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Ryan Coogler’s film “Sinners” has made cinematic history by securing an unprecedented 16 Oscar nominations, distinguishing itself as the most-nominated horror film ever. While horror movies like “The Exorcist,” “Silence of the Lambs,” and “Get Out” have occasionally captured the Academy’s attention, they often face an uphill battle at the Oscars. This trend is particularly puzzling given that horror was among the first genres recognized by the Academy nearly a century ago, with the 1931 film “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” leading the charge.
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Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s gothic novella, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” follows an English doctor in Victorian London as he battles his dual nature. The film was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Cinematography and saw Fredric March winning the Best Actor Oscar in a rare tie with Wallace Beery for “The Champ.” This landmark performance can be revisited today, as “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” is now available for streaming on HBO Max.
In the film, Dr. Henry Jekyll, portrayed by March, appears to have a charmed life with professional respect, a beautiful home, and a devoted fiancée, played by Rose Hobart. However, driven by a desire to demonstrate the dual nature of humanity, Jekyll creates a potion that unleashes his darker side, transforming him into the monstrous Edward Hyde. This duality soon spirals out of control, blurring the line between his two identities.
Fredric March’s Oscar-winning performance remains as powerful today as it was then. Jekyll and Hyde are visually distinct; Jekyll embodies the upper-class gentleman, while Hyde manifests as a primal, savage beast. March skillfully infuses the character of Jekyll with hints of Hyde’s malevolence, even before the transformation occurs. Director Rouben Mamoulian’s interpretation of Hyde’s monstrosity diverges from Stevenson’s original portrayal, emphasizing Hyde’s visual transformation through Wally Westmore’s striking ape-like makeup. This memorable metamorphosis continues to captivate audiences and is a testament to cinematic ingenuity.
Cinematographer Karl Struss employed innovative in-camera techniques, using colored filters on black-and-white film to create the seamless appearance of Hyde’s transformation. This method allowed for the illusion of Jekyll’s physical change without resorting to cuts, enhancing the film’s realism. The opening sequence, featuring a first-person perspective from Jekyll’s viewpoint, was achieved through a clever hidden cut, showcasing the groundbreaking creativity of the filmmakers during the early days of “talkies.”
Fredric March’s dual performance is mesmerizing
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Even today, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” retains its edge and horror, partly due to its production during the pre-Hays Code era, which permitted more graphic depictions of violence and sexuality. Rouben Mamoulian was able to delve into the story’s darker themes, such as Hyde’s abusive relationship with singer Ivy Pierson, portrayed by Miriam Hopkins. The film starkly reveals the terror Hyde inflicts on Ivy, exploiting her vulnerabilities. The absence of a traditional score, save for Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D minor” during the opening, amplifies the tension during Hyde’s sinister acts, underscoring the film’s lasting impact.
Cinematographer Karl Struss achieved the in-camera effect by swapping between different colored filters while shooting on black and white film stock. It ensures that the makeup that was already caked on March’s face seamlessly appears as if it was actually changing him from within rather than achieving the effect through separate cuts. Struss lures the viewer in right off the bat with a spectacularly impressive opening shot that puts you inside Jekyll’s POV. It achieves the mirror effect by having March in another room before implementing a hidden cut to make it feel natural and smooth. The clever filmmaking techniques on display in “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” were groundbreaking — remember, the “talkies” were only a few years old at this point in time. Watching the film today leaves you in awe of how creative it is.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is still a frightening film
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“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” still feels edgy and frightening today, partly because it was made in the pre-Hays code era, when there was a more lax attitude towards depictions of violence and sex. This allowed Rouben Mamoulian to explore the darker aspects of the story relatively unshackled, such as Hyde’s abusive relationship with singer Ivy Pierson (Miriam Hopkins), illustrating the depths of the terror he inflicts on her. It’s still upsetting to watch him break her down by using her promiscuous side against her. There’s no score beyond Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565” in the opening credits, which makes the long stretches of silence amid Hyde’s evil deeds that much more sinister.
Horror fans should consider themselves lucky that 1931’s “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” is accessible today considering MGM purchased the prints of both the 1920 and 1931 adaptations with the intent of locking them away so its inferior 1941 remake starring Spencer Tracy would thrive, paying a whopping $125,000 for them. It wasn’t nearly as successful despite landing three Oscar nominations of its own. There’s also a hilarious irony considering March and Tracy would later go face to face in a Jekyll and Hyde-esque showdown in Stanley Kramer’s stirring 1960 courtroom drama “Inherit the Wind,” one of the best lawyer movies of all time. Thankfully, a print of the 1931 film was unearthed in the mid ’60s. It would have been a real travesty had this wonderful movie been locked away and forgotten.
