As an avid Laurel and Hardy fan, I have always been somewhat disappointed in the early solo comedies of both Stan and Ollie. They are just too much a throwback to the early films of Sennett and co., one physical gag heaped upon another with no attempt to vary the frenetic pacing or establish character. So it was with unexpected delight that I watched Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde on the new Kino collection of Stan Laurel solo shorts. Once we dispense with the first ten minutes of generally desultory humor as he mixes his concoction, things get really funny. Laurel's transformation into the naughty Mr. Hyde is priceless. Hopped up (literally) on his potion, he gleefully runs amok, stealing ice cream from children, scaring women with popping paper bags, etc. He isn't the truly malevolent Hyde of Stevenson's story, but merely an unrepentant prankster
a naughty little boy. Later, when his dog laps up some of the spilled potion and starts nipping at Stan's backside while sporting the same fright wig as Mr. Hyde
well, you have to see it to truly appreciate it.
17 Reviews
another travesty
boblipton8 May 2002
This time, as you can probably tell from the name, of Robert Louis Stevenson's DOCTOR JEKYLL & MR. HYDE. Long a favorite of straight adaptations (there was a famous version featuring John Barrymore a few years earlier, and Frederick March would win an Oscar for his portrayal a few more years down the road), this features Stan in alternating roles as a clumsy research scientist who, his bestial nature revealed by the potion he has accidentally mixed, turns into a capering practical joker. Not polished by any means, the films manages to hold together by means of having a plot.
One of Stan's pre-Ollie Best.
JoeytheBrit26 June 2009
I've only seen a few of Stan Laurel's pre-Ollie movies and, truth be told, the ones I've seen aren't that great so I wasn't expecting much going into this one. However, this parody of John Barrymore's 1920 turn as the famous Dr. Jeckyll is fairly amusing. Laurel actually does a good imitation of Barrymore in monster mode, and wrings plenty of laughs out of the fact that his 'evil' deeds mostly consist of childish pranks. Laurel seems to be a good example of a talented actor needing to find the single role that's right for him in order to be successful. He's good here, but he isn't particularly memorable as an actor or comedian in his own right. It's sobering to think that, had he not been teamed with Oliver Hardy, Laurel's name might have been consigned to cinema's forgotten history along with the likes of Larry Semon and John Bunny.
Entertaining Parody Feature Starring Stan Laurel
Snow Leopard20 January 2006
This is an entertaining parody feature in itself, and it is also of interest as one of Stan Laurel's more substantial earlier roles. Although it would probably work all right as a spoof of the basic story, it is particularly designed as a parody of the John Barrymore version of "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde", so if you see or have seen that particular version, there are many more amusing details and parallels that you can spot.
Laurel's character, like the original Dr. Jekyll, has an alter ego, but here it is merely a mischievous one. It's funny to see the light-hearted parallels to the much more serious scenes in the original story, and while the movie is rather unrefined overall, most of it is amusing.
Laurel's approach to the role reflects not so much his own style as a deliberate exaggeration of Barrymore's vigorous performance. Since Laurel also gets to play both the upright doctor and the disreputable alter ego, the role gives him quite a bit to work with. Laurel did a solid job in this kind of parody feature, and it's interesting to watch him perform with an approach that's different from the style that's so familiar from all the great Laurel & Hardy features.
Laurel's character, like the original Dr. Jekyll, has an alter ego, but here it is merely a mischievous one. It's funny to see the light-hearted parallels to the much more serious scenes in the original story, and while the movie is rather unrefined overall, most of it is amusing.
Laurel's approach to the role reflects not so much his own style as a deliberate exaggeration of Barrymore's vigorous performance. Since Laurel also gets to play both the upright doctor and the disreputable alter ego, the role gives him quite a bit to work with. Laurel did a solid job in this kind of parody feature, and it's interesting to watch him perform with an approach that's different from the style that's so familiar from all the great Laurel & Hardy features.
