The Invisible Man Returns (1940)

The owner of a coal mining operation, falsely imprisoned for fratricide, takes a drug to make him invisible, despite its side effect: gradual madness.

Director:

Joe May

Writers:

H.G. Wells (characters), Joe May (story)

Stars:

Cedric Hardwicke, Vincent Price, Nan Grey

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Richard Cobb (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Vincent Price	...	Geoffrey Radcliffe
Nan Grey	...	Helen Manson
John Sutton	...	Doctor Frank Griffin
Cecil Kellaway	...	Sampson
Alan Napier	...	Willie Spears
Forrester Harvey	...	Ben Jenkins

Storyline

Framed for the murder of his brother, Geoffrey Radcliffe is scheduled to hang. After a visit from his friend Dr. Frank Griffin, he vanishes mysteriously from prison. Police inspector Sampson realizes that Griffin is the brother of the original Invisible Man and has given Geoffrey the formula to aid his escape. Can Geoffrey elude the police dragnet and track down the real murderer? More importantly, can Griffin discover an antidote before the invisibility formula drives Geoffrey insane?

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Plot Keywords:

invisible man | framed for murder | invisibility | on the run | sequel | 

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Taglines:

You Can Feel Your Skin Creep!

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

There were communication problems during the shooting of the film. The German director spoke no English, so Vincent Price - being fluent in German - had to translate all the instructions to the other cast members.

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Goofs

(at around 1 min) As the doctor prepares to enter a small room where lab animals are kept, through the window of the door can be seen the moving shadow of a man.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mr. Cotton: I - I can't believe it's going to happen. Just two more hours, and they're going to kill him.

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Alternate Versions

When originally released theatrically in the UK, the BBFC made cuts to secure a 'A' rating.

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Connections

Featured in Son of Svengoolie: The Invisible Man Returns (1940) (1980)

User Reviews

Chills, Humor, Tenderness and Passion

There are a lot of reasons why this 1940 sequel is better than the original INVISIBLE MAN. In the first movie, the Invisible Man was a dilettante, a haughty scientist who shot himself up with the invisibility drug "for kicks." Claude Rains played the character with such a supercilious air that it was hard to care when he lost it all.

But in this well-written sequel, the Invisible Man is a true hero. Geoffrey Radcliffe is a wealthy gentleman with class, courage, and a sense of humor. Someone has framed him for murder, and with the help of his devoted girl friend and trustworthy company doctor, he sets out to make things right.

Vincent Price is perfect as Geoffrey. He gives this invisible man plenty of guts, along with goodness, humility, and a wonderfully self-deprecating sense of humor. When madness sets in, of course, Price can babble with the best of them. But this time around, you care. This is a man who ran his business empire for the benefit of the workers, a man who can tease his weeping girl friend about how "lucky" she is not to see his face.

Ladylike and innocent-looking Nan Grey is a horror legend for her bit role as the waif-like streetwalker in Dracula's Daughter. Here she gets to play the same gentle, sensitive type, only warmer and more womanly. Watching Helen Manson sit up all night watching over her suffering love, falling asleep in her chair, and fainting at the sight of his disfiguring bandages, you will fall in love with her yourself. It's easy to see why Geoffrey loves her enough to risk madness and death to be by her side, and why the villain was willing to stoop to murder for her sake.

Sir Cedrick Hardwicke is mostly remembered today for playing kindly, kingly old gentlemen in epics like THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. But here he is a ruthless, cold villain, a murderer who fights for greed and gain. The attraction to lovely Helen is only hinted at, just a glance here and a tender word there. But it gives just the right touch of depth and tragedy to an amazingly nuanced performance.

Just as many critics feel Dracula's Daughter was a deeper film than Dracula, so INVISIBLE MAN RETURNS may well be an improvement over the original classic.

Long live Universal Horror!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 January 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Invisible Man Returns

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$281,743 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White (Sepia)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1