Werewolf of London (1935)

Director:

Stuart Walker

Writers:

John Colton (screenplay)
Robert Harris (story)
(more)

Release Date:

13 May 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Beware! Terror strikes in the night!

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Reginald Barlow	...	Timothy, Falden Caretaker (uncredited)
Egon Brecher	...	Priest (uncredited)
Wong Chung	...	Coolie (uncredited)
J. Gunnis Davis	...	Detective (uncredited)
Herbert Evans	...	Detective Evans (uncredited)
Eole Galli	...	The Prima Donna (uncredited)
Helena Grant	...	Mother (uncredited)
Jeffrey Hassel	...	Alf, Zoo Guard (uncredited)
Boyd Irwin	...	Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Noel Kennedy	...	Boy (uncredited)
George Kirby	...	Detective (uncredited)
Connie Leon	...	Millie, Yogami's Housekeeper (uncredited)
Maude Leslie	...	Mrs. Charteris (uncredited)
James May	...	Barman (uncredited)
William Millman	...	John Bull (uncredited)
Roseollo Navello	...	Maid (uncredited)
Amber Norman	...	Streetwalker (uncredited)
Joseph North	...	Plimpton, Glendon Butler (uncredited)
Tempe Pigott	...	Drunk Woman (uncredited)
Harry Stubbs	...	Officer Jenkins (uncredited)
David Thursby	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Louis Vincenot	...	Head Coolie (uncredited)
Beal Wong	...	Coolie (uncredited)

Directed by
Stuart Walker

Writing credits
John Colton		(screenplay)
Robert Harris		(story)
Harvey Gates		(adaptation) uncredited
Robert Harris		adaptation (uncredited)
Edmund Pearson		contributing writer (uncredited)

Produced by
Stanley Bergerman	....	executive producer
Robert Harris	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Karl Hajos

Cinematography by
Charles J. Stumar		(photographed by) (as Charles Stumar)

Film Editing by
Russell F. Schoengarth		(as Russell Schoengarth)
Milton Carruth		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Albert S. D'Agostino

Makeup Department
Mary Dolor	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Jack P. Pierce	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Armand Triller	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles S. Gould	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Phil Karlson	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Robert Laszlo	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Frank Artman	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Donald Cunliffe	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Gilbert Kurland	....	sound supervisor (uncredited)
Bob Richards	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special effects
David S. Horsley	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Stunts
George DeNormand	....	stunt double: Henry Hull (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	....	stunt double: Henry Hull (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
E. Brown	....	grip (uncredited)
A. Buckley	....	grip (uncredited)
Maury Gertsman	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Lester Kahn	....	grip (uncredited)
John J. Martin	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Irving Smith	....	set lighting foreman (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Maurice Pivar	....	supervising editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Gilbert Kurland	....	music supervisor
Karl Hajos	....	conductor (uncredited)
Heinz Roemheld	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Carl Laemmle	....	presenter
Carl Laemmle	....	president: Universal Pictures
Archie Hall	....	technical director (uncredited)
Aben Kandel	....	screenplay construction contributor (uncredited)
Billy Moritz	....	production secretary (uncredited)
James Mulhauser	....	screenplay construction contributor (uncredited)
Selma Platt	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Jean Raymond	....	script clerk (uncredited)
Mary West	....	child welfare worker (uncredited)
Muriel Yoemans	....	secretary to director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1935) (USA) (theatrical)
• Realart Pictures Inc. (1951) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Screen Gems (1957) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Croeze en Bosman (1936) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1935) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Continental Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

75 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Cantonese | Latin

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #714) | Sweden:7 | Finland:K-11 (2004) | Spain:13 | Australia:PG | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1936) (passed with cuts)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Although they play husband and wife in this film Henry Hull is 27 years older than Valerie Hobson

Goofs:

Continuity: The arrangement of Mrs Moncaster's tumblers on the bar when she declares she's only had one drink changes between shots.

Quotes:

Dr. Wilfred Glendon:Thanks... Thanks for the bullet. It was the only way... In a few moments now... I shall know why all this had to be. Lisa... good bye. Good bye Lisa. I'm sorry I... I couldn't have made you happier.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man' (1999) (V)

Soundtrack:

SCENES THAT ARE BRIGHTEST

Draw Blood!

Listen to the Warren Zevon jokes fly…

The secret to telling stories in any media, be it books, plays, TV or movies, is to make the audience care about the characters. The hero of `Werewolf of London,' Wilfred Glendon (Henry Hull), manages to earn our sympathy: he's a botanist obsessed with his studies to the point where he neglects his beautiful young wife Lisa (Valerie Hobson). His ordered life disintegrates when he is attacked by a werewolf in Tibet; he realizes he is doomed to the lycanthrope's savage curse at the same time his wife begins flirting with an old flame, Paul (Lester Matthews). The logical foundation of Glendon's life flies apart, and he came face-to-face with his brutal animal nature.

`Werewolf of London,' like most of the classic Universal horror pictures, is heavy on atmosphere, lots of shadows and fog. The transformation sequences and the makeup are good, although not as proficient as `The Wolf Man' six years later. The Werewolf of London struck me as a more sinister creature than the Wolf Man in his deliberateness. The Werewolf would even wear a sort of disguise as he stalked the streets of London, using his intelligence, whereas the Wolf Man was a more savage, animalistic force that attacked anyone nearby. It makes you wonder who would win a fight between the two…

And, as is usual for the old Universal horror films, the acting is very good. Henry Hull moves from stuffy academic to tortured soul, and brings us along for the ride (reminiscent of Basil Rathbone's deterioration in `Son of Frankenstein.') Valerie Hobson is luminous as always, and Warner Oland is quietly menacing as Dr. Yogami, who has an inside knowledge of `werewolfery.'

`Werewolf of London' will probably always be in the shadow of its successor, and rightfully so. There's nothing wrong with `Werewolf,' but there also isn't anything here that `Wolf Man' doesn't do better. It's just part of the horror evolution, a lesson well learned.