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Sunday, May 18, 2008

DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1932)

Rouben Mamoulian’s unmatched version of the famous story stars Fredric March x 2, still in John Barrymore mode after his turn in THE ROYAL FAMILY OF BROADWAY.   It looks remarkably fluid for a 1931-32 film and features Karl Struss’s eye-popping trick filter transformations* for our Neanderthalesque Hyde.   (Looking from some angles hilariously like Jerry Lewis.)  The frank Pre-Code sexuality of Jekyll’s longing for wedded 'bliss' & all that entails is striking, and so are Miriam Hopkins’ illicit legs and all they entail.  Alas, no background scoring as yet at Paramount on a story that begs for evocative music, but little else needs updating.
*Struss had used the technique as early as 1925's BEN-HUR as a way to 'cure' leprosy without an edit.

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: *The hulk-like teeth for Hyde wouldn’t come off as such a character-design flaw if only March could have dubbed his lines rather than attempt a live recording.  The vocal impediment of talking thru this dental obstacle kills the illusion.

DOUBLE-BILL/LINK: Compare with the plush 1941 M-G-M/Victor Fleming/Spencer Tracy version.  https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2018/08/dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde-1941.html

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