Rent The Ugly Duckling (1959)

Name: The Ugly Duckling
Rating: 3

3.0 of 5 from 47 ratings

1h 24min

Synopsis:: Henry Jeckle (Bernard Bresslaw) was always the outsider, a bungling and awkward buffoon, relegated to waiting for his invitation to participate in life that never arrived: until he discovers a medical formula developed by a dead uncle, which claimed to turn 'a man of timid disposition into a bold, fearless dragon'. Taking a draught of the elixir Henry is transformed into suave, sophisticated and highly desirable Teddy Hyde (also Bernard Bresslaw). Armed with his new persona, Teddy is ready to face the world; but is Henry ready for the consequences?
Actors:: Bernard Bresslaw, Reginald Beckwith, Jon Pertwee, Maudie Edwards, Jean Muir, Norma Marla, Richard Wattis, Jess Conrad, Shelagh Dey, Joe Loss & His Orchestra, Elwyn Brook-Jones, Michael Ripper, David Lodge, Harold Goodwin, Keith Smith, Michael Ward, John Harvey, Jean Driant, Sheila Hammond, Verne Morgan
Directors:: Lance Comfort
Producers:: Michael Carreras
Writers:: Sid Colin, Jack Davies, Robert Louis Stevenson
Aka:: Le vilain petit canard
Genres:: Action & Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

BBFC:

Release Date:

18/05/2026

Run Time:

84 minutes

Languages:

English Mono

Subtitles:

English Hard of Hearing

Formats:

Pal

Aspect Ratio:

Widescreen 1.66:1

Colour:

B & W

BLU-RAY Regions:

Bonus:

Dancing the Cha-Cha-Cha (2019, 21 mins): actors Jess Conrad and Geremy Phillips, and choreographer Lionel Blair look back fondly at The Ugly Duckling's musical sequences
From Virtue to Vice (2026, 15 mins): film historian Robert Shail on the career of director Lance Comfort
A Tricky Beast (2026, 12 mins): appreciation by film historian Kevin Lyons
Infamously Fun (2026, 7 mins): author Stephen Laws introduces the film
The BEHP Interview with Len Harris (1991, 84 mins): archival audio recording with the camera operator in conversation with Alan Lawson and Manny Yospa
Up in the Air (1969, 54 mins): feature-length Children's Film Foundation production starring Jon Pertwee
Image gallery
UK premiere on Blu-ray