Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde
Encyclopedia
Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde is a 1925
silent
, black-and-white
comedy film
, directed by Scott Pembroke
and Joe Rock
(also the producer).
The film iself is both a spoof
of the previous Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde films (e.g. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920 film)
and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1912 film)
) and the well-famed novel
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The film stars Stan Laurel
as the title characters.
), successfully separates the good and evil of man's nature with the use of a powerful drug ("Dr. Pyckle's 58th Variety" as he himself names it). Transforming into the personality of Mr. Pride (again Laurel), he terrorizes the town with unspeakable acts including stealing a boy’s ice cream, cheating at marbles, and popping a bag behind a lady pedestrian. The towns people track him down where Mr. Pride locks himself in the laboratory and transforms back at Dr. Pyckle. The doctor assures the townspeople that he hasn't seen the "fiend" they were after. While he talks, the drug used for the transformation spills in the plate of food of the doctor's dog. Dr. Pyckle confronts the fiendish dog when he locks the door and the townspeople leave. But once again, Mr. Pride emerges and brings havoc to the town, and again is chased down by the townspeople. He enters the lab and transforms back into Pyckle, and again assures the townspeople he hasn't seen the fiend. His assistant (Julie Leonard) begs the doctor to open and comfort him, but he transforms back into Mr. Pride. He opens the door to the assistant and locks it again. She screams seeing Pride and the townspeople hurry back, before the assistant can knock Pride down.
The appearance of the fiendish Mr. Pride is an obvious spoof
on the make-up designed for John Barrymore
as Mr. Hyde. Also spoofed are the sudden and strange movements Barrymore's Jekyll makes during the transformation, as well as Hyde's confrontation with Millicent, Jekyll's fiancee, when Hyde lets her inside the lab. Other scenes show obvious parodies of other Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde films (e.g. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920/II film)
and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1912 film)
).
1925 in film
-Events:*November 5: The Big Parade holds its Grand Premier*December 30: premier of Ben-Hur the most expensive silent film ever made costing 4-6 million dollars -Top grossing films :...
silent
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
, black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
, directed by Scott Pembroke
Scott Pembroke
Scott Pembroke was an American director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 73 films between 1920 and 1937.He was born in San Francisco, California and died in Pasadena, California.-Selected filmography:...
and Joe Rock
Joe Rock
Joe Rock was an American movie producer, director, actor and screenwriter best remembered today for producing a series of 12 two reel comedies starring Stan Laurel in the 1920s....
(also the producer).
The film iself is both a spoof
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the previous Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde films (e.g. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920 film)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920 film)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1920 horror silent film, produced by Famous Players-Lasky and released through Paramount/Artcraft. The film is based upon Robert Louis Stevenson's novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and starring actor John Barrymore.The film was directed by John S....
and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1912 film)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1912 film)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1912 horror film based on both Robert Louis Stevenson's novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and on the play version of Thomas Russell Sullivan. Directed by Lucius Henderson, the film stars actor James Cruze as the dual role of Jekyll/Hyde.-Plot...
) and the well-famed novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The film stars Stan Laurel
Stan Laurel
Arthur Stanley "Stan" Jefferson , better known as Stan Laurel, was an English comic actor, writer and film director, famous as the first half of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy. His film acting career stretched between 1917 and 1951 and included a starring role in the Academy Award winning film...
as the title characters.
Cast
- Stan LaurelStan LaurelArthur Stanley "Stan" Jefferson , better known as Stan Laurel, was an English comic actor, writer and film director, famous as the first half of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy. His film acting career stretched between 1917 and 1951 and included a starring role in the Academy Award winning film...
as Dr. Pyckle/Mr. Pryde (sometimes as Mr. Pride) - Julie Leonard as Dr. Pyckle's assistant
- Pete the Dog (as Pete the pup)
- Syd CrossleySyd CrossleySyd Crossley was an English film actor. He appeared in 114 films between 1925 and 1942.He was born in London, England and died in Troon, Scotland...
