Sunday 8 May 2016

7 Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde ( 1912 )

This  was  not  the  first  film  adaptation  of  Robert  Louis  Stevenson's  tale  but  the  1908   version is  thought  to  be  lost. As  you  can  see  from  the  stills  there's  a  huge  jump  in  picture  quality  from  the  previous  films  featured  allowing  more  expressive  acting . This  one  starred  future  film  director  James  Cruze  as  Jekyll /Hyde  although  another  actor  Harry  Benham's  claim  that  he  did  some  of  the  Hyde  scenes  is  taken  seriously.

Florence  La  Badie  ( Jekyll's  girlfriend )

Sex : Hyde  attacks  her  in  the  park  but  it's  not  clear  if  the  motive  is  sexual

Death : Survives


Florence  was  a  French  Canadian  actress ,  perhaps  a  relative  of  Celine  Dion  judging  from  that chin, who  died  from  injuries  sustained  in  an  automobile  accident  at  the  height  of  her  fame  in 1917. That  hat  was  later  used   to  depict  a  flying  saucer  by  Ed  Wood  ( OK  I  might  have  made  that last  bit  up ).

Marie  Eline  ( little  girl )

Sex :  In  a  strange  little  episode,  Hyde  is  seen  moving  away  from  a  prone  little  girl  who  then  picks  herself  up. Has  he  merely  knocked  her  over  or  has  something  more  sinister  gone  on ?

Death  :   Survives



Marie  was  a  very  prolific  child  actress  who'd  already  made  around  fifty  films  for  the  Thanhouser  Company  before  this  one.


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