DR. PYCKLE AND MR. PRIDE {Short} (Percy Pembroke, 1925) **1/2
Bunuel197627 October 2013
During this Halloween Challenge, I berated the lack of Dr. Watson's presence in a Sherlock Holmes adventure as being akin to a Laurel & Hardy vehicle without the latter; well, this film, the nth version I have watched inspired by the R.L. Stevenson novella, is just that
since it was made before the great comic duo became a fixture! The film gets the essence of the tale across in broad slapstick terms fairly adequately, if crudely given its age. The most successful element here is the repeated situation of the "Hyde" figure, agreeably prone not to sadistic violence as in the original but to childish pranks, being pursued by practically the entire townsfolk – which actually reminded me of Buster Keaton falling foul of the L.A.P.D. in perhaps his greatest short, COPS (1922). Incidentally, Laurel's snobbish "Jekyll" characterization looks forward to his Lord Paddington caricature in the beloved L&H feature A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1940), and the whole is also not too far removed from their classic two-reeler DIRTY WORK (1933), down to having animals the unwitting recipients of the transforming formula!
Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde (1925)
morrigan198218 October 2009
It is really an amazing parody of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Stan Laurel at his best plays the goofy professor Dr. Pyckle who terns to Mr. Pryde! Mr. Pryde “terrorizes” the society by doing all kinds of evil deeds, like stealing Ice Cream from little kids and pulling lots of other pranks! The world is not safe from Mr. Prydes evil mischiefs. People will try to put an end to his games and bring back piece to the society. Can he really be stopped though? Or the world will never be a safe place again? Stan Laurel gives a great performance in this silent piece of comic art. Although it is only 20 min, it is enough for Stan Laurel to put Jekyll and Hyde in a new comic perspective. All this years I never had the chance to see Laurel alone. I only knew him from the Laurel and Hardy movies. I am really glad that I got the chance to see him perform alone and I must say I could't stop laughing. So if you are a fan and you manage to get your hands on this movie, by all means don’t be reluctant and give it a shot. You might be in for a surprise by the scary Dr. Pyckle!
What—ho
Cristi_Ciopron18 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
The slight parody potential of this feverish, dreamy, _cauchemaresque tale, one of the masterpieces of the last great Gothic writer (I mean, skip poor Stoker), was put to some use in a funny Laurel lampoon; Laurel was not a very likable actor, and here we get him, fortunately, a bit covered in makeup. The sketch is, indeed, lighthearted, but this annuls the whole point of the tale. Yet on the other hand, hey, it's just a silly short. The cards, or inserts, I believe, they were called, are definitely (one of the words that get spelled not so easy, as a perusal of IMDb comments and threads might prove—on a par with Spielberg and Scorsese) better than the movie. Hyde—I mean, what's his name in the movie—is a prankster and a fool.
'—Oh doctor, please let me in!'—'—No, you let me in!'. That's not actually in the movie, but it might have been a good couple of lines.
'—Oh doctor, please let me in!'—'—No, you let me in!'. That's not actually in the movie, but it might have been a good couple of lines.
Stan Laurel's best Pre-Oliver Hardy short
planktonrules27 April 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Long before Laurel was teamed with Hardy, Stan Laurel was a solo act and he made a lot of comedy shorts. Some of them are pretty good when viewed today, but most I have seen aren't all that remarkable--especially when compared to his contemporaries. However, I was very pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon this one. I had never known that Laurel had made a parody of the John Barymore classic, DR. JECKYL AND MR. HYDE. In many ways it was a very close parody--with excellent sets and Stans pantomiming a silly but easily recognizable version of Barymore. But what really made this film was the excellent writing. The intertitle cards, for instance, made me laugh and were filled with still funny jokes. One of the funniest aspects of the film was how stupid all of Mr. Pride's evil deeds were (such as putting a guy's fingers into a pair of "Chinese handcuffs". And, to make it even funnier, everyone behaved as if he WAS some evil monster! Plus, there were some wonderful gags (I particularly liked when his dog drank the formula as well as the very end). All in all, this was a funny and good-natured send-off of Dr. Jeckyl--and even better than Laurel's more famous parody, MUD AND SAND. For fans of silent comedy, this is a must-see!
