Mary Reilly
Somewhere in England in the nineteenth century. A pretty housemaid works in a nice house, which is Dr. Henry Jekyll's (John Malkovich's) house. Mary Reilly (Julia Roberts) think she found her best job, because she is poor and the doctor is well-known and rich. This movie tells the "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" story as a woman sees the two men, one of them is good and the other is evil. And she loves them.
The film box office disappointment against its mid-range budget of $47.0M, earning $12.4M globally (-74% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its distinctive approach within the drama genre.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Mary Reilly (1996) reveals meticulously timed plot construction, characteristic of Stephen Frears's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 48 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.2, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Mary Reilly
Dr. Henry Jekyll
Mr. Edward Hyde
Mrs. Farraday
Main Cast & Characters
Mary Reilly
Played by Julia Roberts
A traumatized housemaid in Dr. Jekyll's household who becomes entangled in his dark experiments and dual nature.
Dr. Henry Jekyll
Played by John Malkovich
A respected physician conducting dangerous experiments that unleash his dark alter ego, Mr. Hyde.
Mr. Edward Hyde
Played by John Malkovich
The violent, uninhibited alter ego of Dr. Jekyll who emerges through his experiments.
Mrs. Farraday
Played by Glenn Close
The stern housekeeper who manages Dr. Jekyll's household staff.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Mary Reilly performs her duties as a housemaid in Dr. Jekyll's Victorian London household, her scarred hands revealing a troubled past she keeps hidden beneath her quiet, subservient demeanor.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Dr. Jekyll introduces Mary to his new "assistant," Mr. Hyde, a brutish and unsettling figure who will be coming and going through a private entrance. The household's equilibrium is shattered by this sinister presence.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Mary chooses to continue serving Dr. Jekyll despite the danger Hyde represents, accepting a key to the laboratory and becoming complicit in the household's dark secrets., moving from reaction to action.
At 54 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Mary discovers evidence that Jekyll and Hyde are the same person after witnessing a partial transformation. Her idealized view of her master shatters as the horrifying truth emerges—the man she loves contains the monster she fears., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 81 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Hyde attacks Mary directly, and Jekyll's trusted butler Poole is killed. The household collapses into chaos as Hyde takes complete control, and it seems Jekyll—the man Mary loved—is gone forever., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 86 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Mary chooses to confront Hyde directly, refusing to be a victim any longer. She realizes that understanding darkness—in herself and others—gives her power over it., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Mary Reilly's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Mary Reilly against these established plot points, we can identify how Stephen Frears utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Mary Reilly within the drama genre.
Stephen Frears's Structural Approach
Among the 9 Stephen Frears films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.1, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Mary Reilly represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Stephen Frears filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include After Thomas, South Pacific and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. For more Stephen Frears analyses, see Philomena, Florence Foster Jenkins and Victoria & Abdul.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Mary Reilly performs her duties as a housemaid in Dr. Jekyll's Victorian London household, her scarred hands revealing a troubled past she keeps hidden beneath her quiet, subservient demeanor.
Theme
Dr. Jekyll observes Mary's scars and remarks on how people carry their wounds differently—some visible, some hidden—hinting at the duality that defines both their natures.
Worldbuilding
The repressive Victorian household is established with its rigid hierarchies. Mary's traumatic childhood with her abusive father is revealed through her confessions to Dr. Jekyll, who takes a special interest in her suffering.
Disruption
Dr. Jekyll introduces Mary to his new "assistant," Mr. Hyde, a brutish and unsettling figure who will be coming and going through a private entrance. The household's equilibrium is shattered by this sinister presence.
Resistance
Mary navigates the increasingly strange demands of serving both Jekyll and Hyde. She debates her loyalty as Hyde's cruel nature becomes apparent, while Jekyll confides in her about his scientific experiments.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Mary chooses to continue serving Dr. Jekyll despite the danger Hyde represents, accepting a key to the laboratory and becoming complicit in the household's dark secrets.
Mirror World
Mary develops a deeper emotional connection with Dr. Jekyll as he shares his research and treats her as an intellectual equal. Their bond represents the possibility of connection transcending class and trauma.
Premise
Mary serves as a bridge between Jekyll and Hyde's worlds, witnessing Hyde's violent outbursts while growing closer to Jekyll. She visits Mrs. Farraday's brothel at Jekyll's request and begins to understand the full scope of his experiments.
Midpoint
Mary discovers evidence that Jekyll and Hyde are the same person after witnessing a partial transformation. Her idealized view of her master shatters as the horrifying truth emerges—the man she loves contains the monster she fears.
Opposition
Hyde's violence escalates as he murders Mrs. Farraday. Jekyll loses control over the transformations, becoming Hyde involuntarily. Mary is caught between her loyalty to Jekyll and her terror of what he becomes.
Collapse
Hyde attacks Mary directly, and Jekyll's trusted butler Poole is killed. The household collapses into chaos as Hyde takes complete control, and it seems Jekyll—the man Mary loved—is gone forever.
Crisis
Mary confronts her own trauma and its parallels to Jekyll's duality. She must decide whether to flee or face the monster—both the one in Jekyll and the one her father created in her memories.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Mary chooses to confront Hyde directly, refusing to be a victim any longer. She realizes that understanding darkness—in herself and others—gives her power over it.
Synthesis
In the final confrontation, Jekyll briefly regains control and begs Mary to help him end the cycle. She witnesses his suicide, which destroys Hyde forever. The household servants discover the truth, and Mary must process the loss of both the man she loved and the monster she feared.
Transformation
Mary leaves the Jekyll household, no longer the silent, scarred servant defined by her past. She walks into the London morning with agency and understanding—having faced the dual nature of humanity and emerged whole.