How beautifully dramatic.
The crudest, savage, exhibition of nature at her worst, without,
and we three, we elegant three, within.
I should like to think that an irate Jehovah
was pointing those arrows of lightning directly at my head.
The unbowed head of George Gordon, Lord Byron, England's greatest sinner.
But I cannot flatter myself to that extent.
Possibly those thunders are for our dear Shelley.
Heaven's applause for England's greatest poet.
- What of my Mary? - She is an angel.
You think so?
You hear?
Come, Mary. Come and watch the storm.
You know how lightning alarms me.
Shelley, darling, will you please light these candles for me?
Mary, darling.
Astonishing creature.
- I, Lord Byron? - Frightened of thunder, fearful of the dark.
And yet you have written a tale that sent my blood into icy creeps.
Look at her, Shelley. Can you believe that lovely brow conceived of Frankenstein?
A monster created from cadavers out of rifled graves.
- Isn't it astonishing? - I don't know why you should think so.
What do you expect?
Such an audience needs something stronger than a pretty little love story.
So why shouldn't I write of monsters?
No wonder Murray's refused to publish the book. His public would be shocked.
It will be published, I think.
Then, darling, you will have much to answer for.
The publishers did not see that my purpose was to write a moral lesson
of the punishment that befell a mortal man who dared to emulate God.
Whatever your purpose was, I take great relish in savouring each separate horror.
I roll them over on my tongue.
Don't, Lord Byron. Don't remind me of it tonight.
What a setting in that churchyard to begin with!
The sobbing women, the first clod of earth on the coffin. That was a pretty chill.
Frankenstein and the dwarf stealing the body out of its new-made grave.
Cutting the hanged man down from the gallows, where he swung in the wind.
The cunning of Frankenstein in his mountain laboratory,
picking dead men apart and building up a human monster
so fearful and so horrible that only a half-crazed brain could have devised.
And then the murders, the little child who drowned.
Henry Frankenstein himself thrown from the top of the burning mill
by the very monster he had created.
And it was these fragile white fingers that penned the nightmare.
Ah! You've made me prick myself, Byron.
It's bleeding.
There, there. I do think it a shame, Mary, to end your story quite so suddenly.
That wasn't the end at all. Would you like to hear what happened after that?
I feel like telling it.
It's a perfect night for mystery and horror.
The air itself is filled with monsters.
I'm all ears. While heaven blasts the night without, open up your pits of hell.
Well, then, imagine yourselves standing by the wreckage of the mill.
The fire is dying down.
Soon the bare skeleton of the building rolls over,
the gaunt rafters against the sky.
Well, I must say, that's the best fire I ever saw in all me life.
- What are you cryin' for? - It's terrible.
I know. But after all them murders and poor Mr Henry being brought home to die,
I'm glad to see the monster roasted to death before my very eyes.
It's too good for him.
It's all the devil's work, and you'd better cross yourself quick before he gets you.
Come along, come along. It's all over.
Get back to your homes and go to sleep.
There it goes again. It ain't burnt out at all.
- There's more yet. - Isn't the monster dead yet?
It's high time every decent man and wife was in bed.
That's his insides caught at last.
Insides is always the last to be consumed.
Move on. You've had enough excitement for one night.
This strange man you call a monster is dead.
Monster, indeed!
You may thank your lucky stars they sent for me to safeguard life and property.
Why didn't you safeguard those drownded and murdered?
Come, now. We want no rallying, no riots.
- Who's riotin'? - Move on, move on.
Good night all, and pleasant dreams.
Ah, pleasant dreams yourself.
Thinks he's everybody just because he's a burgomaster. Huh!
Poor Mr Henry. He was to have been married today to that lovely girl Elizabeth.
Cover him up. Someone must break the news to the poor girl.
Ride as fast as you can to the castle,
and tell the old Baron Frankenstein we are bringing his son home.
- Oh, dear. - Oh, shut up.
Come home, Hans. The monster is dead now.
Nothing could be left alive in that furnace. Why do you stay here?
I want to see with my own eyes.
Oh, Hans, he must be dead.
And, dead or alive, nothing can bring our little Maria back to us.
If I can see his blackened bones, I can sleep at night.
