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Frankenstein
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Frankenstein (1931) More at IMDbPro »

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Frankenstein -- Horror classic in which an obsessed scientist assembles a living being from parts of exhumed corpses.
Frankenstein -- Clip: It's Alive

Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   33,934 votes »
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Director:
Writers:
John L. Balderston (based upon the composition by)
Mary Shelley (from the novel by)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Frankenstein on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
21 November 1931 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Tagline:
A Monster Science Created - But Could Not Destroy! See more »
Plot:
Horror classic in which an obsessed scientist assembles a living being from parts of exhumed corpses. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Awards:
1 win & 1 nomination See more »
User Reviews:
A Memorable Monster In A Magnificent DVD Release See more (371 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Colin Clive ... Henry Frankenstein

Mae Clarke ... Elizabeth
John Boles ... Victor Moritz

Boris Karloff ... The Monster (as ?)
Edward Van Sloan ... Dr. Waldman
Frederick Kerr ... Baron Frankenstein

Dwight Frye ... Fritz
Lionel Belmore ... The Burgomaster
Marilyn Harris ... Little Maria
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ted Billings ... Villager (uncredited)
Mae Bruce ... Screaming Maid (uncredited)
Jack Curtis ... Extra (uncredited)
Arletta Duncan ... Bridesmaid (uncredited)
William Dyer ... Gravedigger (uncredited)
Francis Ford ... Hans (uncredited)
Mary Gordon ... Mourner (uncredited)
Soledad Jiménez ... Mourner (uncredited)
Carmencita Johnson ... Little Girl (uncredited)
Seessel Anne Johnson ... Little Girl (uncredited)
Michael Mark ... Ludwig (uncredited)
Pauline Moore ... Bridesmaid (uncredited)
Inez Palange ... Villager (uncredited)
Paul Panzer ... Mourner at Gravesite (uncredited)
Cecilia Parker ... Maid (uncredited)
Rose Plumer ... Villager (uncredited)
Cecil Reynolds ... Waldman's Secretary (uncredited)
Ellinor Vanderveer ... Medical Student (uncredited)
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Directed by
James Whale 
 
Writing credits
John L. Balderston (based upon the composition by)

Mary Shelley (from the novel by) (as Mrs. Percy B. Shelley)

Peggy Webling (adapted from the play by)

Garrett Fort (screenplay) &
Francis Edward Faragoh (screenplay)

Richard Schayer (scenario editor)

Robert Florey  contributor to treatment (uncredited)
John Russell  contributor to screenplay construction (uncredited)

Produced by
E.M. Asher .... associate producer
Carl Laemmle Jr. .... producer
 
Original Music by
Bernhard Kaun (uncredited)
 
Cinematography by
Arthur Edeson 
Paul Ivano (uncredited)
 
Film Editing by
Clarence Kolster (film editor)
 
Art Direction by
Charles D. Hall 
 
Makeup Department
Pauline Eells .... wig maker (uncredited)
Jack P. Pierce .... makeup artist (uncredited)
Jack P. Pierce .... makeup designer (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph A. McDonough .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Ed Keyes .... property master (uncredited)
Herman Rosse .... set designer (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
C. Roy Hunter .... recording supervisor
William Hedgcock .... sound recordist (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Franz Dallons .... props (uncredited)
Oscar Dallons .... props (uncredited)
Paul Dallons .... props (uncredited)
John P. Fulton .... special effects (uncredited)
Ken Strickfaden .... special electrical properties (uncredited)
 
Visual Effects by
Brian J. McNamara .... digital restoration artist (remastered version)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Sherman Clark .... still photographer (uncredited)
Jack Freulich .... still photographer (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mae Bruce .... wardrobe assistant (uncredited)
 
Editorial Department
Maurice Pivar .... supervising film editor
 
Music Department
Giuseppe Becce .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
David Broekman .... musical director (uncredited)
Gilbert Kurland .... music supervisor (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Carl Laemmle .... presenter
Carl Laemmle .... president: Universal Pictures Corp.
Frank Graves .... electrical effects assistant (uncredited)
Raymond Lindsay .... electrical effects (uncredited)
Robert Livingston .... double: Colin Clive, closing distant shot (uncredited)
Cecil Reynolds .... medical consultant (uncredited)
Gerald L.G. Sampson .... technical advisor (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Runtime:
70 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Certification:
Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Germany:16 | Sweden:11 | USA:Unrated | UK:A (original rating) (cut) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) (cinema version) (cut) | UK:PG (video rating) (2002) | Finland:K-15 (2004) | Iceland:16 | Spain:13 | South Korea:12 | Canada:(Banned) (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Norway:16 (video rating) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Brazil:12

Did You Know?