A Great Barrymore Send-Up
theowinthrop11 February 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Again one blesses the membership of "You Tube" for retrieving this (in two parts). One suspects, unfortunately, that a concluding portion is still missing - the actions at the end of the film of the threatening mob returning to Dr. Pyckle's home suggest it - but even so the film is consistently funny.
When Dick Van Dyke did his comedy THE COMIC, portraying "Billy Bright", a great silent film comedian who had recently died in obscurity, he was doing an homage (with Carl Reiner, his director) to all of the great silent clowns (for example, Mickey Rooney's cross-eyed comic figure is based on Ben Turpin). But Van Dyke and Reiner gave some pride (or should I say "pryde") of place to Van Dyke's friend and part-mentor Stan Laurel. So in the course of the film they do some brief snippets of "silent Billy Bright movies" based on Laurel inspired ideas. One happens to be a comic turn based on Stevenson's THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JECKYLL AND MR. HYDE. It is less than a minute of THE COMIC, but it suggests what Stan would have done in a sequence if he had thought of it: Van Dyke, having taken the evil potion, is slobbering about his lab bent over as Hyde, when his up-right girl friend enters, and he jumps up and is the courtly, correct Jeckyll again. Throughout the brief scene Van Dyke alternates, walking and slobbering like Hyde behind his girlfriend, but suddenly resuming his normal proper doctor when she addresses him.
Laurel does not do that in this 1925 film. He is spoofing the John Barrymore classic 1920 straight Jeckyll and Hyde production, and one of the best parts of this version is when Stan turns "monster" and his make-up really resembles Barrymore's. Not totally, of course. Barrymore's head expanded at the back dome of the brain case when he turned into Hyde, but he has the same wild hairdo that Stan has (and that - briefly - Stan's dog has). Stan lacks John's "Great Profile" perhaps, but he does have a lanky chin like John's so the resemblance is again strong. He also jumps about and walks in a fast, humped over manner. And he is fully able to do dastardly deeds.
Barrymore (of course) killed Louis Wolheim and several others in his version. Not Stan: the evil Stan steals ice cream cones from little boys. "He shot me" one tot tells an angry crowd (yes Stan did - with a pea shooter). He ties up one pedestrian's hands with a Mexican handcuff! He is dastardly enough to horrify a woman by exploding a paper bag in back of her. However, at least one constable is able to (unwittingly, as it were) retaliate on a surprised Stan.
The film (as it now exists) has been nicely restored with some rather funny cue cards ("England in the 19th Century was not all it could have been. It could have been Italy.") At least one joke fortunately hasn't dated at all: Pyckle announces his latest chemical discovery will be his 58th Variety (a reference to Heinz's 57 varieties). It is a nice measure of reassurance that a topical joke of 1925 can still make sense in 2008. It's nice also to be able to thoroughly enjoy Stan Laurel's early work at it's best.
When Dick Van Dyke did his comedy THE COMIC, portraying "Billy Bright", a great silent film comedian who had recently died in obscurity, he was doing an homage (with Carl Reiner, his director) to all of the great silent clowns (for example, Mickey Rooney's cross-eyed comic figure is based on Ben Turpin). But Van Dyke and Reiner gave some pride (or should I say "pryde") of place to Van Dyke's friend and part-mentor Stan Laurel. So in the course of the film they do some brief snippets of "silent Billy Bright movies" based on Laurel inspired ideas. One happens to be a comic turn based on Stevenson's THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JECKYLL AND MR. HYDE. It is less than a minute of THE COMIC, but it suggests what Stan would have done in a sequence if he had thought of it: Van Dyke, having taken the evil potion, is slobbering about his lab bent over as Hyde, when his up-right girl friend enters, and he jumps up and is the courtly, correct Jeckyll again. Throughout the brief scene Van Dyke alternates, walking and slobbering like Hyde behind his girlfriend, but suddenly resuming his normal proper doctor when she addresses him.
