Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

About the production

This was one of the earliest American film adaptations of Robert Louis Stevenson's famous novella. The production utilized innovative makeup techniques for the transformation scenes, with King Baggot undergoing extensive prosthetic applications to portray both Jekyll and Hyde. The film was shot in just a few days, typical of productions from this era, but featured elaborate sets designed to recreate Victorian London. Universal invested significantly in the production as they recognized the commercial potential of horror adaptations.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

Made in its country of production around 1913, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde belongs to the silent era's formative years. Its story of henry jekyll experiments with scientific means of revealing the hidden, dark side of man and releases a murderer from within himself spoke to audiences of the day through familiar genres and topical settings.

Why this film matters

Archivists and historians still cite Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde when tracing how the silent era's formative years filmmakers staged henry and jekyll on screen.

Making of

The production of this 1913 adaptation was groundbreaking for its time, featuring King Baggot in a dual role that required extensive makeup and performance transformation. Director Herbert Brenon, known for his innovative visual storytelling, employed early special effects techniques to create the transformation sequences, including dissolves and jump cuts that were considered advanced for 1913. The makeup department, led by Universal's chief makeup artist, developed new prosthetic techniques using putty and spirit gum to create Hyde's monstrous appearance. Baggot had to undergo hours of makeup application each day and developed a distinctive physical transformation for the Hyde character, including a hunched posture and animalistic movements. The film was shot on Universal's newly constructed studio lot in California, one of the first major productions at the facility. Despite the film's short runtime, the production involved elaborate set construction to recreate Victorian London streets and Jekyll's laboratory, complete with scientific apparatus that was meticulously researched to appear authentic for the period.

What critics said

Reviews from 1913 weighed Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on pacing, performance, and novelty. Later criticism reads its emphasis on henry, jekyll, experiments through modern standards of craft and representation.

Did you know?

• King Baggot was one of the first American movie stars and became known as 'The King of the Movies' after this performance.
• This was the first American film adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, preceding the famous 1920 version starring John Barrymore.
• The film featured one of the earliest examples of a dual role performance in cinema history.
• Director Herbert Brenon was a pioneering filmmaker who would later direct the 1925 version of Peter Pan.
• The transformation makeup took several hours to apply and was considered revolutionary for its time.
• Only a partial print of survives today, with some scenes missing or deteriorated.
• The film was released during the Christmas season of 1913, unusual for a horror film.
• Universal's success with helped establish them as a major player in the horror genre decades before their classic monster films.
• King Baggot performed his own stunts in the film, including a dramatic fall from a staircase.
• The film's intertitles were written by noted screenwriter James Kirkwood, who was also a popular actor of the era.

Visual style

The cinematography, handled by Universal's regular cameramen, employed innovative techniques for 1913, including dramatic lighting to distinguish between Jekyll's well-lit world and Hyde's shadowy existence. The film utilized early close-up shots to emphasize the transformation process, a technique still relatively uncommon in American cinema at the time. The camera work featured dynamic movement unusual for the period, with tracking shots following Hyde's menacing movements through the streets. High-contrast lighting was used to create atmospheric effects, particularly in the laboratory scenes where flickering chemical apparatus added to the sense of danger. The cinematographer employed low angles to make Hyde appear more threatening and dominant in his scenes. The visual style helped establish the dark, gothic atmosphere that would become characteristic of horror cinema.

Innovations

The film featured groundbreaking makeup effects that represented a significant advancement in cinematic transformation techniques. The dual role performance by King Baggot was technically innovative, requiring the actor to switch between characters multiple times during filming. The production utilized early special effects including dissolves and multiple exposures to create the illusion of transformation. The film's editing techniques, particularly the rapid cutting during transformation sequences, were ahead of their time. The set design included mechanized props and chemical apparatus that actually functioned, adding realism to the laboratory scenes. The film's use of lighting to create psychological effects was innovative for its period, establishing techniques that would become standard in horror cinematography.

Music

As a silent film, it was accompanied by live musical performance in theaters, typically featuring a pianist or small orchestra. The score likely included popular classical pieces of the era, such as selections from Chopin's Funeral March for dramatic moments and lighter pieces for Jekyll's scenes. Universal provided suggested musical cue sheets to theater musicians, indicating where to use specific types of music to enhance the emotional impact of scenes. The transformation sequences would have been accompanied by dramatic, dissonant music to heighten the tension. Many theaters used sound effects in addition to music, including thunder and lightning effects during the laboratory scenes. The musical accompaniment was crucial for establishing the film's horror atmosphere and guiding audience emotional responses.

Famous quotes

'Man is not truly one, but truly two' (intertitle)

'I learned to recognize the thorough and primitive duality of man' (intertitle)

'In each of us, two natures are at war' (intertitle)

'The evil side of my nature was less developed than the good' (intertitle)

Memorable scenes

• The first transformation sequence where Jekyll drinks the potion and physically changes into Hyde, utilizing groundbreaking makeup effects and editing techniques that shocked 1913 audiences
• Hyde's menacing walk through the dark London streets, filmed with dramatic low-angle shots and shadowy lighting
• The climactic scene where Jekyll struggles against the final transformation, realizing he can no longer control his alter ego

What audiences thought

The film was a commercial success upon its release in December 1913, drawing crowds curious to see King Baggot's dual performance and the shocking transformation scenes. Audiences of the time were particularly fascinated by the makeup effects and the dramatic physical changes Baggot underwent to portray Hyde. The film's moral themes resonated with Progressive Era audiences, who were concerned with issues of morality and self-control. Many viewers reported being genuinely frightened by Hyde's appearances, making it one of the first films to genuinely scare American audiences. The film's success led to increased demand for horror and thriller content in American cinemas. Contemporary audience accounts suggest that the transformation scenes generated audible gasps and even some patrons leaving the theater, indicating the film's powerful impact on early moviegoers.

Film connections

Influenced by

• Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novella 'Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'
• Earlier stage adaptations of the story
• The growing field of psychology in the early 20th century
• Gothic literature tradition
• German Expressionist cinema (though predated the movement)

This film influenced

• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920) starring John Barrymore
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) starring Fredric March
• The Wolf Man (1941) - transformation techniques
• Frankenstein (1931) - mad scientist theme
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) starring Spencer Tracy

Film restoration

The film is partially preserved with only fragments surviving. The Library of Congress holds an incomplete print, and some scenes are lost due to the deterioration of nitrate film stock. The surviving elements have been preserved by film archives but restoration to its original complete form is impossible due to missing footage. What remains provides valuable insight into early American horror cinema and the development of film techniques.

Where to watch

• The surviving fragments are available on various DVD collections of early horror films
• Some archives have made portions available through their streaming services
• The film can be viewed at film archives and museums specializing in early cinema
• Select portions may be found on educational film history websites
• The Library of Congress occasionally screens the surviving fragments at special presentations