The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)

Director:

Erle C. Kenton

Writers:

Scott Darling (screenplay)
Eric Taylor (original story)

Release Date:

13 March 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Stark Terror! Added Thrills! in a Spine-Tingling Experience !

Plot:

When Ygor brings the monster to Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein for care, Ludwig gets the idea of replacing the monster's current criminal brain, with a normal brain.

Plot Keywords:

Brain | Villager | Frankenstein's Monster | Sins Of The Father | Electrocution

Cast

Lon Chaney Jr.	...	The Monster (as Lon Chaney)
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Ludwig Frankenstein (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Ralph Bellamy	...	Erik
Lionel Atwill	...	Doctor Bohmer
Bela Lugosi	...	Ygor
Evelyn Ankers	...	Elsa Frankenstein
Janet Ann Gallow	...	Cloestine
Barton Yarborough	...	Dr. Kettering
Doris Lloyd	...	Martha
Leyland Hodgson	...	Chief Constable
Olaf Hytten	...	Hussman
Holmes Herbert	...	Magistrate
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Alexander	...	Villager (uncredited)
Lionel Belmore	...	Councillor (uncredited)
Colin Clive	...	Dr. Henry Frankenstein (archive footage) (uncredited)
Harry Cording	...	Frone (uncredited)
Jack Curtis	...	Actor (uncredited)
George Eldredge	...	Constable (uncredited)
Dwight Frye	...	Villager (uncredited)
Lawrence Grant	...	Mayor (uncredited)
Otto Hoffman	...	Villager (uncredited)
Brandon Hurst	...	Hans (uncredited)
Michael Mark	...	Councillor (uncredited)
Jimmy Phillips	...	Indian (uncredited)
William Smith	...	Village Boy (uncredited)
Ernie Stanton	...	Constable (uncredited)
Julius Tannen	...	Sektal (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Villager at Hearing (uncredited)
Glen Walters	...	Village Mother of Hungry Children (uncredited)
Janet Warren	...	Goose Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Erle C. Kenton

Writing credits
Scott Darling		(screenplay) (as W. Scott Darling)
Eric Taylor		(original story)

Produced by
George Waggner	....	producer

Original Music by
Hans J. Salter		(as H.J. Salter)

Cinematography by
Elwood Bredell		(as Woody Bredell)
Milton R. Krasner		(director of photography) (as Milton Krasner)

Film Editing by
Ted J. Kent		(as Ted Kent)

Art Direction by
Jack Otterson

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman		(as R.A. Gausman)

Costume Design by
Vera West		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Jack P. Pierce	....	makeup artist
Ellis Burman	....	makeup department technician (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles S. Gould	....	assistant director

Art Department
Harold H. MacArthur	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound director
Charles Carroll	....	sound technician

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Eddie Parker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Charles Maxwell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Charles Previn	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1942) (USA) (theatrical)
• Realart Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (video)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

67 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-15 (2004) | Spain:13 | USA:Approved (PCA #8125) | Brazil:Livre | Sweden:15 | Sweden:7 (re-rating) | Germany:12 | Finland:(Banned) (1948)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Dwight Frye appears as 2 different characters. First as one of the villagers who destroys the Frankenstein castle at the beginning of the film. Later in flashbacks to the original Frankenstein (1931) where he played Fritz, the hunchbacked assistant to the original Dr. Frankenstein.

Goofs:

Continuity: Ygor seems to have been able to have his teeth fixed since the end of Son of Frankenstein (1939) although he has been sitting by the sulfur pit since the earlier film.

Quotes:

The Monster:[with Ygor's voice] I am... Ygor.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Creature Features: The Ghost of Frankenstein/Mark of the Vampire (#1.7)" (1970)

Great Universal Monster Fun!

The story picks up somewhat after Son of Frankenstein...Ygor...still alive somehow and the monster go in search of the second son of Frankenstein to recharge the monster and ultimately put Ygor's brain in the monster's body.. That at least is the plan. This is certainly not the best of the Frankenstein cycle but it is a lot of fun. Bela Lugosi again chews up scenery as the demented crook-neck Ygor...a malevolent and evil persona that has befriended the "innocent" creature, played with depth and great ability by Lon Chaney Jr. In point of fact...Chaney's Monster ranks closely to Karloff's for his ability to give the monster a third dimension so to speak. His scene with the little girl and her ball is a gem. Lionel Atwill is in this as a bad scientist(a familiar role for him) and again he is very winning in his portrayal. Evelyn Ankers is good in the female lead and Cedric Hardwicke is adequate in his role as the Frakenstein progeny, although somewhat lacklustre to be sure. All in all a good Frankenstein film!