The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll – 1960 | 88 mins | Horror | Colour

Plot Synopsis

A mediocre Hammer horror starring Paul Massieas Dr Jekyll who becomes the fiendish Mr Hyde after injecting himself with anew serum he has developed. Acclaimed West End playwright Wolf Mankowitz adaptsRobert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of double identity and murder but thedull dialogue gives the actors little to work. The colour photography gives agood impression of bright Victorian decadence. Christopher Lee looks distinctlyuncomfortable at having to play against type as a straightforward if lecherous ‘goodguy’. Paul Massie is fine playing the hapless Jekyll but is irritating andmonotonously voiced as Hyde. Oliver Reed has a small part as a nightclubbouncer.

Hermit-like Dr. Henry Jekyll (Paul Massie) isan austere Victorian scientist who develops a serum that turns him into Edward Hyde,a debonair playboy charming his way through the cancan girls and courtesans of thosefamiliar seedy London haunts. As Hyde, he discovers the affair between his wifeKitty (Dawn Addams), and his penniless best friend Paul Allen (Christopher Lee).Hyde kills Allen with a deadly snake and then rapes his unfaithful wife in thebed of his mistress, who subsequently commits suicide the following morning,and, seeking to cover up his crimes, Hyde kills exotic snake dancer Maria (NormaMarla).

As the police close in, a repentant Jekylltries to approach an old associate for help, Dr. Ernst Littauer (David Kossoff),but the increasing omnipresent Hyde threatens to kill him. Hyde attempts tofake his death by leaving the dead body of a labourer in his workshop andsetting the premises alight, but at the coroner’s inquest the formula begins towear off.