, his brother is Victor (Jon Pertwee) they don't get on until Henry drinks a formula and turns into Teddy Hyde. Strong, charismatic and a love of danger. He steals the crown Jewels with minimal effort. Then he turns back to Henry. Victor discovers the jewels and then has to help the now limited Henry put the stolen items back - if he can do so in this state of existence. Is Teddy Hyde another version of Henry, or does he have the ability all along to emulate his alter-ego?

Excellent and enjoyable adventure - recommended and like most hammer films made around that time - well worth a look. The two main leads were both excellent. The music composed by Jo Loss and his Orchestra is catchy and sounds as good today as it did then.

A lost classic has resurfaced and this film needed to be seen again.

In so many ways, "The Ugly Duckling" is similar to the later movie, "The Nutty Professor" with Jerry Lewis. However, although I'm not a huge Lewis fan, I think his movie is vastly superior.

Henry (Bernard Bresslaw) is a gangly, dorky, insecure guy...and most people think he's pretty hopeless. However, he is related to the famous Dr. Jekyll and finds the crazed doctor's formula. After taking it, he's a suave...but also criminally oriented. He soon joins a local gang and becomes a thief. However, when the formula wears off, Henry is horrified and his friend Victor (Jon Pertwee) helps him try to set things right.

The problem with this movie is that they have a good idea...making a loser a sophisticated ladies' man. But after a funny start, the film seems to lose its way. Instead of a comedy, it becomes much more a silly crime film and lost its momentum. Still, you might want to see this and then the Lewis film, as it's quite possible this movie lead to "The Nutty Professor".