On the following pages we will have a closer look at the process of film adaptation by analyzing Rouben Mamoulian’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932) – probably the most accomplished film version of Stevenson’s novella – and by comparing it with its literary model. At first, we will recapitulate the complexity of the source text, especially with regard to the question of genre. We will also examine T.R. Sullivan’s theatrical adaptation, which can in some respects be seen as a blueprint for Mamoulian’s film. Then, we will have a look at the literary macrostructure of the film at hand, discuss Mamoulian’s interpretation of Stevenson’s Strange Case and compare the source text with its screen adaptation from a narratological point of view. To finish our analysis, we will shed light on some techniques used by the director in order to communicate his ideas.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Main Part
2.1 From Stevenson’s Novella to Sullivan’s Stage Adaptation
2.1.1 Jekyll and Hyde as a Complex Mixture of Genres
2.1.2 T.R. Sullivan’s Adaptation of the Source Text
2.2 Mamoulian’s Film Adaptation of The Strange Case
2.2.1 Changes in Literary Macrostructure: Plot and Character Constellation
2.2.2 Mamoulian’s Sexual Reading of Jekyll and Hyde
2.2.3 Mamoulian’s Darwinian Reading of Jekyll and Hyde
2.2.4 Mamoulian’s Adaptation from a Freudian Perspective
2.3 Comparative Narratology
2.3.1 Narrative Structure
2.3.2 Narrative Perspective: Focalization and Ocularization
2.4 Cinematic Devices
2.4.1 Subjective Point-of-View-Shots
2.4.2 Dissolves
2.4.3 Split-screens
2.4.4 Symbols
3 Synopsis
Objectives and Core Themes
This academic paper examines the process of film adaptation by performing a comparative analysis of Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) and Rouben Mamoulian’s 1932 film adaptation. The central research objective is to explore how the director translates a complex literary model into a distinct cinematic work through thematic interpretation and innovative stylistic techniques.
- The evolution of the source material from novella to stage and finally film.
- Interpretative shifts regarding sexuality, Darwinian instincts, and Freudian psychological structures.
- The narratological challenges in adapting a "china-box" literary structure into a linear film narrative.
- The strategic use of cinematic devices like subjective point-of-view shots, dissolves, and symbols to create audience empathy.
Excerpt from the Book
2.4.1 Subjective Point-of-View-Shots
In the secondary literature on Mamoulian’s film, the cases of internal ocularization are often referred to as “subjective point-of-view-shots”. Some critics also speak of a “subjective camera”. At the film’s release, this cinematic device was ground-breaking, because film cameras still used to be static at that time. But Mamoulian did not only use the subjective camera because he wanted to prove his technical virtuosity. As Adrian Danks point out, the high number of subjective point-of-view-shots is justified by “the themes of identity, subjectivity and the relation of the individual to society” that the film explores. Already in the first five minutes of the film, Mamoulian consciously puts us into Jekyll’s shoes. We occupy the place of the hero and we see and feel like him. While playing the organ, Poole, the butler, interrupts us very politely and reminds us of the lecture (fig. 4.8, page 21). We look in the mirror and see the person with whom we should identify (fig. 4.9, page 22). We are greeted reverently by the coachman (fig. 4.10, page 22) and by some students who will listen to our lecture (fig. 4.11, page 22) and we stand in front of all the listeners in the crowded lecture hall (fig. 4.12, page 22). By seeing the world through Jekyll’s eyes for some minutes, “we are forced to sympathize, even empathize, with the protagonist” and “we merge, via the subjective camera, into his consciousness” (Twitchell 1985: 247). We become his accomplice and become aware of the esteem within which Jekyll is placed. Mamoulian also wants us to recognize that we are in the same dilemma as Jekyll. As individuals, we are sometimes also restrained by the moral obligations of society and, after all, we have to cope with Hyde, who probably lurks in everyone of us.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Introduces the concept of "tracer texts" and frames the analysis of the transformation of Stevenson’s novella into Mamoulian’s film.
2 Main Part: Provides a comprehensive thematic and technical analysis, covering the adaptation history, psychological readings of the plot, narratological changes, and the use of specific cinematic tools.
3 Synopsis: Concludes that the film is an ambitious, successful work of art that translates literary themes into a uniquely cinematic message regarding the human condition.
Keywords
Jekyll and Hyde, Rouben Mamoulian, Film Adaptation, Victorian Gothic, Narratology, Subjective Camera, Ocularization, Darwinism, Freudian Psychology, Cinema Studies, Doppelgänger, Sexual Allegory, Cinematic Devices, Comparative Analysis, Source Text
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the comparative study of Stevenson's literary novella and Mamoulian's 1932 film adaptation, specifically analyzing how the film reinterprets the original themes for a new medium.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The work covers themes of identity, the duality of human nature, societal constraints, scientific experimentation, and the evolution of sexual and psychological interpretations of the Jekyll/Hyde motif.
What is the primary objective of this analysis?
The goal is to demonstrate how Mamoulian uses technical cinematic innovation to translate a complex literary work into a meaningful and coherent cinematic experience, without being strictly tied to the fidelity of the source text.
Which scientific or critical methods are employed?
The paper utilizes narratological theory, Freudian psychological models, and Darwinian criticism to unpack both the film’s narrative structure and the protagonist's motivations.
What specific aspects of the film are analyzed in the main part?
The main part covers the historical transition from the novella to stage adaptations, character constellations, thematic readings (sexual, Darwinian, Freudian), and a detailed breakdown of cinematic techniques like POV shots and dissolves.
Which keywords best summarize the research?
The study is characterized by terms such as film adaptation, comparative narratology, subjective camera, Darwinian undercurrent, and psychological duality.
How does Mamoulian's depiction of Mr. Hyde differ from the novella?
While the novella remains vague about Hyde's appearance, Mamoulian depicts him as a hairy, Neanderthal-like figure, framing the conflict as a struggle between human civilization and primitive animalistic instincts.
Why is the "subjective camera" significant in this film?
It is significant because it forces the audience to see the world through Jekyll’s eyes, fostering deep empathy and making the viewer complicit in the protagonist's struggle with social and moral constraints.
How does the film's ending contrast with the original text?
Unlike the novella, which ends with a written confession, the film concludes with a dramatic, tragic "showdown" where the character is killed, which the author argues provides a more satisfactory ending for the cinematic viewer.
- Quote paper
- Michael Brendel (Author), 2010, From Book to Film: Stevenson’s 'Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' (1886) and Rouben Mamoulian’s Film Adaptation (1932) – a Comparison, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/150981
