The Ugly Duckling (1959)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1959
Running Times: 84 mins
Format: black and white     35mm
Ratio:
Sound: mono

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Hammer Film Productions Limited
Producer: Tom Lyndon-Haynes

SCRIPT
Script: Sid Colin, Jack Davies

DIRECTION
Director: Lance Comfort

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Michael Reed

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editors: John Dunsford, James Needs

MUSIC
Music: Douglas Gamley

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Director: Bernard Robinson

CAST
Bernard Bresslaw (Henry Jekyll / Teddy Hyde)
Jon Pertwee (Victor Jekyll)
Ian Ainsley (Fraser)
Roger Avon (reporter)
Reginald Beckwith (Reginald)
Elwyn Brook-Jones (Dandy)
Jill Carson (Yum Yum)
Cyril Chamberlain (police sergeant)
Alan Coleshill (Willie)
Jess Conrad (Bimbo)
Robert Desmond (Dizzy)
Shelagh Dey (Miss Angers)
Alexander Doré (shop customer)
Jean Driant (M. Blum)
Maudie Edwards (Henrietta Jekyll)
Harold Goodwin
Sheila Hammond (receptionist)
John Harvey (Sergeant Barnes)
David Lodge (Peewee)
Joe Loss
Norma Marla
Reginald Marsh (reporter)
Vicky Marshall (Kitten)
Verne Morgan (barman)
Jean Muir (Snout)
Geremy Phillips (Tiger)
Michael Ripper (Benny)
Keith Smith (Figures)
Richard Statman (reporter)
Nicholas Tanner (commissionaire)
Michael Ward (Pasco)
Richard Wattis (Barclay)
Ian Wilson (small man)
Mary Wilson (Lizzie)
Malka Alamont (Fifi (uncredited)
Jack Armstrong, Jamie Barnes, Richard Dake, Stella Kemball, Aileen Lewis, Peter Mander,
Lola Morice, Alecia St Leger (old time dancer - all uncredited)
Heather Downham (Margo - uncredited)
Lucy Griffiths (cellist - uncredited)
Aldine Harvey (Jane - uncredited)
Ann Mayhew (Lucienne - uncredited)
Jacqueline Perrin (Ursula - uncredited)
Helen Pohlman (Amanda - uncredited)
Helga Wahlrow (Rosemary - uncredited)

PLOT SUMMARY

Victor Jekyll is a successful band leader working with sister Henrietta who runs a dance team. But their artistic endeavours are ruined by the youngest sibling, the huge and clumsy Henry, a gentle giant who just wants to be loved. Henry desperately wants to join a teen gang, The Rockets, but is rejected, despite his friendship with one of their number, the tomboyish Snout. Brooding and alone one night in the family chemist shop, he discovers old Dr Henry Jekyll's secret formula and transforms himself into the smooth talking spiv Teddy Hide. But things get out of hand when crooked theatre owner Dandy Kingsley hires him to join his gang in a daring raid.

UK
Rating: U

1959
August
10: UK - theatrical release

He's a changed man after taking Jekyll's old family remedy

MAGAZINES

Daily Cinema no.8185 (29 July 1959) p.9 (UK)
review

The House That Hammer Built no.2 (April 1997) pp.107-109 (UK)
illustrated credits, synopsis, review

Kine Weekly 13 August 1959 p.25 (UK)
review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.26 no.308 (September 1959) p.125 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

KEYWORDS

jekyll and hyde, transformations, dancers, musicians, gangs, criminals

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008