One of the better Hammer horror films
In my opinion, DR.JEKYLL and SISTER HYDE is one of the better, more innovative horror films to come out of Hammer Films. I know some critics panned the female Hyde concept but I considered a highly imaginative one. Who else would have thought of it?
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I liked all the characters and thought they were well-chosen. Ralph Bates did an excellent job as the obsessive compulsive good doctor, barely concealing an unbalanced personality that was already there before the funky, transgendering elixir of life appeared. How he had so much money to begin with the movie never explains.
Upstairs lives a middle-class prim and proper widow with her two grown, polite and very likeable children, Howard and Susan, but look as if they are in need of companionship with the opposite sex. Howard chances upon the lovely Mrs. Hyde (played by the stunningly beautiful Martine Beswick) who obligingly gives the none-too-handsome Howard a one-night stand that most men can only dream about. Howard never knew just what a extremely dangerous person he was laying with on the couch. And it was for the better that he never did learn the truth. Susan is a pretty 17 to 18 year-old who is obsessively infatuated with Dr. Jekyll almost to the point of stalking. Brother Howard and younger sister Susan are in dire need of sexual companionship but nonetheless continue to be sympathetic characters. Susan Broderick, a pretty young actress for five years, disappears off the acting radar after this movie and no one knows what became of her.
One critic on imdb didn't like the idea of blending Jekyll, Jack-the-Ripper, and Burke and Hare. But I thought it was brilliant. Burke and Hare were artistically depicted by two, scummy-looking characters. It made your skin crawl to think of them being close to you.
The star of the movie is the delightfully gorgeous Martine Beswick, at the height of her youthful beauty, who by a stroke of luck was the second choice for the part. As it turns out, she should have been the first choice to begin with. Look for Martine Beswick displaying an absolutely womanly curvaceous and athletic figure with the most shapely legs in, 'One Million Years B.C.'.
The concept of a beautiful woman who is darkly evil is seldomly exploited in horror drama films. It was expertly done in this Hammer classic. It's just too bad that Martine Beswick's acting career wasn't more successful. She had the potential. Martine Beswick is the perfect, evil Mrs. Hyde. She's tall, beautiful, strong, self-confident, and dangerous! And she loves wearing RED. Martine Beswick looked to be one of those beautiful Caucasian women with some background of either Spanish, Italian, or dark Irish in her. She was so perfect as Jekyll's female doppelganger. She had the same fair complexion, dark hair and eyes that made the gender transformation reasonable.
If you watch the movie closely you will notice several subtle touches and nuances, all fascinating. Howard bumps into Jekyll exiting a store. Howard asks Jekyll how is his sister, Mrs. Hyde. Jekyll inexplicably responds in a deadpan way, "Excellent. I am in excellent health". Howard is momentarily baffled and says that he is referring to the sister. Then Jekyll reaches out, almost touching Howard's cheek, and croons affectionately, "...Howard". Howard is perplexed and put off, like most guys would be in the same situation. Jekyll comes to his senses and realizes his alter ego has been influencing his own behavior and actions. Departing the scene quickly, without word, Howard notices the store Jekyll walked out is a women's dress and corset retailer, leaving him even more baffled.