Come back, Hans! You will be burned yourself!
Maria drowned to death and you burned up! What should I do then?
No!
Hans. Hans!
Where are you? Hans! Are you all right?
I hear you. Here, give me your hand, Hans.
Here.
Oh, heaven, what is this?
Henry? Tell me.
Oh, milady, how can we tell you?
Bring him in.
- Albert. - What do you want?
It's alive. The monster, it's alive!
- Ah, shut up, you old fool. - I saw it.
It ain't turned to no skeleton at all.
It lived right through the fire.
Ah, go bite your tongue off. We don't believe in ghosts.
Nobody'll believe me.
All right, I'll wash my hands of it.
Let 'em all be murdered in their beds.
- Speak to me, Henry. - Oh, milady, he'll never speak again.
I was foretold of this.
I was told beware my wedding night.
Oh, look, milady! He's alive!
Henry, darling.
Elizabeth.
Oh, what a terrible wedding night.
You can go to bed now, Mary.
- You'll soon be better. - I feel almost myself again.
When you're strong enough, we'll go away and forget this horrible experience.
Forget? If only I could forget.
But it's never out of my mind.
I've been cursed for delving into the mysteries of life.
Perhaps death is sacred, and I've profaned it.
For what a wonderful vision it was.
I dreamed of being the first to give to the world the secret that God is so jealous of.
The formula for life.
Think of the power to create a man.
And I did. I did it. I created a man.
And who knows? In time I could have trained him to do my will.
I could have bred a race. I might even have found the secret of eternal life.
Henry, don't say those things. Don't think them. It's blasphemous and wicked.
We are not meant to know those things.
It may be that I'm intended to know the secret of life.
It may be part of the divine plan.
No, no. It's the devil that prompts you.
It's death, not life, that is in it all and at the end of it all.
Listen, while you've been lying here, tossing in your delirium, I couldn't sleep.
And when you rave of your insane desire
to create living men from the dust of the dead,
a strange apparition has seemed to appear in the room.
It comes, a figure like Death. And each time it comes more clearly, nearer.
It seems to be reaching out for you, as if it would take you away from me!
There it is. Look.
- There. - I see nothing, Elizabeth. Where?
There's nothing there.
There! There! It's coming for you!
Nearer! Henry! Henry! Henry! Henry!
Henry!
Albert! Drat the man. He's never here when he's wanted.
What's the good of footmen anyway?
All right. All right!
Don't knock the castle over! We're not all dead yet.
- There's nobody at home. - Let me in, my good woman.
I know the young Baron Frankenstein is at home.
He's sick. He's in his bed, where all decent folk should be at this time of night.
Tell him that Dr Pretorius is here on a secret matter of grave importance,
and must see him alone, tonight.
Dr Pretorius?
Pretorius?
- What was it? What was the name? - Dr Pretorius.
There ain't no such name.
Now, you stay there.
- Who's there? - It's Minnie, milady.
Oh, come in.
It's Dr Pretorius.
He says he wants to see the master. Most insistent.
Pretorius?
He's a very queer-looking old gentleman, sir.
And must see you, on a secret, grave matter, he said.
Tonight. Alone.
- Bring him in. - Henry, who is this man?
Dr Pretorius.
Baron Frankenstein now, I believe?
Won't you come in, Doctor?
I trust you will pardon this intrusion at so late an hour.
I would not have ventured to come, had I not a communication to make
which I suspect may be of the utmost importance to yourself.
This is Professor Pretorius. He used to be Doctor of Philosophy at the university.
- But, uh... - But was booted out.
Booted, my dear Baron, is the word.
For knowing too much.
Henry's been very ill, Professor. He shouldn't be disturbed.
I am also a doctor, Baroness.
Why have you come here tonight?
My business with you, Baron, is private.
Elizabeth, please.
I do hope he won't upset Henry.
- What do you want? - We must work together.
Never. This is outrageous.
I'm through with it. I'll have no more of this hell-spawn.
As soon as I'm well, I'm to be married, and I'm going away.
I must beg you to reconsider.
You know, do you not, that it is you, really,
who are responsible for all those murders?
There are penalties to pay for killing people.
