The Bride of Frankenstein

In his audio commentary, film historian Scott McQueen calls The Bride of Frankenstein "the perfect horror film," and I can't disagree. Not only is it the rare sequel that is better than the original, but is also a classic in its own right.

The film was released in 1935, even though there was a clamor for a second film immediately after the first in 1931. The script went through many changes, and director James Whale only agreed to do it after a "one for you, one for me" deal with Universal. Thankfully he did do it, for his genius shows everywhere.

At the burning windmill, the site of the end of the first film, we find out that Frankenstein's monster is still alive, having taken refuge in an underwater cave. He kills the unfortunate parents of the little girl he drowned in the first film, as the father wants to see "his blackened bones." He goes on a rampage, murdering across the countryside.

Meanwhile, the recovering Henry Frankenstein is visited by an odd duck, a former teacher of his, Dr. Pretorius. The old scientist, who was "booted" out of his position, wants to show Frankenstein his work--growing little people out of seeds. They live in bell jars, and when I saw this movie as a kid I was very creeped out by it, and still am.

Pretorius wants Frankenstein to team up with him on making a mate for the creature, but Frankenstein refuses, so Pretorius, with help from the monster (whom he meets coincidentally in a crypt) kidnaps Elizabeth, Frankenstein's wife, to extort his help.

There is so much to love in this film. We get a prologue that ties the film to Mary Shelley (played by Elsa Lanchester), and then the rest of the film is lean and taut, with no fat. There's some comedy, notably from Una O'Connor (whom Whale used to similar effect in The Invisible Man) and Ernest Thesiger as Pretorius. In today's retrospect, we can see that Thesiger was playing Pretorious as a flamboyant gay man (Whale was gay), a kind of type that dared not speak its name then. But he was some great lines, like when he offers Frankenstein gin ("It's my only weakness") and telling his fellow graverobbers to leave him alone in the crypt ("I like this place").

The film was also controversial for some of it's religious iconography. In one scene the monster is trussed up in a crucifix pose, but as McQueen points out, Christ was a redeemer and the Son of God, while the monster is the son of man, and redeems nothing.

The film looks smashing. The cinematography, which couldn't be any better, was by John J. Mescall, who was a great artist when he was sober. The editing, by Ted Kent, is also magnificent, particularly in the bride's creation scene, which has more cuts than I could count.

The acting is better than average for this sort of thing. Besides Thesiger, Colin Clive returns as Frankenstein, but Valerie Hobson, only 17 years old, replaced Mae Clarke as Elizabeth. But Boris Karloff is given much more to do as the creature. He is able to speak a few words, and his scene with the blind hermit (beautifully played by O.P. Heggie) makes you forget the Mel Brooks parody, as it so touching.

The ending, when Lanchester has her second role as the unfortunate bride, is full of pathos (and a hairdo that may be the most famous in film history). Even she rejects the monster, and poor Karloff decides to blow it all up (why would they make a lever that destroys everything?) He tells Clive and Hobson to "go, live!" while condemning himself, Lanchester, and Thesiger. "We belong dead."

This was the last Frankenstein film for both Whale and Karloff, and the many sequels afterward never approached this film's greatness.