Werewolf of London (1935)

Director:

Stuart Walker

Writers:

Robert Harris (story)
John Colton (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 May 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Beware the Stalking Being - Half-Human - Half-Beast!

Plot:

The juice of a rare Tibetan flower is the only thing that keeps Dr. Glendon from turning into a werewolf during a full moon.

Plot Keywords:

Flower | Werewolf | Tibet | Moon | Antidote

Cast

Henry Hull	...	Dr. Glendon
Warner Oland	...	Dr. Yogami
Valerie Hobson	...	Lisa Glendon
Lester Matthews	...	Paul Ames
Lawrence Grant	...	Sir Thomas Forsythe
Spring Byington	...	Miss Ettie Coombes
Clark Williams	...	Hugh Renwick
J.M. Kerrigan	...	Hawkins
Charlotte Granville	...	Lady Forsythe
Ethel Griffies	...	Mrs. Whack
Zeffie Tilbury	...	Mrs. Moncaster
Jeanne Bartlett	...	Daisy

Also Known As:

Unholy Hour

Runtime:

75 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Tibetan | Latin

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-11 (2004) | Spain:13 | Australia:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #714) | Sweden:7

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Pre-release publicity material lists Reginald Barlow cast as "Dr. Phillips", scripted as a specialist whom "Dr. Glendon" privately consults after being afflicted with "lycanthrophobia"; this detail, however, was bypassed in the finished production (if indeed it was ever filmed at all), most likely because it would be totally against the established "solitary" character of "Glendon" to do so. At any rate, Barlow was "re-assigned" the uncredited role of the caretaker Timothy.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the werewolf creeps up on the floozie at the Zoo, he conceals his face with his cape and arm, but when the floozie spots him in her compact, he is shown unconcealed.

Quotes:

Dr. Wilfred Glendon: Thanks for the bullet.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Perfect Scary Movie (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Tales from the Vienna Woods, op.325

Underrated Horror Classic

"Werewolf of London" almost never gets mentioned when one talks of the classic Universal horror flicks of the 30s and 40s. Yet it is as good or better than most of them.

The story involves a biologist (Henry Hull) who is in Tibet searching for a rare flower. While there he is attacked by a werewolf and unknowingly becomes infected himself. The rare flower it turns out, has the power to suppress the transformation into a werewolf. A mysterious scientist from Tibet (Warner Oland) appears and takes an unusual interest in the plant. Well, as in all werewolf movies, you know what happens when the moon is full.

Perhaps the film doesn't get the recognition it deserves because of the absence of one of Universal's major horror stars (Karloff or Lugosi). Lon Chaney Jr. would not arrive on the scene (in horror movies) until 1941.

Veteran character actor Hull is very good as the tormented Dr. Glendon. He plays him more in the manner of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde than an out and out monster. The murders are committed off screen so we have to rely on Hull to convey the evil of the werewolf through his performance. Warner Oland, who was starring in the Charlie Chan series at the time, has little to do as Dr. Yogami. The fetching Valerie Hobson stands out as Hull's wife and Spring Byington does her usual talkative busybody as Aunt Ettie. The weak link in the cast is Lester Matthews as the token hero Captain Ames. He plays him as a silly-ass stuffed shirt rather than the dashing fellow he is supposed to be.

Having said all of that, "Werewolf of London" is one of the better horror films of its time and unfortunately remains one of the most underrated of the genre.