And with your creature still at large in the countryside...
Are you threatening me?
Don't put it so crudely.
I had ventured to hope that you and I together, no longer as master and pupil,
but as fellow scientists, might probe the mysteries of life and death...
Never. No further.
...and reach a goal undreamed of by science.
I can't make any further experiments. I've had a terrible lesson.
That is sad, very sad.
But you and I have gone too far to stop.
Nor can it be stopped so easily.
I also have continued with my experiments.
That is why I am here tonight.
You must see my creation.
Have you also succeeded in bringing life to the dead?
If you, Herr Baron, will do me the honour of visiting my humble abode,
I think you will be interested in what I have to show you.
After 20 years of secret scientific research, and countless failures,
I also have created life, as we say, in God's own image.
I must know. When can I see it?
I thought you might change your mind.
Why not tonight? It is not very late.
- Is it far? - No, but you will need a coat.
I think your coachman had better wait here.
Won't you sit down, Herr Baron?
Before I show you the results of my trifling experiments,
I would like to drink to our partnership.
Do you like gin? It is my only weakness.
To a new world of gods and monsters.
Creation of life is enthralling,
distinctly enthralling, is it not?
I cannot account precisely for all that I am going to show you.
But perhaps now that you are my partner, you can.
My experiments did not turn out quite like yours, Henry.
But science, like love, has her little surprises, as you shall see.
Good heavens, Doctor. What are these?
There is a pleasing variety about my exhibits.
My first experiment was so lovely
that we made her a queen.
Charming, don't you think?
Then, of course, we had to have a king.
Now he's so madly in love with her that we have to segregate them.
Now now. I have to be very careful with the king.
Now, behave.
My next production looked so disapprovingly at the other two
that they made him an archbishop.
He seems to be asleep. I must wake him up.
The next one is the very devil.
Very bizarre, this little chap.
There's a certain resemblance to me, don't you think? Or do I flatter myself?
I took a great deal of pains with him.
Sometimes I have wondered whether life wouldn't be much more amusing
if we were all devils,
and no nonsense about angels and being good.
Oh, there's the king out again.
Even royal amours are a nuisance.
Poor Archbishop. He has his hands full.
There. That'll keep you quiet.
My little ballerina is charming, but such a bore.
She'll only dance to Mendelssohn's "Spring Song",
and it gets so monotonous.
My next is very conventional, I'm afraid.
But you can never tell how these things will turn out.
It was an experiment with seaweed.
Normal size has been my difficulty.
You did achieve size.
I need to work that out with you.
But this isn't science.
It's more like black magic.
You think I'm mad. Perhaps I am.
But listen, Henry Frankenstein,
while you were digging in your graves piecing together dead tissues,
I, my dear pupil, went for my material to the source of life.
I grew my creatures, like cultures. Grew them as nature does, from seed.
But, still, you did achieve results that I have missed. Now, think.
What a world-astounding collaboration we should be,
you and I, together.
No. No, no, no.
Leave the charnel house and follow the lead of nature,
or of God, if you like your Bible stories.
Male and female, created He them.
Be fruitful and multiply.
Create a race, a man-made race upon the face of the earth. Why not?
I daren't. I daren't even think of such a thing.
Our mad dream is only half realised.
Alone you have created a man.
Now together we will create his mate.
You mean...?
Yes, a woman.
That should be really interesting.
Please don't touch me!
There she is! Quick!
There he is. Shoot.
Run to the village, quick. It's the monster. Tell the burgomaster.
- What is it now? - The monster! He's in the woods.
Get the bloodhounds. Raise all the men you can, lock the women indoors
and wait for me.
Now then! Monster, indeed! I'll show him. Follow me.
Where is he?
Bind him securely. I don't want anything slipshod.
Tie his feet first. His feet first!
I get no cooperation. None at all.
Have you got him? That's what I want to know. Have you got him?
Of course we've got him, my good woman.
A good job too. Mind he don't get loose again.
He might do some damage and hurt somebody.
- Bring him down when you've bound him. - You want any help there? I'll bind him!
Now take him down to the old dungeon and put him in chains.
There you are. Find some rope and tie him up.
Come on, then. Get back to your work.
