Inferior Quasi-Sequel

 

THE SON OF DR. JEKYLL-1951-After the notorious Mr Hyde is killed and changes back to Dr. Jekyll, his baby son Edward is rescued by Dr. Lanyon (Alexander Knox) and adopted by Dr. Utterson (Lester Matthews). Years later Edward (Louis Hayward) is thrown out of college for some of his experiments. When he proposes to his fiance' Lynn (Jody Lawrance) the doctors decide to tell Ed of his heritage. Ed takes up residence in dad's house and is hounded by the newspapers and taunted by locals. Ed concocts his father's formula and against the wishes of his faithful butler Michaels (Rhys Williams) takes it. 

Unbeknownst to him someone has tampered with the brew. He passes out and turns into Hyde Jr. But when he tries to reproduce the results for the press of course it doesn't work. When a young man (Hamilton Camp) is attacked Edward is accused and arrested by Inspector Stoddard (Paul Cavanagh). It seems Ed is being railroaded. He escapes from the sanatorium and does his own investigating. Of course Lanyon is behind the whole thing. Apparently he lost his reputation when he defended Ed's dad and wants revenge by driving Ed crazy. 

Victor Adamson (aka Denver Dixon and father of future exploitation film director Al Adamson) is briefly seen as a coachman.

SON isn't very good. It's talky and predictable. Director Seymour Friedman made entries into series featuring Boston Blackie, The Crime Doctor and The Saint and later went into TV. 

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The Saint

THE SAINT IN NEW YORK-1938-Louis Hayward portrays Simon Templar, in the first adaptation of Leslie Charteris’ Saint character. The globe trotting crime fighter is summoned to NYC by a special committee who want him to “take care” of some crime bosses who keep eluding justice thanks to their corrupt lawyers (some things never change I guess…).

Templar is quite ruthless in dispatching his targets and at one point disguises himself as a nun! Usual comic villain Sig Ruman appears in a straight role as one of mob bosses. Ben Weldon plays his assistant. Haywood would become a big star a few years later with roles in THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK and MY SON! MY SON!. Kay Sutton, Jonathan Hale, Jack Carson and Paul Guilfoyle also star. Familiar character actors Paul Fix and George Irving have un-credited roles.

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