An under-rated director, Mamoulian was among the most creative of
Hollywood artists in the early 1930s, when his cinematic innovation
stands out among so many theatrical and primitive early talkies. His
comparative neglect is probably due to the fact that his films lack
thematic unity; but his stylistic grace and artistry are constant.
Several of his films (Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Love Me Tonight, the Garbo
vehicle Queen Christina, and the first film in 3-strip Technicolor,
Becky Sharp) are famous in their own right, and it is time that the
personal contribution of their director was more widely recognised.
