Daughter of Dr. Jekyll (1957)

Director:

Edgar G. Ulmer

Writer:

Jack Pollexfen (writer)

Release Date:

28 July 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror

Tagline:

Blood-hungry spawn of the world's most bestial fiend!

Plot:

A young woman discovers she is the daughter of the infamous Dr. Jekyll, and begins to believe that she may also have a split personality, one of whom is a ruthless killer. |

Plot Keywords:

Jekyll | Jekyll And Hyde | Werewolf | Mind Control | Vampire

Cast

Gloria Talbott	...	Janet Smith (nee Jekyll)
John Agar	...	George Hastings
Arthur Shields	...	Dr. Lomas
John Dierkes	...	Jacob
Martha Wentworth	...	Mrs. Merchant
Molly McCart	...	Maggie, the Maid
Marjorie Stapp	...	Woman Getting Dressed
Rita Green	...	Young Woman (as Rita Greene)
Marel Page	...	Young Man

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Company:

Film Venturers

Movie Connections:

Featured in Wolfman Chronicles (1991)

DAUGHTER OF DR. JEKYLL (Edgar G. Ulmer, 1957) **

This is a low-grade horror film which has been culted into a reputation beyond its worth because of its director's involvement. The plot is strikingly similar to that of another notorious potboiler - SHE-WOLF OF London (1946) - but, at least, here the monster is seen (albeit ineffectively made-up): despite the titular reference, the script pays little to no credit to previous cinematic incarnations of the R.L. Stevenson novella - opting, instead, to indiscriminately incorporate elements of lycanthropy and vampirism which make no sense at all...but which lend the film value as a unique curio and one which, in view of its sheer audacity, it is difficult to hate (indeed, the whole misguided enterprise reminded me of the contemporaneous FRANKENSTEIN 1970 [1958])!

Despite the ultra-cheap production, the film makes the most of its foggy atmosphere and the hallucination sequences are effective in a naïve sort of way. Casting is below-par but, at least, Arthur Shields (who also appears in a silly book-end in full monster make-up - but, then, as Gloria Talbott's legal guardian spends the rest of the film trying to convince her that she is the werewolf!!) and John Dierkes (as a particularly vehement believer in the Jekyll 'legend' despite being in their employ - or, so it seems, since he's always hovering about the estate!) enter gleefully into the spirit of the thing.

I had been toying with the idea of purchasing the All Day DVD of this one ever since it was released; I'm glad I managed to catch up with it eventually without having to purchase the disc - being shown on late-night Italian TV, as part of a Jekyll & Hyde marathon which included snippets from a variety of films based on the venerable tale (I was especially gratified by the inclusion of a couple of scenes from Jean Renoir's THE TESTAMENT OF DR. CORDELIER [1959], which I've been yearning to see forever, and also ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE [1953], which I haven't watched in ages - I really ought to get down to purchasing either the R1 or R2 DVD releases of the films featuring the comic duo!)...