The Ugly Duckling (1959) User Reviews

In the vault of Hammer Film there was an Ugly Duckling.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 4 November 2018]

Thanks to UK Cable channel Talking Pictures, The Ugly Duckling has resurfaced. While it's no hidden gem demanding to be sought out as a critical must, it is however a joy for fans of British cinema with knowledge of such.

Story is a reworking of the Jekyll and Hyde story, with Bernard Bresslaw as Henry Jekll, a descendant of the not so good doctor. Henry is a bumbling buffoon, sweet, amiable and harmless, he does however drive all around him to distraction. Messing about in chemistry Henry transforms into Teddy Hyde, a womanising spiv, a man easy in the company of girls and gangsters alike. Trouble ahead does wait...

It's all very jolly and harmless, the center piece of plotting being a robbery of precious jewels that thrusts Henry/Teddy to the front of things. There's nothing deep on offer here, the dangers of messing with science, personality changes to fit in etc are not explored, this is played for light entertainment and works on those terms.

The dance hall background is firmly of its time, nicely so, with the Joe Loss Orchestra in full effect. While the period flavours are engaging as the rocking 50s close out as the more decadent swinging 60s beckons. The delight for Brit cinema fans here is with the cast, where lining up for some jollification are Jon Pertwee, Reginald Beckwith, Maudie Edwards, Richard Watiss, Michael Ripper, Shelagh Dey and David Lodge all propping up the ever likable Bresslaw. Bonus here is to get a rare look at the adorable Jean Muir, only two film credits when really she should have had more.

The Jekyll & Hyde axis of the story gives way to the jewel robbery in the final third, making this a tad disjointed, and the comedy is gentle and not likely to bring about raucous laughter (though one great line from Pertwee is absolute gold dust). Ultimately this has the ability to cover a compliant film fan for this ilk of cinema with a warm comfort blanket, for it be a time capsule worth opening. 7/10

I very been waiting 59 years to see this again

[malcolmgsw · 6/10 · 3 December 2018]

Thanastasia to TPTV I have at last managed to see this film again,59 years after seeing it at the ABC Golders Green.I enjoyed Bernard Bresslaw in the joint role.The film did flag a little towards the end.However the great way of presenting the cast at the end pepper thinks up.Good to see the last of the big band leaders Joe Loss.Incidentally,Sid Colin the scriptwriter,was once a musician in the big bands of the thirties.

"My Name's Hyde, Teddy Hyde...!"

[richardchatten · 6/10 · 5 November 2019]

Bernard Bresslaw had already appeared in Hammer's 'The Men of Sherwood Forest' in 1954, and only lost the role of Frankenstein's monster to Christopher Lee because his agent asked for more money. Ironically his best known horror role was in the Carry On spoof 'Carry On Screaming' (1966)' and it was in comedy that he was making his name in TV's 'The Army Game' when Hammer invited him back to star in their big screen version, 'I Only Arsked' in 1958; which was sufficiently successful to spawn this sequel of sorts in which he became the first actor to play Jekyll & Hyde for Hammer.

Reversing Hammer's 'straight' version, 'The Two Faces of Jekyll' (1960), he sprouts facial hair in the form of a rakish moustache as part of the transformation; and like Jerry Lewis's 'Buddy Love' in 'The Nutty Professor' (1963) also acquires a slick new wardrobe in which he wows the girls and develops an amoral new persona.

So far, so good, and under veteran director Lance Comfort's assured tutelage the first two thirds is enhanced by vivid black & white photography by Michael Reed and an almost expressionist rooftop set by Bernard Robinson. But it's at this point it rather loses its way and begins to fizzle out; although it lingered strikingly in the memory when I originally saw it aged about 10 over half a century ago; and Jean Muir makes an appealingly elfin little beat chick.

Despite her name Miss Muir's not the fashion designer, although the rather patrician vowels she's inclined to occasionally slip into would better accompany one of the latter's creations than the fetchingly boyish short hair and slacks she wears for much of the film.

Jolly good fun

[muswellmovies · 25 September 2010]

I saw this film on its initial release as the lower half of a double bill,I forget what made up the other half as this is the film that impressed me. The star was Bernard Breslaw a popular comic actor at this time as he was one of the troop of conscripts in a TV show called "The Army Game". A show that was loosely based on the classic "Phil Silvers" or "Bilko" show transported to an English setting. Breslaw played Pvt "Popeye" Poppelwell. This show was popular enough to get a Film Version made called " I only Arsked" Popplewell's catchphrase and Breslaw had a hit single with a song called "Mad Passionate Love" delivered in the style of his Popeye character. N.B IMDb only lists him as appearing in two episodes of "The Army Game" but I remember him as one of the main recurring characters.If it was indeed only two episodes he made a hell of an impact as he is fondly remembered by those who recall the series, fifty years later.

