The 1935 sequel to Frankenstein continues the story of Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive), his wife, Elizabeth (Valerie Hobson), and the monster (Boris Karloff). After the events in the first installment of the Universal Studios’ franchise, The Bride of Frankenstein sees a new mad doctor come into the picture and convince Frankenstein of some peculiar deeds. Doctor Pretorious (Ernest Thesiger) convinces Frankenstein that love is the answer to the monster’s troubles. As they embark on this twisted journey of love and loss, Frankenstein’s monster is subjected to more of the everyday difficulties that men and women face, and his journey will, once again, be one of great pain.
Compared to the previous film, The Bride of Frankenstein is full of comedy. There were a number of lighthearted moments that made the intensity of the film dwindle. The fear that was instilled in audiences from the opening moments of the first film was all but gone in James Whale’s sequel. Whale’s ability to frighten audiences was lost in this film and was incredibly disappointing. The monster’s innocence is often used as a vehicle for comedy, however, his ability to reach audiences is not through his humor. His intensity and his underlying need for affection are what allow audiences to appreciate the character. The attempted comedy took away from the character and from the film and caused viewers to lose some appreciation of the story, the direction and the characters.
Doctor Pretorious’ role in this film is appreciated. Like Little Maria (Marilyn Harris) to the monster, in Frankenstein, Pretorious plays a role that allows audiences to see the lighter side of Henry and understand that Henry is not alone in this world in terms of his thoughts and values. His introduction, like the character, is odd, yet it works well in displaying his role in the film. While Pretorious is appreciated, the introduction of Minnie (Una O’Connor) shook audiences, as she was entirely unbearable. She was loud and shrill, her voice was ear piercing and vile, and her presence nearly ruined the film entirely. Moreover, her role in the film was useless. Audiences often found her in the way or making announcements about some of the most obvious points of the film.
Clive and Karloff are, again, wonderfully talented. With the exception of the comedic scenes, the two accurately portrayed emotions of horror, intensity and desperation. Their portrayals of the Frankenstein and the monster (respectively) allowed audiences to appreciate the underlying themes of love and companionship. The story was still beautiful despite the attempted comedy (and the fact that The Bride of Frankenstein is not a fair title--due to the fewer than five minutes that Elsa Lanchester’s “The Monster’s Mate” spent on screen). Audiences felt connected to some of the characters, including the monster, Frankenstein himself and the monster’s newly declared friend, the hermit (O.P. Heggie). Overall, the film left a lot to be desired compared to its predecessor, however, it had its moments of genius that allowed audiences to appreciate Mary Shelley’s brilliance as a writer.
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