The Son of Dr. Jekyll
Encyclopedia
The Son of Dr. Jekyll is a horror film
made and distributed by Columbia Pictures
in 1951
, directed by Seymour Friedman, based on a screenplay by Jack Pollexfen and Mortimer Braus. The film is a continuation of Robert Louis Stevenson
's original classic novel Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, although bearing some differences to the horror classic. The film stars Louis Hayward
, Jody Lawrance
, Lester Matthews
and Alexander Knox
.
Son of Dr. Jekyll is thought to be an unofficial sequel to the 1941
adaptation of the novel, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
starring Spencer Tracy
, although the two films have a number of plot differences. The main difference is that Jekyll the father survives long enough to marry and have a son which is neither of the earlier film adaptations. Also a Hyde character only appears briefly when the true chemicals that Jekyll the father used rather than the non-functional chemicals listed in the altered notebook and never again in the film.
Jack Pollexfen, the scriptwriter of this film, wrote and produced a further sequel in the same vein, The Daughter of Dr. Jekyll
in 1957
starring Gloria Talbott
.
,after murdering his wife at their Soho
flat. He escapes to the house of Dr. Jekyll, where he prepares the potion that will transform him back to the respected doctor. Unfortunately, the mob has already set the house ablaze. The flames drive Hyde at the top floor, and in attempt to leap to the ground, he meets his demise when he falls to the ground. As he dies, he changes back to Dr. Jekyll.
John Utterson and Dr. Lanyon (original characters from Stevenson's novel) mourn their unfortunate friend Dr. Jekyll, until Inspector Stoddard brings the two to the Soho flat, where Jekyll/Hyde has left an orphan behind. Utterson agrees to adopt the young Jekyll, since he and his wife haven't succeeded in having children. Thirty years later, Edward Jekyll, now fiance to Utterson's niece Lynn and a student of Royal Academy of Science, is expelled from the academy because of his peculiar and unorthodox experiments. Edward is unaware that he is actually Henry Jekyll's son, and when he inherits the Jekyll Mansion, Dr. Lanyon tells him his tragic father's story.
Edward and Lynn move to the old Jekyll Mansion for the preparations of their marriage, and soon, Edward feels unwelcome by his neighbors. Discovering his father's laboratory, Edward convinces himself to work on his father's experiments in order to clear the Jekyll name. He hires Michaels, Dr. Jekyll's old assistant, and begins researching. Unfortunately, after Edward first tests the formula on himself, a Hyde-like man appears in the house and murders a number of people. Edward is charged for the murders, and thought insane, is transferred to Dr. Lanyon's sanitarium where the murders continue. Edward begins wondering if it is him who transforms into a murderer, or someone else is trying to drive him to insanity.
It was shown clearly that Edward's adoptive father changed chemicals and his father's notebook to punish Edward for abandoning him and embracing his biological father's heritage despite raising Edward as his own son.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
made and distributed by Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
in 1951
1951 in film
The year 1951 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian film-makers Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:...
, directed by Seymour Friedman, based on a screenplay by Jack Pollexfen and Mortimer Braus. The film is a continuation of Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
's original classic novel Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, although bearing some differences to the horror classic. The film stars Louis Hayward
Louis Hayward
Louis Charles Hayward was a British actor born in South Africa.-Biography:Born in Johannesburg, Hayward began his screen work in British films, notably as Simon Templar in Leslie Charteris' The Saint in New York.] In 1939 he played a dual role in The Man in the Iron Mask.During World War II,...
, Jody Lawrance
Jody Lawrance
Jody Lawrance , whose birth name was Nona Josephine Goddard , was an American actor who starred in many Hollywood adventures during the '50s through the early '60s.-Biography:...
, Lester Matthews
Lester Matthews
Lester Matthews was an English actor born in Nottingham, England, UK. In his career, he made more than 180 appearances in film and on television. He was on occasion erroneously credited as Lester Mathews and especially in later years was sometimes known as Les Matthews. He died on the 6 June 1975...
and Alexander Knox
Alexander Knox
Alexander Knox was a Canadian actor and author of adventure novels set in the Great Lakes area during the 19th century.-Biography:...
.
Son of Dr. Jekyll is thought to be an unofficial sequel to the 1941
1941 in film
The year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
adaptation of the novel, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941 film)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1941 horror film starring Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman and Lana Turner. Rather than being a new film version of the novel, it is a direct remake of the 1931 film of the same name, which differs greatly from the novel. The movie was based on Robert Louis Stevenson's...
starring Spencer Tracy
Spencer Tracy
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy was an American theatrical and film actor, who appeared in 75 films from 1930 to 1967. Tracy was one of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, ranking among the top ten box office draws for almost every year from 1938 to 1951...
, although the two films have a number of plot differences. The main difference is that Jekyll the father survives long enough to marry and have a son which is neither of the earlier film adaptations. Also a Hyde character only appears briefly when the true chemicals that Jekyll the father used rather than the non-functional chemicals listed in the altered notebook and never again in the film.
Jack Pollexfen, the scriptwriter of this film, wrote and produced a further sequel in the same vein, The Daughter of Dr. Jekyll
The Daughter of Dr. Jekyll
The Daughter of Dr. Jekyll was a low-budget 1957 horror film directed by Edgar G. Ulmer and released by Allied Artists. Originally this film was released in theaters as a double bill with Dr. Cyclops. It features Gloria Talbott as Janet, the daughter of the infamous Dr. Henry Jekyll, and John Agar...
in 1957
1957 in film
The year 1957 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 21 - The movie Jailhouse Rock, starring Elvis Presley, opens.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue-Awards:...
starring Gloria Talbott
Gloria Talbott
Gloria Talbott was an American film and television actress.-Early life and career:She grew up in Glendale, California...
