Verdict
Summary
Just two years after Abbott and Costello Meets The Invisible Man, they met Mr. Hyde, and while it’s a step down from that one, it’s still got enough of what audiences expected, which is to pit them against a famous “monster,” and one played by Boris Karloff, no less. Karloff is barely in it, though, and indeed Abbott and Costello themselves are relegated to supporting roles and don’t even show up until at least 15 minutes into this 76 minute feature.
Plot:
Two American policemen visiting London run afoul of a crazed doctor who has experimented with a deadly serum.
Review:
London is abuzz with a social change; women’s suffrage is sweeping the region, and an intrepid suffragette named Vicky (played by Helen Westcott) and her boyfriend (Craig Stevens) are smack in the middle of it all when a series of killings of doctors strike fear into the hearts of the populace. We know that the killer is Dr. Jekyll (Boris Karloff), whose radical injection experiments are the laughing stock of London, but, in fact, the drug turns him into a horrible monster with a face and temperament only the devil could love. Jekyll also happens to be Vicky’s uncle, and she’s in for the shock of her life when Jekyll’s alter ego Mr. Hyde turns out to be the murderer of London! It’s a good thing two policemen from America are visiting London at the same time – Slim (Bud Abbott) and Tubby (Lou Costello) are in town to “up their game” as cops by studying Scotland Yard’s methods. These two guys may be clueless, but when they find themselves in the middle of all this chaos, their ineptitude will turn out to be their greatest strength against the force that is Mr. Hyde!
Just two years after Abbott and Costello Meets The Invisible Man, they met Mr. Hyde, and while it’s a step down from that one, it’s still got enough of what audiences expected, which is to pit them against a famous “monster,” and one played by Boris Karloff, no less. Karloff is barely in it, though, and indeed Abbott and Costello themselves are relegated to supporting roles and don’t even show up until at least 15 minutes into this 76 minute feature. At one point, Costello is injected with Jekyll’s serum and turns into a giant mouse-faced idiot. It’s a good gag, but the movie needed more of that. Watching Mr. Hyde ride center on a bicycle meant for three as he scares the pants off two suffragettes is also funny, but the movie is very short and slim on the bone. My favorite bit is a nod to when Abbott and Costello met Dracula and Frankenstein … they walk into a wax museum and get freaked out when they encounter wax figures of their old enemies. From director Charles Lamont.
Kino Lorber brings Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to 4K Ultra HD on disc, and the film shines really strong in its new 4K scan from the 35mm original camera negative. Fans of these guys and of this franchise should take note of it. Two audio commentaries are included, plus the trailer and a slipcover.