(uncredited bit role) - Dot FarleyDot FarleyDot Farley was an American film actress. She appeared in 280 films between 1910 and 1950. Mainly known for her roles in short comedies, prolific with Mack Sennett in the silent days;she was later notable as the Mother-in-law of Edgar Kennedy in most of his series of short films at the RKO...
(uncredited bit role)
Plot
Dr. Stanislaus Pyckle, (a play of the actor's name, Stan LaurelStan Laurel
Arthur Stanley "Stan" Jefferson , better known as Stan Laurel, was an English comic actor, writer and film director, famous as the first half of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy. His film acting career stretched between 1917 and 1951 and included a starring role in the Academy Award winning film...
), successfully separates the good and evil of man's nature with the use of a powerful drug ("Dr. Pyckle's 58th Variety" as he himself names it). Transforming into the personality of Mr. Pride (again Laurel), he terrorizes the town with unspeakable acts including stealing a boy’s ice cream, cheating at marbles, and popping a bag behind a lady pedestrian. The towns people track him down where Mr. Pride locks himself in the laboratory and transforms back at Dr. Pyckle. The doctor assures the townspeople that he hasn't seen the "fiend" they were after. While he talks, the drug used for the transformation spills in the plate of food of the doctor's dog. Dr. Pyckle confronts the fiendish dog when he locks the door and the townspeople leave. But once again, Mr. Pride emerges and brings havoc to the town, and again is chased down by the townspeople. He enters the lab and transforms back into Pyckle, and again assures the townspeople he hasn't seen the fiend. His assistant (Julie Leonard) begs the doctor to open and comfort him, but he transforms back into Mr. Pride. He opens the door to the assistant and locks it again. She screams seeing Pride and the townspeople hurry back, before the assistant can knock Pride down.
The appearance of the fiendish Mr. Pride is an obvious spoof
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
on the make-up designed for John Barrymore
John Barrymore
John Sidney Blyth , better known as John Barrymore, was an acclaimed American actor. He first gained fame as a handsome stage actor in light comedy, then high drama and culminating in groundbreaking portrayals in Shakespearean plays Hamlet and Richard III...
as Mr. Hyde. Also spoofed are the sudden and strange movements Barrymore's Jekyll makes during the transformation, as well as Hyde's confrontation with Millicent, Jekyll's fiancee, when Hyde lets her inside the lab. Other scenes show obvious parodies of other Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde films (e.g. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920/II film)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920/II film)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1920 40-minute horror film, directed and written by J. Charles Haydon. It is the third adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde to be released in 1920....
and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1912 film)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1912 film)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1912 horror film based on both Robert Louis Stevenson's novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and on the play version of Thomas Russell Sullivan. Directed by Lucius Henderson, the film stars actor James Cruze as the dual role of Jekyll/Hyde.-Plot...
).
Production
- Directed by: Scott PembrokeScott PembrokeScott Pembroke was an American director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 73 films between 1920 and 1937.He was born in San Francisco, California and died in Pasadena, California.-Selected filmography:...
and Joe RockJoe RockJoe Rock was an American movie producer, director, actor and screenwriter best remembered today for producing a series of 12 two reel comedies starring Stan Laurel in the 1920s.... - Produced by: Joe RockJoe RockJoe Rock was an American movie producer, director, actor and screenwriter best remembered today for producing a series of 12 two reel comedies starring Stan Laurel in the 1920s....
- Cinematography by: Edgar Lyons
- Assistant Director: Murray Rock
- Titles by: Tay GarnettTay GarnettTay Garnett was an American film director and writer.Born in Los Angeles, California, Garnett served as a naval aviator in World War I and entered films as a screenwriter in 1920. He was a gagwriter for Mack Sennett and Hal Roach, then joined Pathé and began to direct films in 1928...
- Company: Joe Rock Comedies
Additional details
- Runtime: 21 minutes
- Country: USA
- Language: EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
- Color: Black-and-WhiteBlack-and-whiteBlack-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
- Sound Mix: Silent
- Aspect Radio: 1.33 :1
- Certification: UK:U