Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

 

Bride of Frankenstein is, of course, the classic sequel to the classic film Frankenstein. The set-up involves author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (Elsa Lancaster, doing double duty as the uncredited “Monster’s Mate” too) informing her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley and his friend Lord Byron that there is more to the story than she had previously told them. This all really just serves as an excuse to show scenes from the earlier film so that viewers can catch up. The newer film follows two plotlines. The overarching story involves Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesigner) asking Baron Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive, reprising his earlier role) to create a mate for “the monster” (again played by Boris Karloff). Henry, unsurprisingly, is reluctant to relive the horrors of his earlier work. Meanwhile, having survived the fire that ended Frankenstein, the monster is wreaking havoc throughout the village or, at least, causing fear among the village. A series of chases ensue, but there are quieter moments too. During one sequence, the monster makes a “friend,” a blind hermit, and learns to speak; it’s the tear he sheds from happiness that makes the monster even more sympathetic. It’s one of the few times that he is not just the “misunderstood” monster. The intended highlight of the film is the big reveal, and it doesn’t disappoint. There’s a reason that it’s been copied and parodied for decades. Bride of Frankenstein has some astounding production design. The expressionistic sets create elaborate environments for the action, and the laboratory is even more complex and eye-catching than the original film set. The filmmakers also use lighting to great effect; this is one of the most stylish-looking black-and-white films of its era. The performances are similarly iconic, but as good as good as everyone is—and they are mostly at their campiest best—the real scene-stealer is Una O’Connor as the maid Millie. With her exaggerated facial expressions and broad accent, she’s a hysterical delight, a figure more compelling at times than the monster or his bride. 

Oscar Nomination: Best Sound Recording