Bride of Frankenstein

"She's Alive"
Movie Poster

Summary

Bride of Frankenstein is a direct sequel to the 1931 Universal film, Frankenstein, and continues the story after the windmill fire that the monster has survived. Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) swears off his experiments but is eventually coerced by Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) to resume them in order to create a female companion for the Monster (Boris Karloff).

The Monster roams looking for companionship and eventually encounters a blind hermit (O. P. Heggie) where he finds a place to stay along with friendship. The hermit teaches him about music, language, and food. Their peaceful life is disrupted when two hunters discover the Monster and assume he's dangerous. After a struggle, the hermit's house is set on fire and the Monster is forced to escape.

Henry and Pretorius successfully create a companion for the Monster: the Bride (Elsa Lanchester). She is presented to the Monster, who is happy to have her as a companion, but she rejects him with a scream. Heartbroken, the Monster decides that neither he nor she should exist. He destroys the laboratory. Henry and his wife are able to escape, but the Monster, the Bride, and Pretorius perish.

Trivia

  • Work on Bride started before the first Frankenstein Movie was completed. The ending of the first movie was adjusted so that Henry Frankenstein would survive, setting up a hook for the eventual sequel.
  • James Whale did not initially want to direct the film. He was eventually convinced but decided to take a more comedic approach to direction assuming that the new picture could not top the original.
  • Whale rejected several versions of the script. The creature demanding a mate originated from the book but the idea didn't appear until later versions of the scripts.
  • Bela Lugosi was considered for the role of Dr. Pretorius.
  • Elsa Lanchester plays both the Bride and Mary Shelley, a deliberate choice of James Whale to illustrate that horror originates from imagination.
  • Boris Karloff objected to the monster's speech. "Speech! Stupid! My argument was that if the monster had any impact or charm, it was because he was inarticulate – this great, lumbering, inarticulate creature. The moment he spoke you might as well ... play it straight"
  • To maintain continuity with the windmill fire at the end of the first movie, the Monster's hair is noticeably singed.
  • The Bride's appearance was based off Nefertiti and her hair was held up by a wire frame.
  • The score had distinct themes for three characters: the monster, the bride, and Dr. Pretorius.
  • Whale wanted the score to end on a dissonant chord.
  • Filming occurred from January 2nd, 1935 to March 7, 1935.