“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (ジェキル博士とハイド氏), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese B3 First‑Release Poster — 1949 First Japanese Release (March 1949) — approx. 14.3 × 20.3 in (36.4 × 51.5 cm) (G)

This is an original Japanese poster printed for the film’s first Japanese theatrical release in March 1949. Released in Japan through セントラル / Central Motion Picture Exchange, it belongs to the postwar Hollywood import system operated in Japan by CMPE in coordination with the American studios’ export apparatus.

About the film
Directed by Victor Fleming. Starring Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, Lana Turner, with Donald Crisp and Ian Hunter. Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novella, MGM’s 1941 adaptation received Academy Award nominations for Joseph Ruttenberg’s cinematography, Harold F. Kress’s editing, and Franz Waxman’s score. One of the production’s best-known stories is Bergman’s successful insistence on switching roles with Turner so she could play Ivy rather than the conventional fiancée.

Poster design
A striking, painterly Japanese design transforms the black-and-white film into a blazing Gothic spectacle: a huge Hyde figure, cane raised and claw-like hand extended, looms over a field of orange flame, while the three billed stars appear below in richly coloured portrait form. The bold white title ジェキル博士とハイド氏 sweeps across the top in dramatic shadowed lettering, and the copy trumpets “lavish casting,” “top staff,” and Stevenson’s “immortal masterpiece.” With the MPEA and MGM emblems at the upper corners and the English title printed at the bottom, it has exceptional visual presence and unmistakable period character.

Why collectors prize this example
Collectors respond strongly to first-release Japanese paper from the postwar Hollywood-import period, and this example has several layers of appeal: a canonical Stevenson property, Victor Fleming, marquee names in Tracy / Bergman / Turner, and a country-specific Japanese design entirely different from standard American paper. Just as importantly, it preserves the original 1949 Japanese theatrical spelling ジェキル博士とハイド氏 and the period studio/export emblems that tie it specifically to that first Japanese run.

Condition
Excellent for its age. Two minor tears have been repaired with archival tape on the reverse, and the back shows even toning and natural show-through from the printed image. Most importantly, the front retains rich, saturated colour and excellent display presence. Please review the supplied photographs carefully—shown is the exact poster offered.

It is over 75 years old.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.

A rare opportunity to acquire an original Japanese first-release Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde poster in the desirable B3 format—an atmospheric, visually powerful March 1949 issue with original theatrical title typography, outstanding colour, and real crossover appeal for collectors of classic horror, Hollywood prestige, and vintage Japanese cinema paper.