Keep still.
That's quite enough. Come and lock your doors. We can't take all day over this.
I'd hate to find him under my bed at night. He's a nightmare in the daylight, he is.
Get away, there! Clear that window!
Hah! You mind your own business and see he doesn't get out. He's dangerous.
Now I can get back to more important duties.
- Way past our hours. - Hm?
- The night, sir. - Monster, indeed.
Tush, tush.
He's loose! Shoot him!
Help! He's loose!
Go to your homes. Just an escaped lunatic.
Merely wanted someone to handle it, that's all. Quite harmless.
Shoot him! Why don't you shoot him?
Where's Frieda?
Frieda! Frieda!
- Frieda? Where's Frieda? - She just left.
Oh, look!
Frieda! Oh, what have they done to you?
Mrs Newman. Oh! Come on!
- Poor old Newman. - Where's his wife, Frau Newman?
Frau Newman.
- Frau Newman! - Frau Newman!
Frau Newman!
There's another one in there.
Frau Newman.
Aurora, you stay close to me.
We'd better get away from these parts.
- It isn't safe. - Why?
I'm frightened. The monster.
Ah, there's no danger. He's safe in jail and they'll keep him there.
Where's the pepper and salt? We got no pepper and salt.
All right, Mother. I'll get it.
Don't worry. You shall have your meat.
Ah.
Get away from there.
Who's there?
Who is it?
You're welcome, my friend, whoever you are.
Who are you?
I think you're a stranger to me.
I cannot see you. I cannot see anything.
You must please excuse me, but I am blind.
Come in, my poor friend.
No one will hurt you here.
If you're in trouble, perhaps I can help you.
But you need not tell me about it if you don't want to.
What's the matter?
You're hurt, my poor friend.
Come.
Sit down.
Now tell me, who are you?
I don't understand.
Can you not speak?
It's strange.
Perhaps... perhaps you're afflicted too.
I cannot see and you cannot speak.
Is that it?
If you understand what I'm saying, put your hand on my shoulder.
That is good.
No, you stay here.
I'll get you some food.
We shall be friends.
I have prayed many times for God to send me a friend.
It's very lonely here, and it's been a long time
since any human being came into this hut.
I shall look after you,
and you will comfort me.
Now you must lie down,
and go to sleep.
Yes, yes, now you must sleep.
Our Father, I thank thee,
that, in thy great mercy, thou hast taken pity on my great loneliness.
And now, out of the silence of the night,
hath brought two of thy lonely children together,
and sent me a friend
to be a light to mine eyes and a comfort in time of trouble.
Amen.
And now for our lesson.
Remember, this is bread.
Bread.
And this is wine... to drink.
- Drink. - Drink.
Good. Good.
We are friends, you and I.
- Friends. - Friends.
- Good. - Good!
And now for a smoke.
No, no. This is good.
Smoke. You try.
Smoke.
Good, good.
Good.
Before you came, I was all alone.
It is bad to be alone.
Alone.
Bad.
Friend. Good. Friend. Good.
Now, come here.
And what is this?
This is wood for the fire.
Wood.
And this is fire.
No, no. Fire is good.
Fire no good.
There is good and there is bad.
Good. Bad.
Good.
Music?
Can you tell us how to get out of this wood? We've lost our way.
Come in, friends, and rest a while.
- Look. - It's the monster.
What are you doing? This is my friend.
Friend? This is the fiend that's been murdering half the countryside.
Good heavens, man, can't you see?
Oh, he's blind.
He isn't human. Frankenstein made him out of dead bodies.
My friend. Why do you do this?
Friend.
Look.
Which way did he go?
This way! He's gone this way!
Friend.
- I can smell the ghosts already. - I never could stand graves.
Shut up and follow me.
Read the inscription. What does it say?
"Died 1899. Maddalena Ernestine, beloved daughter of..."
Oh, never mind that. How old was she?
"Aged 19 years, three months."
Well, that's the one. Get to work.
- What are you waiting for? - Mercy on us.
- You want me to send you to the gallows? - Could be no worse than this.
- Well, are you ready? - Yes.
Here goes.
Pretty little thing, in her way, wasn't she?
