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 | Scientific Research | Poison Gas

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 Inc. (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 Finland (2004) (Finland) (DVD) (3-disc Frankenstein the Legacy Collection)
• 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:

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

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Lon Chaney finished "The Wolf Man" on November 27, 1941, then started this film on December 15, finishing on January 15, 1942. Release took place on April 3.

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:

Referenced in "The Colgate Comedy Hour: Episode #1.27" (1951)

Highly impressive sequel effort

"The Ghost of Frankenstein" is one of the better entries in the series.

**SPOILERS**

Trying to rid themselves of the curse, villagers destroy Frankenstein's Castle, where Ygor, (Bela Lugosi) still lives. They accomplish the task, while Ygor finds the still-living Monster, (Lon Chaney Jr.) inside the sulfur pit and takes it to safety. Traveling to find Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein, (Cedric Hardwicke) the second son who also specializes in brain surgery. Getting themselves arrested upon entering the village, they are immediately questioned by Erik, (Ralph Bellamy) town constable and the fiancée of Dr. Frankenstein's daughter Elsa, (Evelyn Ankers) and are released into their custody to make The Monster better. Forced to reveal their existence to his daughter, his attempts to kill it instead become of a mission to transplant his criminal brain out and replace it so it doesn't become a monster of destruction. Successfully performing the operation, the villagers want answers and charge the house to demand answers, putting everyone at risk.

The Good News: This here manages a lot of good stuff. The best part is perhaps the fact that the monster gets a lot of screen-time here, allowing for its personality to shine through much more. There's the fact that it's allowed to be completely sympathetic with the fabulous scene where it helps a village girl out in front of a horrified group of adults yet the creature does nothing harmful until it's confronted by others. The later scene where it visits her in her home and gently takes her away without being even slightly violent. When it later becomes violent and destructive, there's a real reason why rather than a coincidental one. That it also features more time of it being gentle and more sedate makes it striking when something happens to it to provoke violence. The fact that this is also book-ended by fantastic action pieces also doesn't hurt the film. The opening destruction of the castle high atop the mountain is a pyrotechnic delight, taking a huge amount of firepower to take it down, and the spectacle of seeing the large buildings come down in a huge flame makes it all the grander. The ending rampage is quite exciting, taking out a large number of lives in addition to the high amount of electrical equipment destroyed through the monster's actions. These are greatly done, looking highly explosive and very flammable, which is always a good thing in these types. The sight of the huge building on fire is a superb visual and manages to make it look at the grander for what it should be. The film also has quite a nicely spaced out pace to it, never for once seeming like it's slowing down but rather moving forward for most of the film. Overall, this here is a pretty entertaining entry in the series.

The Bad News: There isn't a whole lot here that doesn't work, and most of it won't be of any importance anyway. The biggest one is the fact that the film doesn't really make it seem important for the creature and Ygor to seem like imposing figures for the townspeople. They wander up through the streets in broad daylight, engage many of them in conversation and openly declare their association with the infamous family and their intentions there. At first the villagers seem afraid but willing if it gets them on their way, then it doesn't bother them at all until the final third of the film, when the monster gets loose and starts rampaging. That's what spurs them into action, and many times often ignore the fact that they're out there, despite the fact the creature openly escaped custody in a nice courthouse jailbreak sequence, yet after they're chased off, nothing is given about their feelings until the monster goes into action. It's pretty inconsistent, as well as the fact that at one moment they seem to know everything that happened with the previous family that had performed the operation, yet there are times where they seem to have no clue who they were. Some may not pick up on these facts, but it's the little things that make or break the big films. The silly tone in here, where the monster isn't really all that much of a threat until forced into action might make it seem less serious than the others, it's not a huge detriment to it in any way.

The Final Verdict: With some minor flaws that might not seem all that noticeable for some, this is still an overall very satisfying entry in the series. There's enough connections and action to keep them interested, while those that want it a little more seriously might be better off with the earlier installments.

Today's Rating-PG: Mild Violence