.
Plot summary
The film begins with a prologue set in 1860, where Mr. Hyde is chased down in the streets of LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
,after murdering his wife at their Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
flat. He escapes to the house of Dr. Jekyll, where he prepares the potion that will transform him back to the respected doctor. Unfortunately, the mob has already set the house ablaze. The flames drive Hyde at the top floor, and in attempt to leap to the ground, he meets his demise when he falls to the ground. As he dies, he changes back to Dr. Jekyll.
John Utterson and Dr. Lanyon (original characters from Stevenson's novel) mourn their unfortunate friend Dr. Jekyll, until Inspector Stoddard brings the two to the Soho flat, where Jekyll/Hyde has left an orphan behind. Utterson agrees to adopt the young Jekyll, since he and his wife haven't succeeded in having children. Thirty years later, Edward Jekyll, now fiance to Utterson's niece Lynn and a student of Royal Academy of Science, is expelled from the academy because of his peculiar and unorthodox experiments. Edward is unaware that he is actually Henry Jekyll's son, and when he inherits the Jekyll Mansion, Dr. Lanyon tells him his tragic father's story.
Edward and Lynn move to the old Jekyll Mansion for the preparations of their marriage, and soon, Edward feels unwelcome by his neighbors. Discovering his father's laboratory, Edward convinces himself to work on his father's experiments in order to clear the Jekyll name. He hires Michaels, Dr. Jekyll's old assistant, and begins researching. Unfortunately, after Edward first tests the formula on himself, a Hyde-like man appears in the house and murders a number of people. Edward is charged for the murders, and thought insane, is transferred to Dr. Lanyon's sanitarium where the murders continue. Edward begins wondering if it is him who transforms into a murderer, or someone else is trying to drive him to insanity.
It was shown clearly that Edward's adoptive father changed chemicals and his father's notebook to punish Edward for abandoning him and embracing his biological father's heritage despite raising Edward as his own son.
Cast
- Louis HaywardLouis HaywardLouis Charles Hayward was a British actor born in South Africa.-Biography:Born in Johannesburg, Hayward began his screen work in British films, notably as Simon Templar in Leslie Charteris' The Saint in New York.] In 1939 he played a dual role in The Man in the Iron Mask.During World War II,...
as Edward Jekyll / Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Jody LawranceJody LawranceJody Lawrance , whose birth name was Nona Josephine Goddard , was an American actor who starred in many Hollywood adventures during the '50s through the early '60s.-Biography:...
as Lynn Utterson - Alexander KnoxAlexander KnoxAlexander Knox was a Canadian actor and author of adventure novels set in the Great Lakes area during the 19th century.-Biography:...
as Dr. Curtis Lanyon - Lester MatthewsLester MatthewsLester Matthews was an English actor born in Nottingham, England, UK. In his career, he made more than 180 appearances in film and on television. He was on occasion erroneously credited as Lester Mathews and especially in later years was sometimes known as Les Matthews. He died on the 6 June 1975...
as Sir John Utterson - Gavin MuirGavin MuirGavin Muir , was a British actor and musician probably best known for his role in the 1983 Television version of Accidental Death of an Anarchist. Muir had small parts in various television programmes including The Bill, Thieftakers, Cracker, Jo Brand and Our Friends in the North...
as Richard Daniels, editor - Paul CavanaghPaul CavanaghPaul Cavanagh was an English film actor. He appeared in over 100 films between 1928 and 1959. He was born in Chislehurst and died in London from a heart attack....
as Inspector Stoddard - Rhys WilliamsRhys Williams (actor)Rhys Williams was a Welsh character actor in movies and television, whose career spanned several decades.He made his film debut in How Green Was My Valley . This movie takes place in rural Wales with a large cast of Welsh characters, but was actually filmed in Hollywood with Canadian, American,...
as Michaels - Matthew Boutlon as Inspector Grey
- Claire Carleton as Hazel Sorelle
- Doris LloydDoris LloydHessy Doris Lloyd was an English actress.She appeared in over 150 films between 1920 and 1967, including the 1933 low-budget Monogram Pictures version of Oliver Twist, in which she played Nancy...
as Lottie Sorelle - Patrick O'Moore as Joe Sorelle
- Hamilton CampHamilton CampHamilton Camp was an English-American singer, songwriter, actor and voice actor.-Early life:Camp was born in London, England, and was evacuated during World War II to the United States as a child with his mother and sister. He became a child actor in films and onstage...
as William Bennett, boy throwing rock - Robin HughesRobin HughesRobin Hughes was a film and television actor-Background:Robin Hughes was born June 7, 1920 in Buenos Aires, Argentina to English parents...
as Alec, college roommate - Olaf HyttenOlaf HyttenOlaf Hytten was a Scottish film actor. He appeared in over 280 films between 1921 and 1955.He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and died in Los Angeles, California from a heart attack...
as Prosecutor - Wheaton Chambers as Prosecutor
- Stapleton Kent as Mr. Arnim
- Vesey O'Davoren as Utterson's butler