HorrorScience Fiction

Son of Frankenstein

- The black shadows of the past bred this half-man . . . half-demon ! . . . creating a new and terrible juggernaut of destruction !

One of the sons of late Dr. Henry Frankenstein finds his father's ghoulish creation in a coma and revives him, only to find out the monster is controlled by Ygor who is bent on revenge.

Release Date : 1939-01-13

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Universal Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Frankenstein 3: Son of Frankenstein

Cast

Character Name : Baron Wolf von Frankenstein

Original Name : Basil Rathbone

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Monster

Original Name : Boris Karloff

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ygor

Original Name : Bela Lugosi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inspector Krogh

Original Name : Lionel Atwill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Elsa von Frankenstein

Original Name : Josephine Hutchinson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Peter von Frankenstein

Original Name : Donnie Dunagan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Amelia

Original Name : Emma Dunn

Gender : Female

Character Name : Thomas Benson

Original Name : Edgar Norton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fritz

Original Name : Perry Ivins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bürgermeister

Original Name : Lawrence Grant

Gender : Male

Character Name : Emil Lang

Original Name : Lionel Belmore

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ewald Neumüller

Original Name : Michael Mark

Gender : Male

Character Name : Frau Neumüller

Original Name : Caroline Frances Cooke

Gender : Female

Character Name : Burgher

Original Name : Gustav von Seyffertitz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Burgher

Original Name : Lorimer Johnston

Gender : Male

Character Name : Burgher

Original Name : Tom Ricketts

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gendarme at Gate (uncredited)

Original Name : Ward Bond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Undetermined Role (uncredited)

Original Name : Betty Chay

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bearded Gendarme (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Cording

Gender : Male

Character Name : Actor (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Curtis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Villager (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Farrell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Extra (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Harris

Gender : Male

Character Name : Webber - Burgher (uncredited)

Original Name : Russ Powell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Berger (uncredited)

Original Name : Clarence Wilson

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

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