John Barrymore at his best!

Ken-141

Nearly everybody has seen the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in one of the more modern versions,  but nobody has ever portrayed it as successfully as John Barrymore did.  This movie, a silent classic, has amazing special effects for its day.  Specifically I refer to the metamorphosis of Dr. Jekyll.  You will literally not recognize or believe that the same actor playing Dr. Jekyll is also playing Mr. Hyde.  The make-up, the lighting, and Barrymore's excellent acting give you the feeling that this is truly a different, darker, more evil man.  Berrymore completes the transition from clean-cut Doctor to dementedly violent madman so naturally that you almost forget it's not real.  You have to see this!  It'll still scare you after all these years!

score 9/10

Ken-141 14 January 1999

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0002163/