The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)

Director:

Erle C. Kenton

Writers:

Scott Darling (screenplay)
Eric Taylor (story)

Release Date:

13 March 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Stark Terror! Added Thrills! in a Spine-Tingling Experience !

Plot:

Ygor resurrects Frankenstein's monster and brings him to the original doctor's son, Ludwig, for help...

Plot Keywords:

Brain | Villager | Frankenstein's Monster | Sequel | Battering Ram

Cast

Cedric Hardwicke	...	Ludwig Frankenstein (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Ralph Bellamy	...	Erik
Lionel Atwill	...	Doctor Bohmer
Bela Lugosi	...	Ygor
Evelyn Ankers	...	Elsa Frankenstein
Janet Ann Gallow	...	Cloestine
Barton Yarborough	...	Dr. Kettering
Doris Lloyd	...	Martha
Leyland Hodgson	...	Chief Constable
Olaf Hytten	...	Hussman
Holmes Herbert	...	Magistrate
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	The Monster (as Lon Chaney)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Alexander	...	Villager (uncredited)
Lionel Belmore	...	Councillor (uncredited)
Colin Clive	...	Dr. Henry Frankenstein (archive footage) (uncredited)
Harry Cording	...	Frone (uncredited)
George Eldredge	...	Constable (uncredited)
Dwight Frye	...	Villager (uncredited)
Lawrence Grant	...	Mayor (uncredited)
Otto Hoffman	...	Villager (uncredited)
Brandon Hurst	...	Hans (uncredited)
Michael Mark	...	Councillor (uncredited)
Jimmy Phillips	...	Indian (uncredited)
William Smith	...	Village Boy (uncredited)
Ernie Stanton	...	Constable (uncredited)
Julius Tannen	...	Sektal (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Villager at Hearing (uncredited)
Glen Walters	...	Village Mother of Hungry Children (uncredited)
Janet Warren	...	Goose Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Erle C. Kenton

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Scott Darling		screenplay (as W. Scott Darling)
Eric Taylor		story

Produced by
George Waggner	....	producer

Original Music by
Hans J. Salter		(as H.J. Salter)

Cinematography by
Elwood Bredell		(as Woody Bredell)
Milton R. Krasner		(director of photography) (as Milton Krasner)

Film Editing by
Ted J. Kent		(as Ted Kent)

Art Direction by
Jack Otterson

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman		(as R.A. Gausman)

Costume Design by
Vera West		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Jack P. Pierce	....	makeup artist
Ellis Burman	....	makeup department technician (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles S. Gould	....	assistant director

Art Department
Harold H. MacArthur	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound director
Charles Carroll	....	sound technician

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Eddie Parker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Charles Maxwell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Charles Previn	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1942) (USA) (theatrical)
• Realart Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (video)

Also Known As:

Frankenstein kehrt wieder (Austria) (Germany) (DVD box title) [de]
Duch Frankensteina (Poland) [pl]
El fantasma de Frankenstein (Spain) [es]
Fantasma de Frankenstein (Brazil) [pt]
Frankensteins vålnad (Sweden) [sv]
Il terrore di Frankenstein (Italy) [it]
Le spectre de Frankenstein (France) [fr]
To fantasma tou Frankenstein (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

67 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-15 (2004) | Spain:13 | USA:Approved (PCA #8125) | Sweden:15 | Sweden:7 (re-rating) | Germany:12 | Finland:(Banned) (1948)

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Chaney would play the Monster a number of times later: footage from "Ghost" appears as stock shots in _House of Dracula (1945)_; he doubled Glenn Strange for three shots in _Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)_ when Strange twisted his ankle; he played the role in a half-hour version of "Frankenstein" on TV's _Tales of Tomorrow (1952)_; and he appeared (masked) in two comedy sketches with Abbott and Costello on a 1952 "Colgate Comedy Hour" show.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The first time we see the close-up for the wall plaque for "Dr. Frankenstein - Diseases of the Mind" outside his "mansion", it is hardly in such a place. If you look close to the left of the sign you'll see a ladder, wires on the ground, palm trees and a station wagon type of car.

Quotes:

[the monster is struck by lightning]
Ygor: The lightning. It is good for you! Your father was Frankenstein, but your mother was the lightning!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man' (1999) (V)

The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) ***

An often overlooked and under-appreciated entry in Universal's classic "Frankenstein" series that succeeds as an atmospheric, effortlessly paced monster movie. Dark, stormy nights, crashing thunder and lightning -- all add in setting the stage for a thoroughly satisfying night of chills.

Coming after FRANKENSTEIN, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and SON OF FRANKENSTEIN, this comparatively "B" production benefits from a fine cast who is able to make the unconventional plot line seem quite believable. The dignified Cedric Hardwicke plays the more reserved, second son of the original Frankenstein, who is visited by the ever-sinister Ygor (Bela Lugosi, reprising one of his greatest roles that originated in SON OF FRANKENSTEIN), who now urges that the scientist restore strength to his misshapen friend, The Monster (newly played by Lon Chaney). Working with the dubious help of a spurned medical assistant (the always delightful Lionel Atwill), Frankenstein hopes to right the wrongs of his father by transplanting an educated brain into the monster's head.

After having played the definitive version of Frankenstein's Creation three times already, Boris Karloff vowed not to continue with the series at this point. It must have been a formidable task for Lon Chaney to take over the part for THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN, but while he doesn't make as compassionate a monster as Karloff did, Lon does manage to endow the character with an awesome display of brute strength with his otherwise stone-faced performance.

This also features the lovely Evelyn Ankers as Frankenstein's daughter, and Ralph Bellamy as her heroic fiancé. Special consideration must be given to Hans J. Salter, who fashioned an excellent music score which perfectly compliments the impressive work of director Earl C. Kenton, who was able to take a gradually declining storyline and charge it up with some life.