Young Frankenstein (1974)

Dr. Frankenstein's grandson, after years of living down the family reputation, inherits granddad's castle and repeats the experiments.

Director:

Mel Brooks

Writers:

Gene Wilder (screen story and screenplay), Mel Brooks (screen story and screenplay),

Stars:

Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Wilder	...	Dr. Frankenstein
Peter Boyle	...	The Monster
Marty Feldman	...	Igor
Cloris Leachman	...	Frau Blücher
Teri Garr	...	Inga
Kenneth Mars	...	Inspector Kemp
Richard Haydn	...	Herr Falkstein
Liam Dunn	...	Mr. Hilltop
Danny Goldman	...	Medical Student
Oscar Beregi Jr.	...	Sadistic Jailor (as Oscar Beregi)
Arthur Malet	...	Village Elder
Anne Beesley	...	Little Girl
Monte Landis	...	Gravedigger
Rusty Blitz	...	Gravedigger
John Madison	...	Villager

Storyline

A young neurosurgeon (Gene Wilder) inherits the castle of his grandfather, the famous Dr. Victor von Frankenstein. In the castle he finds a funny hunchback called Igor, a pretty lab assistant named Inga and the old housekeeper, frau Blucher -iiiiihhh!-. Young Frankenstein believes that the work of his grandfather is only crap, but when he discovers the book where the mad doctor described his reanimation experiment, he suddenly changes his mind...

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Plot Keywords:

castle | experiment | assistant | reanimation | monster | 

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Taglines:

The scariest comedy of all time!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

15 December 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

Frankenstein junior

Filming Locations:

Mayfair Theatre - 214 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,800,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$86,300,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gruskoff/Venture Films, Crossbow Productions, Jouer Limited

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Gene Wilder's performance as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein is ranked #9 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time.

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Goofs

Before the monster has fully put his weight upon the see-saw, you can see Helga begin to be lifted off of her seat.

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Quotes

Elizabeth: How do you do?
Elizabeth: [turns in Igor's direction to speak, changes her mind, then looks back to Inga] How do you do?
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Uh, this is my financier, Elizabeth.
Inga: Oh, I'm so happy to meet you at last!
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: My fi-nan-ce...
Elizabeth: Excuse me darling, what is exactly that you do do?

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Crazy Credits

The zero in the 20th century fox logo at the beginning is slightly tilted.

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Connections

Featured in The Nostalgia Chick: Playing God (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Puttin' on the Ritz"
Written by Irving Berlin
Sung and Danced by Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle

User Reviews

Comedic Genius

Mel Brooks' tribute to the Frankenstein movies of the 40s is done with such love, such skill, and such side-splitting, fall-on-the-floor hilarity, that it has rightfully become a comedy classic. I first saw it in a movie theater: I had no idea what it was, had very little knowledge of Mel Brooks at the time, and expected to be bored. Instead, I found myself shrieking aloud with laughter that became so intense, I missed many of the major lines. Hence the video.

What can I say? From the wild-eyed Igor, the hunchbacked Transylvanian servant whose hump keeps changing from side to side, to the modern-day descendant of Baron von Frankenstein, determined not to follow in his great-grandfather's nefarious footsteps, to the nurse, a naif with enormous...er...chestal appendages, to the fearsome Frau Bleucher, whose mere mention causes horses in the castle's faraway stables to neigh in fear...to the scene of the monster and his creator singing and dancing in black tie to "putting on the Ritz," this movie should come with a warning: "Danger--Uncontrollable Laughter May Become Chronic."

The cast is beyond superb. The late, wonderful British comedian Marty Feldman (Igor), who turned his congenital wandering eyes into comedic foils, never misses a beat as second banana to Gene Wilder, who plays the distraught Dr. Frankenstein to the hilt and beyond. Cloris Leachman, who looks like a cross between a witch and a warlock, plays the feared housekeeper Frau Bleucher (neighhh!!!), and a very young, beautiful, and buxom Teri Garr plays the nurse-assistant to the good doctor. Then there is the marvelous Madeline Kahn, who gave a bravura performance as the doctor's fiancee. The late comedienne's burst into operatic ecstasy during her rape by the monster is simply inspired, and is one of the comedic high points of the entire film. All of Kahn's considerable talents came into play during this movie; she was taken from us too soon.