Ygor is back and has found the resting place of the Monster. However, the Monster is too weak to do anything so Ygor searches for Ludwig Frankenstein, the original doctors son to aid in returning the Monster to life.
Directed by – Erle C. Kenton
Written by – Scott Darling, Eric Taylor
Starring – Cedric Hardwicke, Ralph Bellamy, Lionel Atwill, Bela Lugosi, Evelyn Ankers, Janet Ann Gallow, Barton Yarborough, Doris Lloyd, Leyland Hodgson, Olaf Hytten, Holmes Herbert, Lon Chaney Jr.
Like many recent horror films that reach into the sequel pile too often, Ghost of Frankenstein is probably a visit to the famous Monster we could have done without. That fact is enhanced even further by the presence of Lon Chaney Jr. as the Monster. Chaney is a superb actor, but nobody can fill the very large boots that Karloff wore in the previous films. Thankfully Bela Lugosi returns as Ygor, a role which he plays quite well.
The story is starting to wear a little thin in the fourth outing and the Monster is merely a bit player now. Chaney doesn’t have the same presence as Karloff did, but with the little screen time he gets here it doesn’t make too much of a difference. Once again, Ygor just wants his friend back. Of course Ygor only wants his friend back for reasons that are anything but good. By the end of the film, Ygor is trying to get Ludwig Frankenstein to put his brain in the body of the Monster, so they can live together for eternity. Not to mention that it’ll give the mad Ygor power that he so longs for.
Try as he might, Chaney just doesn't cut it as the Monster.
While the acting may still be well done, the story is just thrown together and just isn’t entertaining. It’s a shame as I was really starting to love this series of films. I guess getting three good movies should be enough when there are lots of times that they can’t even pull one good one off now. When the first moment the Monster is shown and it’s not Karloff, the film just didn’t feel right. It’s short running time of just over 60 minutes helps ease the pain but I missed the grand feeling of the previous films.
Now it wouldn’t be a Frankenstein movie without a small child in there would it? I can see how the child represented the Monster itself, not as intelligent as everyone else and almost innocent in a way. In this film the Monster seems to want to have the child’s brain put into his body. I’m not really sure what that helps but I didn’t write the movie did I!
In the end, this one just wasn’t as good as all the other films. Without Karloff as the Monster it really begins to fail. If we had at least been treated to his performance again it may have saved this one, without him it’s safe to say avoid this flick and stick to the original three.
Under the marquee – Will
