Dish of the Day

Just some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:

Thursday, April 27, 2023

“Which one is he playing now?” (Acclaimed writer Somerset Maugham visiting the set of MGM’s 1941 remake of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde starring Spencer Tracy).

Spencer Tracy as Mr. Hyde in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Not too long ago in our Facebook chat room (all readers are welcome to join here), the topic of Spencer Tracy’s performance in the 1941 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde came up for discussion. Most members echoed the critical consensus at the time, finding the actor’s take on the dual characterisation too subdued. Thus, they felt it rendered the two personas almost indistinguishable from one another. Even Tracy himself was reportedly disappointed in his performance.

John Barrymore as Mr. Hyde in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920)

Many of my readers are aware that, once again, I side with the minority of views favouring the Tracy version to the earlier 1931 Fredrick March Academy Award winning interpretation and the 1920 silent motion picture starring Lionel Barrymore, the two latter films made for Paramount.

Fredrick March as Mr. Hyde in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

The reasons why are explained in my review of the 1941 version which can be read here and somewhat expanded upon in my comments made on the Facebook post:

“I respectfully disagree about Tracy’s acting being inferior to the others. He may have not appreciated his own performance but some, including myself, have immensely. Yeah, that old chestnut about Maugham visiting the set... makes for a great little anecdote, however, this film benefits from exactly his kind of characterisation: one that blurs the line between mankind and madness. March's monster is indeed one. We get that as soon as he undergoes his first transformation. The difference is so apparent, any human application to our own potentially dormant demons is practically wiped out. And that makes us more comfortable: knowing it's a grotesque monster so totally inhuman. Tracy's version is far more confrontational in this regard. True, he reacts violently but he has a unique underlying contempt for humanity and an overt sexual sadism making this kind of horror run deeper, more psychological. Tracy’s Hyde is someone we don’t want to be (hopefully) but so many are, or at least capable of becoming and therefore more horrifyingly real.”

All responses are not only welcomed but encouraged in the comments section below.

Hope to see you tomorrow.

A.G.