Záhadný pan Hyde

The black-and-white material and the chosen musical accompaniment create a quite suitable dark atmosphere, fitting for Robert Louis Stevenson's literary original. Of course, the presence of legends of Czech acting, starting with Martin Růžek and ending with the then-young Jiří Kodet, must be appreciated. On the other hand, there's not much to show on the screen, and neither the direction nor the screenplay seem to me to be of such quality that I would give more than 3 strong stars. The novel is a cornerstone of its genre and deserves a newer and more elaborate adaptation, but unfortunately, Czechs don't have the resources for that, nor likely the talent among directors. Overall impression: 65%. This film now mainly functions as an interesting example of the early days of Czech dramatic television production. (21.12.2013)