Despite the closing line of DR. JECKYLL AND MR. HYDE, the closing sentence "I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jeckyll to an end", has never been true. I don't think any of Stevenson's stories (including TREASURE ISLAND and KIDNAPPED) ever generated as many plays or films or television treatments, with variations. And while not as amusing as earlier comedies they did in the 1940s, ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET DR. JECKYLL AND MR. HYDE is quite amusing on a lesser level.
My favorite piece in the film is towards the end. Scotland Yard is determined to capture the notorious Mr. Hyde (Karloff in ape-like make-up). Reginald Denny, the Inspector in charge of the case, has stationed his police officers around London to track Hyde's movements - so they can find his lair. They do not know that Jeckyll becomes Hyde by taking a compound into his veins with a hypodermic needle. Nor do they know that not only has Karloff taken it (as usual), but so has Costello. So there are two monsters, identical in appearance, roaming the streets of London. The bobbies dutifully report the movements of "Hyde" to the Yard, and the movements are plotted - except he seems to be in different parts of London at the same time. At the conclusion of the film we see Denny looking hopelessly at the map of London which is covered with hundreds of lines going in all types of directions. Denny looks absolutely helplessly at what should have been a foolproof plan.
My favorite piece in the film is towards the end. Scotland Yard is determined to capture the notorious Mr. Hyde (Karloff in ape-like make-up). Reginald Denny, the Inspector in charge of the case, has stationed his police officers around London to track Hyde's movements - so they can find his lair. They do not know that Jeckyll becomes Hyde by taking a compound into his veins with a hypodermic needle. Nor do they know that not only has Karloff taken it (as usual), but so has Costello. So there are two monsters, identical in appearance, roaming the streets of London. The bobbies dutifully report the movements of "Hyde" to the Yard, and the movements are plotted - except he seems to be in different parts of London at the same time. At the conclusion of the film we see Denny looking hopelessly at the map of London which is covered with hundreds of lines going in all types of directions. Denny looks absolutely helplessly at what should have been a foolproof plan.