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Friday, November 29, 2013

Daughter Of Dr. Jekyll (1957)

Starring John Agar, Gloria Talbott, Arthur Shields, John Dierkes, Mollie McCard
Directed by Edgar G. Ulmer
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

On her 21st birthday, a beautiful bride-to-be discovers her father was the infamous Dr. Jekyll, and that she may have inherited his curse, doomed to transform into a terrible monster.

Although the script here seems to get its monster legends confused (it labels Mr. Hyde as a werewolf who changed during the full moon, and identifies a vampire-like staking as the only way to kill him), I'm fond of this horror film, directed by the reputed Edgar G. Ulmer.  Although largely dialogue-driven, Ulmer adds effective fog-drenched outdoor scenes, and Shields is a strong asset, entertainingly recounting the Jekyll legend in his charming Highland brogue.  At times its a bit hokey and over-the-top, but makes for fun viewing.

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