Laurel does not do that in this 1925 film. He is spoofing the John Barrymore classic 1920 straight Jeckyll and Hyde production, and one of the best parts of this version is when Stan turns "monster" and his make-up really resembles Barrymore's. Not totally, of course. Barrymore's head expanded at the back dome of the brain case when he turned into Hyde, but he has the same wild hairdo that Stan has (and that - briefly - Stan's dog has). Stan lacks John's "Great Profile" perhaps, but he does have a lanky chin like John's so the resemblance is again strong. He also jumps about and walks in a fast, humped over manner. And he is fully able to do dastardly deeds.
Barrymore (of course) killed Louis Wolheim and several others in his version. Not Stan: the evil Stan steals ice cream cones from little boys. "He shot me" one tot tells an angry crowd (yes Stan did - with a pea shooter). He ties up one pedestrian's hands with a Mexican handcuff! He is dastardly enough to horrify a woman by exploding a paper bag in back of her. However, at least one constable is able to (unwittingly, as it were) retaliate on a surprised Stan.
The film (as it now exists) has been nicely restored with some rather funny cue cards ("England in the 19th Century was not all it could have been. It could have been Italy.") At least one joke fortunately hasn't dated at all: Pyckle announces his latest chemical discovery will be his 58th Variety (a reference to Heinz's 57 varieties). It is a nice measure of reassurance that a topical joke of 1925 can still make sense in 2008. It's nice also to be able to thoroughly enjoy Stan Laurel's early work at it's best.
Scary Stanley is a hoot as Mr. Pryde in this superb restoration.
Tinlizzy17 August 2004
Stan Laurel's character in his early solo films was as different as could be from the dimbulb he played in the Laurel and Hardy team efforts a few years later. DR. PICKLE is one of the genre parodies he was making in the mid Twenties with merciless sendups of 'romance' and 'dramatic acting' (if you can, see MUD AND SAND with his devastating parody of Valentino).
DR. PICKLE AND MR. PRYDE is the Holy Grail of Laurel films; it was lost for decades, then a French print turned up in somewhat unsatisfactory video versions. Now it has been beautifully restored with the original titles, which add a great deal of amusement to Laurel's portrayal of Pickle (a veddy, veddy British scientist). But it is his take on John Barrymore's Mr. Hyde that makes this film a must-have for any comedy buff: Laurel is not only hilarious, he is actually SCARY as he 'menaces' the town while capering around with clawed hands outstretched...
This film is on an excellent new DVD of Laurel's work. I just wish they had also included MUD AND SAND...but this one is worth the price of the double disc set, all by itself.
DR. PICKLE AND MR. PRYDE is the Holy Grail of Laurel films; it was lost for decades, then a French print turned up in somewhat unsatisfactory video versions. Now it has been beautifully restored with the original titles, which add a great deal of amusement to Laurel's portrayal of Pickle (a veddy, veddy British scientist). But it is his take on John Barrymore's Mr. Hyde that makes this film a must-have for any comedy buff: Laurel is not only hilarious, he is actually SCARY as he 'menaces' the town while capering around with clawed hands outstretched...
This film is on an excellent new DVD of Laurel's work. I just wish they had also included MUD AND SAND...but this one is worth the price of the double disc set, all by itself.
Hyde-de-high hilarity!
F Gwynplaine MacIntyre18 June 2008
Stan Laurel (pre-Hardy) appeared in several short comedies that were parodies of big-budget Hollywood dramas. Although most of these are quite funny, all (with one exception) are seriously weakened by extremely low budgets. 'Dr Pyckle and Mr Pryde' is the exception; not only is this movie hilarious, but it benefits from some elaborate exterior and interior sets evoking Victorian London. In the early 1980s, when I interviewed Joe Rock (this movie's producer), he recalled that he had obtained access to sets on the Universal Pictures lot, and costumes from Universal's wardrobe department.