Trivia:
According to the TLC network program "Hunt for Amazing Treasures", a unique six-sheet poster for the original 1931 release, showing Karloff as The Monster menacing Mae Clarke, is worth at least $600,000 US and is possibly the most valuable movie poster in the world. The only known (original) copy is owned by a private collector.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: As the gravedigger fills in the grave, he throws his coat on the ground. After the grave is filled, his coat (and hat) are neatly hanging from a pickaxe stuck in the ground.See more »
Quotes:
[first lines]
Dr. Henry Frankenstein:Down! Down, you fool!
See more »
Movie Connections:

FAQ

How many Universal Studios "Frankenstein" sequels followed this movie?
Where was Ygor?
When is it acceptable to call Frankenstein's monster "Frankenstein"?
See more »
28 out of 32 people found the following review useful.
A Memorable Monster In A Magnificent DVD Release, 21 April 2005
Author: gftbiloxi (gftbiloxi@yahoo.com) from Biloxi, Mississippi

Although I have seen better prints of the film, this DVD issue of Universal Studio's famous FRANKENSTEIN is a magnificent package that is sure to delight any fan of classic horror. The film itself has been restored for content, and the Skal-hosted documentary--which traces the story from Mary Shelly's famous novel through its numerous film incarnations--is a delight, including numerous interviews with various historians, critics, and Karloff's daughter. The bonus audio track by Rudy Behlmer is also quite interesting, as are the various biographies and notes, and although the short film BOO is a spurious mix of footage from NOSFERATU, Dracula, THE CAT AND THE CANARY, and FRANKENSTEIN, it is an enjoyable little throw-away. All in all, it doesn't get much better than this.

As for the film itself, the production of FRANKENSTEIN was prompted by the incredible success of the earlier Dracula--but where Dracula is a rather problematic and significantly dated film, FRANKENSTEIN was and remains one of the most original horror films to ever emerge from Hollywood. Much of the credit for this goes to director James Whale, who by all accounts was deeply influenced by silent German film and his own traumatic experiences during World War I--and who mixed those elements with occasional flourishes of macabre humor to create a remarkably consistent vision of Mary Shelly's original novel.

Whale was extremely, extremely fortunate in his cast. Colin Clive was a difficult actor, but Whale not only managed to get him through the film but to draw from him his finest screen performance; Mae Clarke is a memorable Elizabeth; and Dwight Frye, so memorable in Dracula, tops himself as Fritz. But all eyes here are on Boris Karloff as the monster. Karloff had been kicking around Hollywood for a decade, and although he appeared in quite a few films before FRANKENSTEIN he never really registered with the public. But in this role, acting under heavy make-up, weighed down by lead weights in his shoes and struts around his legs, and without a line of intelligible dialogue he offered a performance that transcended the word "monster." This is a suffering being, dangerous mainly through innocence of his own power and the way of the world, goaded from disaster to disaster to disaster. Even some seventy-plus years later, it is difficult to imagine any other actor in the part.

Karloff would play the monster again in two later films, one of them directed by Whale, but although THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN is a remarkable film in its own right, this is the original combination of talents and the original vision. Truly a national treasure, to be enjoyed over and over again. Strongly recommended.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Frankenstein (1931)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
You gotta admit, the movie does pale when compared to the novel Agent_Mulder89
If Felix had gotten the right brain... petekrug17
Wrinkles and Dirt on Backdrop aasoloway
What happened to Fritz to cause him to... kbarada
So, who saw it in theaters yesterday? CindyH
sigh.... which version? ale3370
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