Mamoulian. Armenian-born Rouben Mamoulian is best remembered as an innovative voice in the early talkie-era of Hollywood. He took some big swings in the 1930’s. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an important special effects film, Love Me Tonight is the first real Hollywood musical, and Becky Sharp is often cited as the first technicolor film. Love Me Tonight is the main reason Mamoulian is on this list- not too many directors left with a top 500 film of all-time.
Best film: Love Me Tonight. With the talkies still in their adolescence (and often struggling a little artistically having the camera tethered to archaic sound recording equipment) this snapped narrative conventions of the time in half by breaking out into song right in the middle of a sentence. It is pleasurable and a pioneering film in the musical genre.
total archiveable films: 6
top 100 films: 0
top 500 films: 1 (Love Me Tonight)
top 100 films of the decade: 1 (Love Me Tonight)
most overrated: Mamoulian doesn’t have one. Love Me Tonight is underrated at #603 on the TSPDT consensus list and the only other film of his mentioned is Dr. Jekyll way down at #1821—a good spot for it.
most underrated : Becky Sharp. The first feature-length three-strip technicolor film is more than just a gimmick—worth seeking out for sure.
gem I want to spotlight : Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. You know Mamoulian is a good director when his version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella is superior to the 1941 Victor Fleming version with a cast as talented as Spencer Tracy and Ingrid Bergman.
stylistic innovations/traits:
- Gothic horror, adventure films, musical, drama—in a 10 year stretch from 1931-1940 Mamoulian mastered all the Hollywood genres.
- A bold visionary— his films are often cited for the groundbreaking special effects, narrative/genre bending choices, and color/technical firsts
- This was a rough stretch in Hollywood as filmmakers made the change to sound films— it’s certainly notable that Mamoulian thrived in this stretch
top 10
- Love Me Tonight
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
- Becky Sharp
- The Mark of Zorro
- Silk Stockings
- Golden Boy
By year and grades
| 1931- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | R |
| 1932- Love Me Tonight | MP |
| 1935- Becky Sharp | R |
| 1939- Golden Boy | R |
| 1940- The Mark of Zorro | R |
| 1957- Silk Stockings | R |
*MP is Masterpiece- top 1-3 quality of the year film
MS is Must-see- top 5-6 quality of the year film
HR is Highly Recommend- top 10 quality of the year film
R is Recommend- outside the top 10 of the year quality film but still in the archives
My ranking of Mamoulian`s films that I`ve seen:
1. Love Me Tonight MS
2. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde HR
3. Queen Christina R
There’s an unforced smoothness (I don’t know how else to describe it) to Mamoulian’s narrative style. I notice it in all his films, but especially in The Mark of Zorro, which could easily have come off as a high budget serial, but doesn’t because of his direction.
I love this this site, by the way. Thank you.
@Nick Noble- I revisited Love Me Tonight again this week– wow– what an absolutely knockout.
I’d argue there are a few aspects of Jekyll and Hyde that warrant it being higher than an R, especially the choice to hold Miriam Hopkins’ taunting leg in partial dissolution after Jekyll leaves her place and is speaking to his friend about his theories; it shows that no matter how sound they may be they are also personally motivated. There is unsubtlety and edginess in abundance like most pre-code movies but if properly used these are good things (the X motive in Scarface or the haunting final line in I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang).
The other main examples would be: I. The boiling over of the pot in the laboratory when Jekyll decides to drink his formula again- his intentions are made obvious without words; II. the image of embracing flowers during the garden love scene which is recalled by that of naked statues during Hyde’s rape of Ivy- a formal touch (or perhaps jab) that I admire; and III. the use of point-of-view shots (the first time in Hollywood and I believe just the second in cinema after Gance’s Napoleon) when Jekyll is first introduced with the mirror (suggesting our dual nature as much as his) and again during the first transformation scene with the mirror (suggesting the Hyde in us all of as much as in him).
For the players- March is an American playing a British character and I would be willing to discuss the accent with those who consider it a problem but in my opinion, like Lionel Barrymore (who’s radio career was defined by a long-running portrayal of Scrooge), his manner of speaking doesn’t sound terribly out of place among British actors even though it is trans-Atlantic. As for the other elements of his portrayal– what an extraordinary tour-de-force. He is in almost every scene and to go over every moment of genuinely great acting that he provides would require that I summarize the entire movie. His Jekyll is hopelessly ambivalent- also a genius of all-devouring passion that he has no intention to consign, weaponizing the first passion in order to relieve the effects of being unable to sleep with the second
His Hyde is a compulsive animal, perpetually twitching and fidgeting- this is interpretive intuition on March’s part as he wants Hyde to be the still and reticent Jekyll’s opposite in every manner save his imposing intellect (now a tool of manipulation and evil).
The rest of the cast is not without problems many of which are named Rose Hobart but I love Edgar Norton as the butler Poole (a role he had been playing on the English stage since 1898) and Tempe Pigott is delightful as the landlady of Miriam Hopkins.
TL,DR: () they are cool (a note)
Worth noting that I didn’t even mention the special effects which are not only revolutionary but have aged remarkably well. i imagine that since you refer to it as “an important special effects film” and little else then they are the primary basis for its inclusion in the archives?
my apologies
terribly sorry feel free to delete the apologies as they are basically spam
I become sad when I fall off the recent comments thing because I then do not expect an answer from you and I would like to know your opinion about my initial comment but you have every right to withhold it good sir
I imagine it is time consuming to answer them
@Frodo- Thanks for the comments. I do try to respond when there is time and where it seems like a someone asks a quick question or a response is needed. But yes, for the most part my thoughts are going to be in the content on the pages
Well yes I know that your thoughts are on the pages, but since your acknowledgement of Jekyll and Hyde here amounts to calling it an important special effects film and better than the Tracy version, followed by a grade of R, I thought it was worth trying to persuade you to give it another look. I think it is much better than an R for the reasons I gave.. However I see what you mean by “where it seems like someone asks a quick question” as my comment was nothing of the sort
@Frodo- Understood- appreciate you sharing your reasons. I do intend to revisit (the hope is I revisit all of the films in the archives – that’s part of the point) – and will try to prioritize this one. Thank you!