Son of Frankenstein, The (1939)
Starring: Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Josephine Hutchinson
Director: Rowland V. Lee
Synopsis: Third instalment in the classic Universal Frankenstein series
Reviewed by: Ali Khan


"Highly entertaining" Time Out

"lavishly made shocker is gripping and eerie", Maltin's


"Outstanding" Blockbuster Video

 

"Superior effort", Creature Features

 

"Stylish follow-up" Monster Movie Guide

 

Son of Frankenstein may not possess quite the intelligence and emotional depth of Frankenstein, nor the wit and sophistication of Bride of Frankenstein, but judged on its own considerable merits, it remains an exceptionally fine horror film and a thoroughly worthy successor to James Whale's immortal classics.

The story takes place some years after the events of Bride of Frankenstein. Baron Henry Frankenstein has died, and his son Wolf, together with his wife Elsa and their young son Peter, returns to the ancestral family estate. Although the Baron himself has long since passed away, the shadow of his experiments still hangs heavily over the village, where the Frankenstein name is greeted not with respect but with fear and hostility.

Much of the villagers' unease stems from the lingering belief that Frankenstein's monstrous creation still roams the surrounding countryside.

It isn't long before Wolf discovers that his father's abandoned laboratory has acquired a new occupant. Hiding amongst the ruins is the sinister, broken-necked Ygor—and he is not alone.

At Ygor's urging, the Monster embarks upon a murderous campaign against the eight jurors responsible for condemning Ygor to the gallows years before. Inevitably, Wolf Frankenstein and his family become drawn into the unfolding nightmare, leading to an exciting and highly satisfying climax.

Several important changes distinguish Son of Frankenstein from its predecessors.

The Monster once again becomes a silent figure, a decision that works entirely in the film's favour after the controversial talking Monster of Bride of Frankenstein. This time there is considerably less emphasis upon the creature's tragic humanity, and Boris Karloff is afforded rather less opportunity for sympathy than before. Indeed, for the first time, the Monster is portrayed as a genuinely terrifying force. We learn that he has terrorised the countryside, brutally attacking villagers and even tearing the arm from a young child. His murders are now depicted as acts of overwhelming violence, victims dying from crushed skulls and shattered hearts.

Perhaps most significantly, the film firmly establishes the Monster's almost superhuman strength. Frankenstein has not simply reanimated a corpse; he has created an unstoppable being of immense physical power. It is really Son of Frankenstein that helped cement the popular image of the Monster as an indestructible engine of destruction.

Although Karloff remains excellent, this is perhaps the least substantial of his three appearances in the role.

Sharing the honours is another giant of horror cinema.

Originally considered for the role of the Monster itself, Bela Lugosi instead appears as Ygor, the twisted shepherd whose manipulative influence drives much of the story. It is a marvellous creation and one of Lugosi's finest performances, establishing Ygor as one of the great supporting characters in horror cinema. Occasionally, Lugosi's performance strays into theatrical excess, but such moments are more than compensated for by the sheer magnetism he brings to the role.

Basil Rathbone lends dignity and intelligence to Wolf Frankenstein, while Lionel Atwill contributes another of his wonderfully authoritative performances as Inspector Krogh.

Director Rowland V. Lee deserves enormous credit for creating a film of remarkable visual beauty. If anything, the cinematography surpasses even that of James Whale's earlier masterpieces. Drawing heavily upon the traditions of German Expressionism established by films such as Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, Lee fills the screen with towering shadows, distorted angles and magnificent Gothic architecture. The castle and laboratory, in particular, rank amongst the most striking sets ever created for a Universal horror production.

Overshadowed though it may be by the immense reputations of Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein, Son of Frankenstein deserves to be regarded not merely as a sequel but as a genuine classic in its own right.