Frankenstein (1931) Review

Frankenstein (1931) review.

Frankenstein (1931) is one of the most iconic films ever made. Arriving on the heels of the success of Dracula that same year, Boris Karloff created one of the most memorable film characters in history. When people think of Frankenstein’s Monster to this day…Karloff’s is what they’re thinking of. That’s one hell of an accomplishment over 90 years after people first saw him. This Frankenstein (1931) review will concern itself less with whether the movie still holds up (it absolutely does) and more about what makes it the enduring classic that it is.

Classic movie reviews will contain spoilers.

Frankenstein

Directed by James Whale

Screenplay by Garrett Fort and Francis Edward Faragoh

Starring Colin Clive, Mae Clarke and Boris Karloff

Frankenstein (1931) Review

Mary Shelley’s Monster doesn’t have a lot in common with James Whale’s. The bones are the same, of course, but the personality is quite different. James Whale rewrites the complete iconography of Frankenstein’s Monster with help from the make-up of Jack Pierce and the performance of Boris Karloff.

Shelley’s Monster is an intelligent being. Whale’s Monster is a mute with a childlike understanding of the world around him. Shelley’s Monster seeks vengeance upon his creator for the sin of giving him a life without happiness and acceptance. Whale’s Monster is the one hunted down.

Make no mistake, Mary Shelley has the better story. Shelley spins an epic tale about the dangers of playing God, man vs. nature and revenge against one’s creator. But James Whale has the better movie. Changing the traits of the Monster character and placing him in a different world is the secret to Frankenstein’s continued reign as the face of classic monsters. Whale tells a much simpler story.

He has the benefit of visual storytelling with gothic towers, burning windmills and mad scientist tesla coils. He has the benefit of nuanced performances, stirring music and monster make-up. Most importantly he has the benefit of realizing Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a labor to read through.

Frankenstein (1931) is instead based on a play based on the novel. A copy of a copy. In starting with the story already stripped down for performance, Whale avoids getting bogged down in the minutia of Shelley’s story. What he offers is memorable scenes in memorable set pieces. A grave robbery at night. Dr. Frankenstein screaming in excitement in his laboratory. A little girl playing by the side of a pond. Frankenstein’s bride to be waiting in her room. Angry villagers with pitchforks and torches.

Even if you’ve somehow never seen Frankenstein, you can probably still see these images in your mind. That’s what I mean when I say Whale re-wrote the iconography. This film is so ingrained into the cultural fabric that when someone makes a more loyal adaptation of Shelley’s story it feels wrong. The Monster doesn’t speak in perfect English with well thought out reason. He isn’t a vengeful entity wiping out Frankenstein’s loved ones. Of course, in the original text, he is those things. But to a large swath of people, the original text hasn’t been the definitive text since 1931.

Simplicity gets Frankenstein (1931) a long way…but performance takes it to the finish line. It’s incredible to have gotten this far without discussing Karloff. Karloff plays the Monster as an innocent, curious and terrified being. It’s a stark contrast to Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of Dracula that preceded it. Dracula is mesmerizing, deliberate and intense. Karloff’s Monster is sensitive, bumbling and sympathetic. You’re meant to fear Lugosi’s Dracula. You’re meant to care about Karloff’s Monster.

Karloff accomplishes this by giving the Monster a childlike wonder. His movement is stiff and unsure like a child learning to walk. His Monster is a newborn after all. He can’t speak in more than grunts and groans to convey his thoughts, confused as they may be. He longs for companionship and to understand the world around him. Thanks to Dr. Frankenstein (and Jack Pierce) he strikes an intimidating presence. He understands neither his own strength nor the consequences of his actions.

Shelley’s Monster understands both. He becomes a true monster because he reflects the way society views him. Karloff’s Monster sees this dark side of society as well, but he doesn’t choose to reflect it. He doesn’t even understand it. Frankenstein’s greatest crime in the film isn’t playing God…it’s failing to play teacher. In the novel the doctor is undone by failing to give the Monster a mate. Bride of Frankenstein would visit this aspect of the story in a few years, again changing everything about it.

Perhaps the greatest aspect of Karloff’s performance is that while he effectively portrays his lack of understanding…the viewer can understand him perfectly. Through those grunts, through that movement, through that look of wonder underneath all that make-up. Karloff’s expression shines through. We see his fear and his confusion. We understand his anguish and his anger. Without a word Karloff makes us feel what he feels. We are, however, cursed with the knowledge that he does not possess. The world is hard, life is unfair. His more than most. We sympathize with a monster who doesn’t know enough to feel sorry for himself. That too will come in the sequel.

Before we wrap up this Frankenstein review, I wanted to take a moment to discuss perhaps the most iconic moment in the film. Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) bringing the Monster to life. You’ve seen his “It’s alive” moment countless times in pop culture whether as homage or parody. It’s rightfully lauded as one of cinema’s finest moments. There are a lot of reasons it earns that status…but there is one reason it maintains it.

Colin Clive is perfect in this moment. Take away the rolling thunder and the sparking machines. Remove the flashing lightning and the first movement of the body. Strip away everything and just watch Clive. His reaction makes the scene. His body shakes because it can’t contain the feeling of what he’s accomplished…his voice grows from a whisper to a scream as he tries to explain that feeling. He stares to the heavens and claims he now knows what it feels like to be God. His friends rush to grab him…but he doesn’t react to it. For that moment, he’s untouchable. But only for a moment.

Dr. Frankenstein’s life is irrevocably changed by this act. There are many more grave consequences in Shelley’s version. Whale doesn’t completely let him off the hook though. Both versions will come to regret this accomplishment. Both will inevitably fail their creation. They’ve brought death to life and failed to recognize what that phrase truly means.

Scare Value

You don’t need this Frankenstein (1931) review to tell you that it is an uncontested classic of the Universal Monsters collection. Frankenstein is as iconic as cinema gets. James Whale left an everlasting mark on gothic horror. Karloff left an indelible image on film in general. James Whale had no interest in following Mary Shelley’s roadmap. That it succeeds so completely in forging its own world of Gods and Monsters is no small feat. The scariest thing about Frankenstein? Four years later…they’d come back and top it.

5/5

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