There were only a select number of films that in the middle of Jack Palance's career for his acting style really worked, and you had to be a huge fan of his to put up with a lot of his work when he was the lead. A great start in his career quickly changed with low budget and mainly cheaply produced foreign films, and for that reason, there is a huge gap in his career where he made a ton of crap. This TV version of the Robert Louis Stevenson novel is a rare masterpiece for him, and it's because he is appropriate for this type of role where the style of acting he does here would not be appropriate in westerns, action films and gangster melodramas. "City Slickers" was a huge fluke for him, and his underplaying even with an outrageous character made people stand up and take notice.
There have been umpteen versions of the story, and Palance's variation of the part is truly top notch, aided with great direction, good video photography and memorable performances by Denholm Elliott, Tessie O'Shea and Billie Whitelaw, quite surprising as the floozy involved with Mr. Hyde who destroys her life by making a play for Dr. Jekyll. For those who only know her from "The Omen", this will be a delightful discovery because she is quite attractive even if her character is with few morals. O'Shea scores with some delightful music hall numbers, and Elliott is quite amazing in a truly subtle way.
But this is Palance's film to chew the scenery in a delightful way throughout, and it is very difficult to take your eyes off of him, whether he is under playing as Jekyll or laughing maniacally as Hyde. The scene where he takes on a group of men who have followed him out of the pub where O'Shea performs and Whitelaw searches out generous benefactors is magnificent because it is a combination of both horrific and frightening, setting off a gruesome series of murders that just gets even more devilish, including several where the victim's screams are psychologically haunting. Without a doubt one of the best TV remakes of a classic tale, and Palance stands out along with Barrymore and March and turning in an all-time classic brilliant performance.
There have been umpteen versions of the story, and Palance's variation of the part is truly top notch, aided with great direction, good video photography and memorable performances by Denholm Elliott, Tessie O'Shea and Billie Whitelaw, quite surprising as the floozy involved with Mr. Hyde who destroys her life by making a play for Dr. Jekyll. For those who only know her from "The Omen", this will be a delightful discovery because she is quite attractive even if her character is with few morals. O'Shea scores with some delightful music hall numbers, and Elliott is quite amazing in a truly subtle way.
But this is Palance's film to chew the scenery in a delightful way throughout, and it is very difficult to take your eyes off of him, whether he is under playing as Jekyll or laughing maniacally as Hyde. The scene where he takes on a group of men who have followed him out of the pub where O'Shea performs and Whitelaw searches out generous benefactors is magnificent because it is a combination of both horrific and frightening, setting off a gruesome series of murders that just gets even more devilish, including several where the victim's screams are psychologically haunting. Without a doubt one of the best TV remakes of a classic tale, and Palance stands out along with Barrymore and March and turning in an all-time classic brilliant performance.