Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941), directed by Victor Fleming.
This remake of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) has cleaner sets and minimal makeup for Mr. Hyde. Fewer nudes on the wall. Jekyll is pronounced the modern way, rhyming with "heckle".
On the good side:
Well directed by Victor Fleming (Gone with the Wind (1939), The Wizard of Oz (1939)) and with Joseph Ruttenberg's striking photography. Lush score by Franz Waxman.
Good if somewhat formal performances by the leads: Spencer Tracy (although it is said he was embarrassed by his work here) and Ingrid Bergman (26) and Lana Turner (20).
You would expect Bergman and Turner to be the "good" and "bad" girls respectively but Bergman wanted to switch and they did.
Like Miriam Hopkins, Bergman effectively projects dread and quiet terror.
Even in the Code era skilled writers can get the message out, letting us know that the good doctor is motivated by sexual frustration. Early on the madman tells him "You know, don't you?". His fiancée's father detects the lascivious stain on his soul, and Jekyll is too blunt for polite society, insisting on the good and evil in every person. He lies about test animals dying from his research.
The potion causes some hallucinations: women in water, as flowers, being pulled into Hell. Both female leads are harnessed like horses, naked, as he lashes them with glee. The pre-Code version had nothing like that.
On the downside:
The pacing is too leisurely and we have a long slack period in the middle. 1h52m is plenty for this.
Everyone already knows the story. Should we have to wait 33 minutes for the potion?
Bergman is a London barmaid with a Swedish accent in an American picture.
MGM bought the earlier film and suppressed it, which is foul play. It was out of circulation for decades.
Available on DVD; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) is on the same disc.