Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1973 made-for-TV musical adaptation of the famous novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, starring Kirk Douglas in the title roles, Susan Hampshire as Isabel, Susan George as Annie, and Donald Pleasence as Fred Smudge. Songs were written by Lionel Bart and Norman Sachs.
The bohemian Dr. Jekyll wishes to separate the good from the evil in mankind in an attempt to show that chemistry rules mankind, but after testing his formula on himself, he unleashes the sinful Mr. Hyde, who wreaks havoc on London as a whole and Jekyll's social life and sanity.
Besides being a musical, the film strays from the usual adaptation formula a bit in that Hyde has an accomplice in the ne'er do well Fred Smudge. It also goes into detail about Hyde giving his lover Annie a Gilded Cage where she can have everything she wants...except freedom.
The movie is long out of print but can be seen here
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This musical contains examples of:
- Adaptational Job Change: Sir Danvers was a member of Parliament in the book but is a general here.
- Betty and Veronica: Jekyll's sweet fiancee Isabel is contrasted with the earthy barroom dancer Annie.
- Canon Foreigner: The pickpocket Fred Smudge is unique to this adaptation.
- Driven to Suicide: Realizing he can't be saved, Jekyll/Hyde lets himself fall through a glass roof to his death.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Fred Smudge is a prickly pickpocket, but even he's horrified at what Hyde does to Annie and helps the police find Hyde.
- Gilded Cage: Hyde spares no expense in giving Annie any luxury he can offer...except the ability to leave her room.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Annie manages to save a young girl Hyde kidnapped at the cost of her own freedom and sanity.
- Killer Rabbit: Jekyll tests his formula on a rabbit, which makes it aggressive enough to chew up his cane.
- Not His Sled: Unlike most adaptations, Hyde doesn't kill his love interest, but breaks her mind so badly that she's reduced to cuddling a doll and singing.
- Quintessential British Gentleman: Jekyll's friends are curious about whatever he's up to in his lab but are far too polite to ask, and can only assume it's a good thing.
- Recycled Soundtrack: Three of the songs were reused from the 1968 opera adaptation After You, Mr. Hyde, including "Something Very, Very Good", its reprise, and "I Bought a Bicycle."
- Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: Hyde counts on Jekyll's wealth to get him out of any trouble, gleefully declaring that rules were made to be broken.
- You Wake Up in a Room: After partying all night as Hyde, Jekyll wakes up as himself locked in a cell, and convinces the police they have the wrong man.
