Werewolf of London (1935)

The juice of a rare Tibetan flower is the only thing that keeps Dr. Glendon from turning into a werewolf during a full moon.

Director:

Stuart Walker

Writers:

John Colton (screenplay), Robert Harris (story)

Stars:

Henry Hull, Warner Oland, Valerie Hobson

2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited 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

Storyline

While on a botanical expedition in Tibet Dr. Wilfred Glendon is attacked in the dark by a strange animal. Returning to London, he finds himself turning nightly into a werewolf and terrorizing the city, with the only hope for curing his affliction a rare Asian flower.

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Plot Keywords:

full moon | flower | laboratory | dysfunctional marriage | jealousy | 

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Taglines:

Beware! Terror strikes in the night!

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Cantonese Latin

Release Date:

13 May 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

Unholy Hour

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$195,393 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Greg Mank's book "Karloff and Lugosi", Henry Hull was being paid $2750 per week for his work, $250 more than Boris Karloff, who was then making $2500 per week for Bride of Frankenstein (1935). According to Mank, the studio also paid Hull's agent $82.50 per week and an additional fee of $1375 for what was termed Hull's trick shots. Warner Oland received a guaranteed $12,000 for his work on the film.

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Goofs

When the werewolf creeps up on the floozie at the Zoo, he conceals his face with his cape and arm, but when the floozie spots him in her compact, he is shown unconcealed.

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Quotes

Dr. Yogami: The werewolf is neither man nor wolf, but a Satanic creature with the worst qualities of both.

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Crazy Credits

"A good cast is worth repeating..."

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Connections

Referenced in The Perfect Scary Movie (2005)

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Soundtracks

Music
(uncredited)
from The Invisible Man (1933)
Composed by Heinz Roemheld

User Reviews

Underrated Horror Classic

"Werewolf of London" almost never gets mentioned when one talks of the classic Universal horror flicks of the 30s and 40s. Yet it is as good or better than most of them.

The story involves a biologist (Henry Hull) who is in Tibet searching for a rare flower. While there he is attacked by a werewolf and unknowingly becomes infected himself. The rare flower it turns out, has the power to suppress the transformation into a werewolf. A mysterious scientist from Tibet (Warner Oland) appears and takes an unusual interest in the plant. Well, as in all werewolf movies, you know what happens when the moon is full.

Perhaps the film doesn't get the recognition it deserves because of the absence of one of Universal's major horror stars (Karloff or Lugosi). Lon Chaney Jr. would not arrive on the scene (in horror movies) until 1941.

Veteran character actor Hull is very good as the tormented Dr. Glendon. He plays him more in the manner of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde than an out and out monster. The murders are committed off screen so we have to rely on Hull to convey the evil of the werewolf through his performance. Warner Oland, who was starring in the Charlie Chan series at the time, has little to do as Dr. Yogami. The fetching Valerie Hobson stands out as Hull's wife and Spring Byington does her usual talkative busybody as Aunt Ettie. The weak link in the cast is Lester Matthews as the token hero Captain Ames. He plays him as a silly-ass stuffed shirt rather than the dashing fellow he is supposed to be.

Having said all of that, "Werewolf of London" is one of the better horror films of its time and unfortunately remains one of the most underrated of the genre.