Gods and Monsters (1998)

The last days of Frankenstein director James Whale are explored.

Director:

Bill Condon

Writers:

Christopher Bram (novel), Bill Condon (screenplay)

Stars:

Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave

Won 1 Oscar. Another 35 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ian McKellen	...	James Whale
Brendan Fraser	...	Clayton Boone
Lynn Redgrave	...	Hanna
Lolita Davidovich	...	Betty
David Dukes	...	David Lewis
Kevin J. O'Connor	...	Harry
Mark Kiely	...	Dwight
Jack Plotnick	...	Edmund Kay
Rosalind Ayres	...	Elsa Lanchester
Jack Betts	...	Boris Karloff
Matt McKenzie	...	Colin Clive
Todd Babcock	...	Leonard Barnett
Cornelia Hayes O'Herlihy	...	Princess Margaret
Brandon Kleyla	...	Young Whale
Pamela Salem	...	Sarah Whale

Storyline

The story of James Whale, the director of Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein, in the time period following the Korean War. Whale is homosexual and develops a friendship with his gardener, an ex-Marine.

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Plot Keywords:

frankenstein | gardener | friendship | stroke | memory | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual material and language

Details

Official Sites:

Gods and Monsters

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 November 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Father of Frankenstein

Filming Locations:

Arden Villa - 1145 Arden Road, Pasadena, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£59,834 (UK) (26 March 1999)

Gross:

$6,390,032 (USA) (21 May 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lions Gate Films, Showtime Networks, Flashpoint (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ian McKellen said that he felt very comfortable playing the role of James Whale. For, like Whale, McKellan is a homosexual British actor who spent his early career in the theater and ultimately started a career in Hollywood.

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Goofs

The Fiesta disc pitcher used by Hanna in the studio is the post-1986 yellow not the original yellow that would have existed in 1957.

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Quotes

James Whale: He's never met a princess - only queens.

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Crazy Credits

The character name "Boris Karloff" has the 'TM' symbol next to it, meaning it's trademarked.

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Connections

Features The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

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Soundtracks

"Bride of Frankenstein"
Written by Franz Waxman
Published by EMI Robbins/Fidelio Music Publishing

User Reviews

Sir Ian McKellen & Lynn Redgrave Were Robbed of Oscars!

Among the most intriguing characters I've seen is Hanna (Redgrave). I knew she was in the film, there she was in the opening seen & I still kept looking for her! That's how terrific her characterization is of the Hungarian Catholic widowed maid to the flaming gay famed director, James Whale (Sir Ian McKellen).

Is there 'any' character that Sir McKellen can't play to perfection today? In "God's & Monster's", McKellen mastered Whale & gave Fraser an acting lesson ::winking::.

To watch the two real life friends, Lynn Redgrave & Ian McKellen, play purrfect foils--Hanna praying for her beloved "Mr. Jimmy's" 'unspeakable' sinful soul because he's gay was hysterical. McKellen pretending to flirt with Fraser, the epitome of a t-totally straight guy that any gay guy could clock in a heartbeat, was also side-splitting. Hanna believing they were having a romantic relationship was just too much fun as she threw serving trays at them & gave Whale scorned looks as if to kill whenever he'd have Fraser in for lunch or tea. These subtleties made the movie an absolute delight.

Thus, while heavy drama was going on, there was a comedy line-in-cheek throughout the motion picture. Of course, the plot proves why "Mr. Jimmy" was provoking his hunk of a gardener (Fraser) . . . but I'm not telling. That's the best part of the picture.

Whoever claims this movie is 'gay-bashing' doesn't know the meaning of it. The movie was about the director of "Frankenstein & Bride of Frankenstein." He just so happened to be gay, & thus, part of his life story as a gay man had to be featured in the film. Hanna playing a religious foil was right on time for the moment of the release of the film when the major church denominations are factionalizing over gays being equal in the churches! That's a great film--one that conveys a social struggle in the character of one great actor, Lynn Redgrave. She got the attitude of the church exactly right.

Doing a queer critique of "God's & Monsters," I rate it a 20 out of 10! This was not the silly, slapstick, "To Wong Foo," bizarre, "Stonewall," that was all out of context from the reality of the characters, or there ever so unreal (but cute), "Priscilla Queen of the Desert." This story is very true to life then & now. It came out right on time, as well.

Lynn Regrave delivered the performance of her lifetime! In my mind she won the Oscar. McKellen gave another of his stellar characterizations & also won my Oscar. I also feel the picture should have been best picture of the year. Fortunately, many other notable awards were given that the blindered Film Academy was too dense to do itself. Redgrave was most robbed of her Oscar because she was anyone but herself! She wasn't even recognizable as Lynn Redgrave, for heaven's sake.

So if anything or anyone was gay bashing, it was the Film Academy itself, for overlooking the Oscar winning performances of Redgrave & McKellen & the Best Picture of the Year.

. . . & I'm still watching it in late August 2007.