By 1925, there had already been several film versions of 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde', including the bootleg 'Der Januskopf' and at least one parody. Modern audiences, who know Jekyll and Hyde from films rather than from literature, usually miss an important point: in Stevenson's original novel, Mr Hyde is clearly much shorter and much younger than Dr Jekyll, making it truly a shock when we learn that they are the same man. In film adaptations, Jekyll is usually played as a comparatively youthful man, and nearly always portrayed by the same actor who also plays Hyde ... so we find it implausible that the other characters fail to guess they're the same person.
Although Stan Laurel is playing for comedy here, his performance as Mr Pryde is a revelation. Rather than wearing elaborate make-up, he merely puffs out his expressive face, dons a wig and hunches his head into his shoulders. There's also some extremely subtle padding under Laurel's coat, making Mr Pryde a slightly bulkier man than Dr Pyckle. At this point in his pre-Hardy career, Laurel was learning that he'd get bigger laughs by underplaying rather than by chewing the scenery. Here, though, he still has a couple of hand-to-brow moments ... acceptable because he's guying a serious story.
There's a dog here cried Pete the Pup, who may or mayn't be the same canine who appeared as Pete the Dog in some Our Gang comedies. I've never understood why it's allegedly so funny that a dog in the movies has a ring painted round one eye ... did any real dog ever have such a mark? Still, I was intrigued here to see a packet labelled 'Dog Cakes', a phrase one doesn't see very often these days.
I was delighted to spot the London-born Syd Crossley in this film, under Victorian side-whiskers. Two decades later, Crossley would be back in his native England and working with George Formby and Cicely Courtneidge. Joe Rock told me that Crossley had been his assistant in Los Angeles, and supplied entree to British film circles when he accompanied Rock to England in the 1930s.
'Dr Pyckle and Mr Pryde' is hilarious from start to finish. If all of Stan Laurel's early comedies had been this good, he would never have needed to team up with Oliver Hardy. I'm certainly glad it happened, though. My rating for this one: 9 out of 10. I wonder if this hilarious movie influenced the classic Two Ronnies sketch 'The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town'.
By 1925, there had already been several film versions of 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde', including the bootleg 'Der Januskopf' and at least one parody. Modern audiences, who know Jekyll and Hyde from films rather than from literature, usually miss an important point: in Stevenson's original novel, Mr Hyde is clearly much shorter and much younger than Dr Jekyll, making it truly a shock when we learn that they are the same man. In film adaptations, Jekyll is usually played as a comparatively youthful man, and nearly always portrayed by the same actor who also plays Hyde ... so we find it implausible that the other characters fail to guess they're the same person.
Although Stan Laurel is playing for comedy here, his performance as Mr Pryde is a revelation. Rather than wearing elaborate make-up, he merely puffs out his expressive face, dons a wig and hunches his head into his shoulders. There's also some extremely subtle padding under Laurel's coat, making Mr Pryde a slightly bulkier man than Dr Pyckle. At this point in his pre-Hardy career, Laurel was learning that he'd get bigger laughs by underplaying rather than by chewing the scenery. Here, though, he still has a couple of hand-to-brow moments ... acceptable because he's guying a serious story.
There's a dog here cried Pete the Pup, who may or mayn't be the same canine who appeared as Pete the Dog in some Our Gang comedies. I've never understood why it's allegedly so funny that a dog in the movies has a ring painted round one eye ... did any real dog ever have such a mark? Still, I was intrigued here to see a packet labelled 'Dog Cakes', a phrase one doesn't see very often these days.
I was delighted to spot the London-born Syd Crossley in this film, under Victorian side-whiskers. Two decades later, Crossley would be back in his native England and working with George Formby and Cicely Courtneidge. Joe Rock told me that Crossley had been his assistant in Los Angeles, and supplied entree to British film circles when he accompanied Rock to England in the 1930s.
