The film had a trade preview under the title Schrecken in late April 1920. According to review from this period, the characters names are given as Jekyll rather than Jeskyll. On the trade preview from April 1920, the film received praise from publications Lichtbild-Bühne and Film-Kurier, both specifically noting Conrad Veidt's performance. Following a screening on June 20, a critic in Neue Kino-Rundschau declared that the film "belongs to the best that German film art has produced. The direction by F.W. Murnau is a textbook example and Konrad Veidt gives an unsurpassed masterly performance."
