Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Basil Rathbone | ... | Baron Wolf von Frankenstein | |
Boris Karloff | ... | The Monster | |
Bela Lugosi | ... | Ygor | |
Lionel Atwill | ... | Inspector Krogh | |
Josephine Hutchinson | ... | Elsa von Frankenstein | |
Donnie Dunagan | ... | Peter von Frankenstein | |
Emma Dunn | ... | Amelia | |
Edgar Norton | ... | Thomas Benson | |
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Perry Ivins | ... | Fritz |
Lawrence Grant | ... | Burgomaster | |
Lionel Belmore | ... | Emil Lang | |
Michael Mark | ... | Ewald Neumüller | |
Caroline Frances Cooke | ... | Frau Neumüller (as Caroline Cooke) | |
Gustav von Seyffertitz | ... | Burgher | |
Lorimer Johnston | ... | Burgher (as Lorimer Johnson) |
Wolf von Frankenstein returns to the Baronial manor from the United States with his wife Elsa and son Peter. He not made welcome by the locals who are still terrified of his father's works and the monster he created. The local Burgomaster gives him a sealed briefcase left by his father and inside, Wolf finds his father's scientific notes. At the manor house he meets his father's assistant Igor who has a surprise for him: the monster his father created is still alive, though in some sort of coma. Wolf's initial attempts to re-animate the creature seem to fail but when Peter says he saw a giant in the woods, it appears he's met success. When people are mysteriously killed in the village there is little doubt that the monster is responsible. Written by garykmcd
The last Boris Karloff Frankenstein. The Baron's son Wolf (Basil Rathbone) comes to move to his late father's estate--a big beautiful castle. Inside he meets Ygor (Bela Lugosi) a crippled madman who wants to revive the Monster (Karloff). Naturally everything goes wrong.
Elaborate sequel to the series--the last really good one that Universal spent money on. The sets are huge and incredibly bizarre (note the huge wooden stairs going to the second floor). Also they're shot using weird camera angles and making very good use of light and darkness. There's ALWAYS something to look at in this movie. The script is intelligent and literate with almost uniformly good performances. Basil Rathbone chews the scenery as Wolf. Josephine Hutchinson is given nothing to do as his wife--but she does it beautifully. Lionel Atwill (already typecast as a policeman) is good and very amusing with his wooden hand. Lugosi is really creepy as Ygor. Best of all is Karloff--he uses pantomime throughout the whole picture (even though in the previous "Bride of..." he had learned to speak) and gets every meaning across. He doesn't even really start going until an hour in but he makes up for it!
The only debit is Frankenstein's son played by an annoying child actor named Donnie Dunagan. His acting is laughable (even for a child) and he speaks with a distinct Southern accent!!! Then again he WAS from Texas.
Still, a really good, spooky, elaborate horror film. Highly recommended.