'Dr Pyckle and Mr Pryde' is hilarious from start to finish. If all of Stan Laurel's early comedies had been this good, he would never have needed to team up with Oliver Hardy. I'm certainly glad it happened, though. My rating for this one: 9 out of 10. I wonder if this hilarious movie influenced the classic Two Ronnies sketch 'The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town'.
Some Good 'Early Laurel'
tmpj1 July 2002
Dr. Pyckle is a fine example of Stan Laurel's comedy prior to his lifelong teaming with Oliver Hardy. It demonstrates a comedic breadth and a range that was coming to the fore. It seems that it took Stan a bit longer to shed vaudeville's trappings. He had to learn to play for the camera and not for the 'house'. His comic timing and his invention in "Dr. Pyckle" (1925) are surpassed only by his antics in "The Sleuth" (also 1925). The timing of his sight gags takes on a cartoon-ish quality, but they work very well, and are enough to bring the viewer to convulsive laughter. This is--after all- comedy. And it is slapstick, though Laurel's ideas and gags are polished. It is clear that he is setting the stage for bigger and better expectations. It all comes about several years after these films, solidifying his place in comic history with the rotund Ollie. They dilly dally their way into the pages of cinema history. I strongly recommend viewing "Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pride" and "The Sleuth". They are very, very funny films.
HILARIOUS.
Tinlizzy16 August 2004
DR. PYCKLE is one of the Holy Grails of silent comedy...for years it was thought lost, until poor quality French prints turned up on video. Now it has been magnificently restored on DVD by Kino (bravo to them) and the original titles restored. Stan Laurel's solo comedies featured genre parodies that were far different from the dim-bulb act he perfected with Oliver Hardy. Here, Stan is a veddy British scientist who turns into the horrific Mr. Pryde.
The story follows Stevenson very closely, except for the 'dire deeds' that Pryde does; this is the best part of the picture, with Stan having a wonderful time terrorizing the townsfolk. (He actually succeeds in being funny and scary at the same time.) I'll never look at a Chinese finger trap in quite the same way again...
The story follows Stevenson very closely, except for the 'dire deeds' that Pryde does; this is the best part of the picture, with Stan having a wonderful time terrorizing the townsfolk. (He actually succeeds in being funny and scary at the same time.) I'll never look at a Chinese finger trap in quite the same way again...
Something for Stan Laurel to take Pryde in
hte-trasme3 September 2009
Stan Laurel's "Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde" is flat-out hilarious. It's a perfect combination of concept, gags, and performance to create good comedy. As a formerly lost film this also makes it a rare example of something sought-after and highly touted that lives up to (and probably exceeds) expectations.
This film was released five years after the John Barrymore version of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," which I watched the day before, but Stan Laurel interprets Barrymore's brilliant dramatic performance with a comic turn of equal quality. Presumably, though the direct source material was five years old, audiences would have been familiar enough with the Jekyll-and-Hyde story that there would not have been an actual need to have seen that particular version.
The gags are well-spaced and well-chosen here, getting laughs equally with the stylistic butchering of the Jekyll-Hyde story. What almost makes the film is the look of mischief of Mr Pryde's face as he scurries about the town committing trivial acts of wrongdoing. It's a few different executions of a similar joke, but I cracked up every time. The best moment of the short involves Stan's stealing a child's ice cream cone with a look of triumphant evil glee on his face.
"Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde" also boasts very funny title cards; there's a winning joke in virtually every one. In brief, I was laughing constantly through my viewing of this two-reeler, and I'm extremely glad it's been recovered and restored so we can enjoy it today.
This film was released five years after the John Barrymore version of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," which I watched the day before, but Stan Laurel interprets Barrymore's brilliant dramatic performance with a comic turn of equal quality. Presumably, though the direct source material was five years old, audiences would have been familiar enough with the Jekyll-and-Hyde story that there would not have been an actual need to have seen that particular version.
