Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953) in Color — Starring Bud Abbott & Lou Costello

Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953) — Buy This Classic in Color

Discover Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the 1953 American comedy horror film directed by Charles Lamont and starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, and Boris Karloff, now available as a professionally colorized version. A series of horrific murders has terrorized Victorian London and baffled police. While returning home from a pub, newspaper reporter Bruce Adams finds one murder victim, a prominent doctor. The next day, two American policemen, Slim and Tubby, who are studying London police methods, respond to a brawl at a women’s suffrage rally in Hyde Park. Reporter Adams, young suffragette Vicky Edwards, Slim, and Tubby are all caught up in the fray and wind up in jail. Vicky’s guardian, Dr. Henry Jekyll, bails Vicky and Adams out, while Tubby and Slim are kicked off the police force. Unknown to anyone, Dr. Jekyll has developed a serum which transforms him into Mr. Hyde—the monster who is responsible for the recent murders. This Abbott and Costello classic combines the duo’s signature comedy with Universal’s horror tradition, featuring Boris Karloff in the iconic dual role. Own this classic horror-comedy in color as a DRM-free MP4 digital download for just €15.00.

Plot Summary

A series of horrific murders has terrorized Victorian London and baffled police. While returning home from a pub, newspaper reporter Bruce Adams finds one murder victim, a prominent doctor. The next day, two American policemen, Slim and Tubby, who are studying London police methods, respond to a brawl at a women’s suffrage rally in Hyde Park. Reporter Adams, young suffragette Vicky Edwards, Slim, and Tubby are all caught up in the fray and wind up in jail. Vicky’s guardian, Dr. Henry Jekyll, bails Vicky and Adams out, while Tubby and Slim are kicked off the police force. Unknown to anyone, Dr. Jekyll has developed a serum which transforms him into Mr. Hyde—the monster who is responsible for the recent murders. Dr. Jekyll is secretly in love with Vicky, and is angered by the mutual attraction between Vicky and Bruce. He injects himself to transform once again into Hyde with the intent of murdering Bruce.

Meanwhile, Tubby and Slim realize that if they capture the monster they will be reinstated on the police force. Walking down a street at night, Tubby spots Hyde and the boys trail him into the music hall where Vicky is performing and Adams is visiting. A chase ensues, and Tubby manages to trap Hyde inside a cell in a wax museum. But before Tubby can bring the police inspector, Adams and Slim to the scene, the monster has reverted to the respected Dr. Jekyll. Tubby is once again rebuked by the police inspector, but the “good” doctor asks Slim and Tubby to escort him to his home. While Slim and Tubby snoop around Jekyll’s home, Tubby drinks a potion which transforms him into a large mouse. Slim and Tubby bring this extraordinary news to the inspector, but the inspector refuses to believe them.

Vicky announces to Jekyll her intent to marry Adams, but Jekyll does not share her enthusiasm and transforms into Hyde (without an injection) and attacks her. Adams, Slim and Tubby save her in the nick of time, but Hyde escapes. During the struggle, Jekyll’s serum needle falls into a couch cushion, which Tubby accidentally falls onto, transforming him into a Hyde-like monster. Another madcap chase ensues, this time with Adams chasing Jekyll’s monster and Slim pursuing Tubby’s monster, who they each believe is Jekyll. Reports of the monster seemingly being in multiple places at once frustrate and confuse the London police.

Adams’ chase ends up back at Jekyll’s home, where Hyde falls to his death from an upstairs window, then transforms back into his true identity. Meanwhile, Slim brings Tubby, who is still in monster form, to the inspector’s office. Tubby bites the inspector and four officers, then reverts to his true self. Before Slim and Tubby can be reprimanded, the inspector and the officers transform into monsters. Slim and Tubby dash through a wall and out of police headquarters to escape.

