Son of Frankenstein (1939)

Baron Wolf von Frankenstein.

Son Of Frankenstein, directed by Rowland V. Lee and starring Basil Rathbone as Baron Frankenstein, Boris Karloff as The Monster (his last turn as the creature), Lionel Atwill as Inspector Krogh and Bela Lugosi as Ygor. That's quite a cast list, add in a sharp script from Willis Cooper and the stunning sets from Russell Gausman, and you got a sequel that's well worth its salt.

Following on from Bride Of Frankenstein (25 years later), the film sees son of Frankenstein Baron Wolf von Frankenstein (Rathbone) return to the family home and scene of his fathers monstrosities. Receiving a less than lukewarm reception on arrival, Wolf is presented with a box containing his fathers papers. After being told in no uncertain terms that continuing his fathers work will not be tolerable, Wolf laughs off the notion. However, the next day he's out wandering in the ruins and comes across Ygor, his dead fathers assistant. Where it's revealed that "The Monster" is still alive but very much comatose. Wolf then becomes obsessed with bringing the monster back to full life, thus to prove his father had the right intention but not the right execution of his ideas.

It's a ripper of a sequel is this, perhaps lacking in the humour that James Whale brought to the first two films, it is however a well constructed feature boasting great performances from Rathbone (the part was originally planned for Peter Lorre), Lionel Atwill (having a riot with his false arm) and Lugosi (possibly a career high in terms of substance). Lee stamps his own marker on the piece and I think the nicest thing one can say is that his film sits well along side Whale's classics. The only let down is actually Karloff's monster, stripped of voice at Karloff's insistence, the monster is now reduced to being a lumbering robot. It's not a fitting farewell to the great work that Karloff did with this quite brilliant creation on page and screen. 8/10