I don't think it is giving too much away to say that "The Ugly Duckling" is a comic updating of the Jekyll and Hyde story. Breslaw in Popplewell mode as Henry Jekyll is a pharmacist working in a chemists shop. He discovers the formula for the Mr Hyde solution and is transformed from the idiot Jekyll into the smooth and dashing Teddy Hyde. As the dashing and handsome Hyde dressed in a natty suit he becomes the fearless leader of a gang of crooks. Breslaws performance in the dual role is terrific. Moving from the bumbling incompetent to the suave master criminal with equal conviction.

One thing to note is that the gag of having Hyde as a handsome womaniser pre dates the same idea used in "The Nutty Professor", with Jerry Lewis making a similar transformation, by four years. I have often wondered if Lewis saw this before making his own version.

Sadly this film is unavailable at the time of writing I would welcome a DVD release to re acquaint myself with it.

Dated comedy, once hard to see

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 2 November 2018]

Thanks to the excellent UK TV station Talking Pictures TV, some of us are now getting the option to re-evaluate the formerly 'lost' Hammer Films comedy THE UGLY DUCKLING, which was broadcast for the first time in October 2018. It's the first of three Hammer adaptations of the Robert Louis Stevenson novella DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE, and the only one that's an out-and-out comedy. A simpering Bernard Bresslaw - who still has the annoying character he had in I ONLY ARSKED! - plays the mild-mannered and clumsy protagonist, who takes a magic potion and turns into the slick spiv Teddy Hyde. He becomes involved in a low-level crime plot and has to be rescued by some crucial allies including his brother, as played by Jon Pertwee. This is very much a typical British comedy of the era, lighthearted and dated when it comes to the humour, but nonetheless providing a fun snapshot of British cinema in the late 1950s. The production values are strong and the supporting cast impressive, with Michael Ripper, Harold Goodwin, David Lodge, Richard Wattis and Reginald Beckwith all enjoyable in their own way.

Stick With Jerry Lewis' THE NUTTY PROFESSOR

[boblipton · 4/10 · 18 January 2022]

Bernard Bresslaw is the clumsy and backwards member of the once proud family of Jeckle. While working on a pick-me-up, he samples the concoction and turns into..... yep, you guessed it, Teddy Hyde.

It's Hammer's humorous take on the Robert Louis Stevenson classic, and has such talented comic performers as Jon Pertwee and Maudie Edwards in support. The trouble is that Bresslaw is more to be pitied than laughed at as he turns unconsciously into a dangerous man of action who steals the crown jewels without realizing it as his better self. I found myself more interested in Joe Loss's orchestra and the issue of where they had had found a contrabass saxophone and someone to play it, than the story, or the lack of funny shenanigans.

Don't Wait Up!

[JohnHowardReid · 3/10 · 3 March 2016]

This up-dated musical comedy re-make of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is a sorry spectacle. Bernard Bresslaw is an irritatingly slow-witted clown who manages to stretch out both his words and his comedy routines (none of which were the slightest bit funny to begin with) into the land of Infinite Tedium. Admittedly, his change-over is mildly effective, but I thought he would never ever get off that damn plank!

Admittedly, the movie's art director has contrived a few spell- binding sets, but the weak script and even less impressive direction combine to dissipate whatever promise the basic story idea might have generated in the hands of more astute writers and technicians.

Despite the initial promise of Joe Loss and His Orchestra to pump a bit of interest into the scenario and the efforts of Jean Muir to provide a bit of much-needed glamour, the movie never rises above the disappointingly mediocre.

A golden time for hammer - well worth watching

[Radish4ever · 9/10 · 16 October 2018]

This film has not been seen since it (rumoured) was shown on TV in 1967 and 1973. This was considered by many to be a lost film, although some believed it still existed, This was proven right when then it was shown in the UK on talking pictures on 14/10/2018.

The story is simply, Henry Jekyll (Bernard Bresslaw) is a clumsy oaf, with no confidence, his brother is Victor (Jon Pertwee) they don't get on until Henry drinks a formula and turns into Teddy Hyde. Strong, charismatic and a love of danger. He steals the crown Jewels with minimal effort. Then he turns back to Henry. Victor discovers the jewels and then has to help the now limited Henry put the stolen items back - if he can do so in this state of existence. Is Teddy Hyde another version of Henry, or does he have the ability all along to emulate his alter-ego?

Excellent and enjoyable adventure - recommended and like most hammer films made around that time - well worth a look. The two main leads were both excellent. The music composed by Jo Loss and his Orchestra is catchy and sounds as good today as it did then.

A lost classic has resurfaced and this film needed to be seen again.

Worst-ever Hammer film

[John-ridley33 · 1/10 · 31 January 2020]

I saw this film in Eire in the early 1960s in a continuous performance and was concerned to see patrons walking out in the middle of the film. After approximately 30 minutes watching the film I could well understand why. Bernard Bresslaw never had the talent nor the stage craft to hold a television programme, let alone a film, together and never mind a second rate film. This film must rank as the worst ever Hammer Films effort.