The gags are well-spaced and well-chosen here, getting laughs equally with the stylistic butchering of the Jekyll-Hyde story. What almost makes the film is the look of mischief of Mr Pryde's face as he scurries about the town committing trivial acts of wrongdoing. It's a few different executions of a similar joke, but I cracked up every time. The best moment of the short involves Stan's stealing a child's ice cream cone with a look of triumphant evil glee on his face.
"Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde" also boasts very funny title cards; there's a winning joke in virtually every one. In brief, I was laughing constantly through my viewing of this two-reeler, and I'm extremely glad it's been recovered and restored so we can enjoy it today.
For 1925 standards, it's quite a good comedy!
Boba_Fett113822 February 2008
'20's comedies weren't exactly known for their pace, polished style of film-making or true originality. They mostly were movies featuring slapstick moments, without having even a well constructed story. "Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde" also doesn't really have a story and is mostly about Stan Laurel jumping and running around and acting in an extremely childish way as Mr. Pryde. It however is done so well and due to Stan Laurel's skills it becomes a very enjoyable early comedy from the silent era.
It's a well directed movie with lots of pace and there is always something happening. The movie might begin a bit slow and certainly standard but the moment Mr. Pryde kicks in, the movie becomes a greatly entertaining one, as well as original.
The movie of course is an humorous take on the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story, by Robert Louis Stevenson. It's however not really a spoof of the 1920 movie "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", staring John Barrymore. The movie takes its own course and basically has little to do with the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, other than that it features a scientist who after drinking a potion turns into an evil vicious man.
Well, not really evil or vicious, more extremely childish, for Mr. Pryde executes some extremely childish practical jokes. It's however its childish naivety and Stan Laurel's performance of it that makes this movie so effective as a comedy.
'20's comedy shorts don't get much better than this!
8/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
It's a well directed movie with lots of pace and there is always something happening. The movie might begin a bit slow and certainly standard but the moment Mr. Pryde kicks in, the movie becomes a greatly entertaining one, as well as original.
The movie of course is an humorous take on the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story, by Robert Louis Stevenson. It's however not really a spoof of the 1920 movie "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", staring John Barrymore. The movie takes its own course and basically has little to do with the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, other than that it features a scientist who after drinking a potion turns into an evil vicious man.
Well, not really evil or vicious, more extremely childish, for Mr. Pryde executes some extremely childish practical jokes. It's however its childish naivety and Stan Laurel's performance of it that makes this movie so effective as a comedy.
'20's comedy shorts don't get much better than this!
8/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
Fun
Michael_Elliott30 October 2008
Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde (1925)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Stan Laurel plays the respectable Dr. Pyckle who starts messing around with various chemicals and turns himself into the silly Mr. Pride. Naturally this is a take off on the Jekyll and Hyde story but it really hits close to the 1920 John Barrymore version. This isn't a classic by any stretch of the imagination but it manages to be fairly entertaining in its short running time. Laurel does a very good job in the role and there are several instances where he does a good impression of Barrymore performance from the earlier film. There aren't enough laughs to keep the movie going but there are a couple sprinkled throughout.
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Stan Laurel plays the respectable Dr. Pyckle who starts messing around with various chemicals and turns himself into the silly Mr. Pride. Naturally this is a take off on the Jekyll and Hyde story but it really hits close to the 1920 John Barrymore version. This isn't a classic by any stretch of the imagination but it manages to be fairly entertaining in its short running time. Laurel does a very good job in the role and there are several instances where he does a good impression of Barrymore performance from the earlier film. There aren't enough laughs to keep the movie going but there are a couple sprinkled throughout.
great old-fashioned, ridiculous comedy
RichieJRR30 June 2002
Ok, to be honest, I've only seen clips of this movie in a Laurel and Hardy before-they-were-Laurel-and-Hardy documentary. What I saw consisted of Stan Laurel hopping around in disguise playing practical jokes on people. I know that sounds rather mundane, but it was the simplicity of the antics that made them outstandingly funny. I'd love to find a full copy of this film somewhere. If you how I could obtain one, please let me know.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
