The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll – Jekyll’s Inferno (1960)

Directed by: Terence Fisher | 88 minutes | horror, science fiction | Actors: Paul Massie, Dawn Adams, Christopher Lee, David Kossoff, Francis de Wolff, Norma Marla, Magda Miller, Oliver Reed, William Kendall, Helen Goss, Pauline Shepherd, Percy Cartwright, Joe Robinson, Arthur Lovegrove, Frank Atkinson, Janina Faye , Doug Robinson, Donald Tandy, Joan Tyrell

This ‘The Two faces of Dr. Jekyll’ from 1960 by the Hammer Studios by director Terence Fisher is based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll & Hyde story, but differs in several parts. In this film adaptation is not so much the learned Jekyll central, but mainly his evil side Mr. Hyde the subject of interest. This means, first of all, that Jekyll’s battle against Hyde and his fear and horror when Hyde is finally going to supplant Jekyll, will be discussed to a limited extent. Fisher uses different starting points and storylines. Jekyll’s wife Kitty has an affair with Jekyll’s friend Paul, who is in financial need because of his revelry and lavish lifestyle and therefore always borrows money from Jekyll. Hyde decides to take revenge on both of them and he wants to take Jekyll’s place for good. The developments that result from this are at the forefront of this film adaptation. Precisely the elements that make Stevenson’s book so oppressive are therefore snowed under, and are discussed in the form of little more than a periodically recurring item. A faithful representation of the atmosphere that Stevenson manages to achieve in his book or a repetition of the atmosphere that the eye-catching Jekyll & Hyde films do have to offer is therefore largely omitted here.

This does not mean that this production is not worthwhile for the horror fan. In addition to the affair between Kitty and Jekyll’s friend Paul and Hyde’s plans for revenge, Fisher’s version also focuses on what, with a few exceptions and references, in Stevenson’s book is mainly left to the imagination: his nighttime bustle and especially the misdeeds and crimes he commits. true lust. We see Hyde drinking, we see him insulting others, hitting him on defenseless victims, fighting him and committing other misdeeds. Displayed here and there explicitly enough, and the horror fans will undoubtedly appeal enough. As in Stevenson’s book, Hyde’s malpractice also increases to the point that he deliberately rapes and murders in carrying out his plans. Again, of course, without any hesitation or remorse on the part of Hyde, consisting of nothing but wickedness. And while the main elements of Stevenson’s book are less covered in this film adaptation, the events offer plenty of opportunities to show Hyde’s evil character and his ruthlessness in his actions and criminal plans. In any case, justice is done to Hyde’s character in this regard.

Atmospheric images of Victorian London beyond. The drinking rooms, the misty and misty streets, Jekyll’s laboratory… these are sets to which, just like the costumes, the necessary attention has been paid and that contributes to the typical Hammer atmosphere present in this film. Furthermore, Fisher keeps a nice pace with the developments. Developments that not only result in scenes in which Hyde’s depravity is given full scope, but which also result in scenes in which the other elements that Fisher includes in his story are usefully designed. That’s why this production manages to hold the attention without too much effort. It’s just a shame that Fisher confronts Jekyll in front of the mirror in a too literal way with Hyde and that he opts for a somewhat illogical and questionable ending to his story. Also, there are few reasons for compassion. Jekyll’s presence pales in comparison to Hyde’s and is repeatedly very weak in his actions. In addition, the characters around Jekyll all have their own nefarious plans. Hyde leads the way, followed by Jekyll’s friend Paul and his wife Kitty, who not only have an affair but also plot evil against Jekyll in other ways. Except for Hyde, they are not very appealing characters and in this respect Fisher had done no wrong by providing some more identification possibilities with this and that.

Meritorious acting by the actors involved in this production. Actor Paul Massie plays a dual role as both Jekyll and Hyde. Although Jekyll himself doesn’t seem particularly powerful in terms of personality, Massie does manage to shape him properly, and that certainly applies to his portrayal of Hyde. Not by emphasizing a bowed figure, deformed hands, ape-like features or other physical abnormalities as in other Jekyll and Hyde productions, but above all by the lust he displays in the planning and execution of his crimes, by his malice imbued with malice. grin and by his dogged and maliciously triumphant looks. Furthermore, if Hyde is eventually ready to take over Jekyll’s place for good from a social point of view, there is nothing abnormal about Hyde in terms of appearance. More than ever a wolf in sheep’s clothing, more than is the case in many other film adaptations and Massie knows how to neatly radiate a subcutaneous and unmistakable threat when interpreting Hyde’s person and character. In addition, great work by horror actor Christopher Lee as Jekyll’s treacherous and loose friend Paul Allen and by Dawn Adams as Jekyll’s adulterous wife Kitty. It makes these ‘The Two faces of Dr. Jekyll’ into an atmospheric film adaptation of Stevenson’s story. A rather free adaptation in which the elements that are central to Stevenson’s book do not come to the fore too much and which may therefore come across as less successful to inveterate lovers of the atmosphere in Stevenson’s book, but which has enough to offer on other fronts to to make it a more than interesting film adaptation.