Cast & Crew

Director: Charles Lamont

Stars: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Boris Karloff, Craig Stevens, Helen Westcott, Reginald Denny, John Dierkes, Eddie Parker

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was originally filmed in black and white, with cinematography that captured the atmospheric Victorian London streets and the comic-horror transformation sequences. This professionally colorized restoration enhances every scene with frame-by-frame precision, from the foggy London streets to the dramatic transformation scenes and madcap chases. The colorized version reveals new visual richness in the film’s settings, where the Victorian London locations, the music hall, and Jekyll’s laboratory gain authenticity that transports viewers to the atmospheric world of Gothic horror comedy. Boris Karloff’s legendary dual performance as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde gains additional dimension in color, his transformation from the respectable doctor to the monstrous Hyde becoming even more striking as color highlights the dramatic makeup and atmospheric lighting. Abbott and Costello’s signature comedy routines benefit from colorization, their physical comedy and expressive reactions becoming even more vibrant and engaging. The film’s horror-comedy sequences, including the transformation scenes and the climactic monster chase, become even more dynamic in color, the contrast between the Victorian gloom and the colorful comedy creating visual interest that enhances both the terror and the laughter. Now also available in colour.

Buy Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in color today for just €15.00. Your DRM-free MP4 download is available for instant access.

Historical Significance

Released in 1953, Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde represents one of the team’s most successful “meet the monsters” films, combining their signature comedy with Universal’s classic horror tradition. The film was part of Universal’s strategy to pair the comedy duo with the studio’s iconic monsters, following the success of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) and Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951). This film completed the monster meeting trilogy, cementing Abbott and Costello’s place in horror-comedy history.

The film featured Boris Karloff, the legendary horror star who had defined the horror genre in the 1930s with his performances as Frankenstein’s monster and the Mummy. Karloff’s portrayal of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde brought full circle his association with Universal’s monster legacy, though notably he did not play Mr. Hyde once the transformation was complete—Hyde was played by stuntman Eddie Parker, who was uncredited. Similarly, after Costello transformed, his stunt double, Vic Parks, played the Costello version of Hyde. This use of stunt doubles for the transformation sequences was common practice in the era, allowing for more dynamic action scenes.

The film was directed by Charles Lamont, who directed several Abbott and Costello films and understood how to balance the duo’s comedy with horror elements. The screenplay took significant liberties with Robert Louis Stevenson’s original story, as noted by the Los Angeles Times in its review: “If Robert Louis Stevenson is turning over in his grave, it’s probably only so he can get in a more comfortable position for a belly laugh.” This comedic approach to the classic horror tale reflected the post-war trend of parodying Gothic horror for comedic effect.

The film received an “X” rating in Britain because of the scenes with Mr. Hyde, reflecting the stricter censorship standards of the time. Despite this, contemporaneous reviewers gave the film good marks, with Film Daily reporting that if audience reaction at a sneak preview could be taken as a criterion, then Universal-International had another big treat for Abbott and Costello fans. The film has a 63% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on reviews from 8 critics, with an average rating of 5.86/10.

The film has been released multiple times on home media, on DVD as part of “The Best of Abbott and Costello Volume Four,” as part of “Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection,” and in the “Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters Collection” in 2015. It was released on Blu-ray as part of “Abbott & Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection” on November 19, 2019. Through modern colorization, this classic horror-comedy reaches new audiences who can appreciate its place in the history of American cinema and the enduring appeal of Abbott and Costello’s unique blend of comedy and horror. Now also available en couleur.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 / MKV digital download
• Resolution: HD 720p
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: English original mono
• Runtime: 76 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Who stars in Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
A: Bud Abbott stars as Slim, Lou Costello as Tubby, Boris Karloff as Dr. Henry Jekyll, Craig Stevens as Bruce Adams, and Helen Westcott as Vicky Edwards.

Q: Is Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde a comedy?
A: Yes, it’s a horror-comedy film that combines Abbott and Costello’s signature comedy with Universal’s classic horror tradition.

Q: What is the plot of Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
A: Two American policemen in London encounter Dr. Jekyll, who transforms into Mr. Hyde, leading to comic chaos when Tubby accidentally drinks a potion and transforms into a monster.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as MP4 and MKV files that play on virtually any device.

Q: Is there DRM on the file?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free so you can watch it on any device without restrictions.

Q: How quickly can I watch after purchase?
A: Your download link is available instantly after payment, so you can start watching within minutes.

Related Colorized Classics

• Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
• Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951)
• Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955)
• Africa Screams (1949)
• The Time of Their Lives (1946)
• Lost in a Harem (1944)
• Ma and Pa Kettle (1949)