I hope her bones are firm.
- It seems lighter now. - Yes.
Well, Doctor, I guess that's all for tonight.
- Can we go home now? - Yes. I shall wait here for a bit.
I rather like this place.
- Be careful nobody sees you leave. - We know.
- And leave me that lantern down there. - All right, all right.
If there's more like this, what do you say, pal?
We give ourselves up and let 'em hang us?
- That goes for me too. - This is no life for murderers.
I give you the monster.
Oh.
I thought I was alone. Good evening.
Smoke.
- Friend. - Yes, I hope so.
Have a cigar. They are my only weakness.
Good, good.
Drink. Good.
Good.
You make man like me?
No. Woman.
- Friend for you. - Woman?
Friend. Yes.
I want friend. Like me.
I think you can be very useful.
And you will add a little force to the argument, if necessary.
Do you know who Henry Frankenstein is? And who you are?
Yes. I know.
Made me from dead.
I love dead.
Hate living.
You're wise in your generation.
We must have a long talk, and then I have an important call to make.
Woman. Friend.
Wife.
That Dr Pretorius is here again, sir.
There, I knew it.
- Send him away. I won't see him. - I certainly will.
Good evening, Henry.
Baroness, I've not yet had the opportunity
of offering you my congratulations on your marriage.
- Pray accept them now. - Dr Pretorius.
I don't know what your business is but, whatever it may be,
I tell you frankly that I am not frightened of it or of you.
Henry's been very ill. He's in no state to be alarmed or annoyed.
Your visit now is most unwelcome.
Henry, I heard the carriage drive up. I'll see that the baggage is put in.
Then we're leaving.
I think you know why I am here, Henry.
All the necessary preparations are made. My part in the experiments is complete.
I have created, by my method, a perfect human brain - already living, but dormant.
Everything is now ready for you and me to begin our supreme collaboration.
No, no. Don't tell me of it. I don't want to hear.
I've changed my mind. I won't do it.
I expected this.
I thought we might need another assistant.
Perhaps he can persuade you.
- Nothing can persuade me. - We shall see.
- No! Not that! - Oh, he's harmless, except when crossed.
Frankenstein.
Yes, there have been developments since he came to me.
Sit down.
- What do you want? - You know.
- This is your work. - Yes.
I'll have no hand in such a monstrous thing.
- Yes. Must. - Get him out.
I won't even discuss it until he's gone.
Go now.
Go.
- Must do it. - Nothing can make me go on with it.
Now.
Put the bags in the carriage and I'll be out in a moment.
Go and tell the master to hurry, Minnie, or we shall lose the train.
Excuse me for being so nervous, milady,
but I don't like leaving you alone.
- Oh, nonsense, Minnie, I shall be all right. - I hope so, milady.
Is that you, Henry?
Henry! Henry, help!
Henry!
Milady!
Elizabeth.
What is it? What's the matter?
Oh, sir, she's gone!
The monster, he's got her!
I saw it. The baroness is gone!
This is Pretorius' doing. Quick, search parties. There's not a moment to lose.
I charge you, as you value your mistress' life,
to do nothing and say nothing of this episode.
I assure you that the baroness will be safely returned,
if you will leave everything to me.
Nothing, that is, except what he demands.
I can find no trace of Elizabeth.
Oh, I admit I'm beaten.
But if you can bring her back,
I'll do anything that you want.
Are you ready to complete with me this final experiment?
- What about Elizabeth? - She is well,
and will be safely returned if you will proceed.
- I'm ready. - Ah.
Mind the steps. They're a bit slimy, I expect.
I think it's a charming house.
It is interesting to think that once upon a time
we should have been burnt at the stake as wizards for this experiment.
Doctor, I think the heart is beating.
Look. It's beating.
- But the rhythm of the beat is uneven. - Increase the saline solution.
- Is there any life yet? - No, not life itself yet.
This is only the simulacrum of life.
This action only responds when the current is applied.
We must be patient. The heart is more complex than any other part of the body.
Look. The beat is increasing.
Yes...
- It's stopped. - Shall I increase the current?
This heart is useless.
I must have another. And it must be sound and young.
Karl.
You must go to your friend at the accident hospital.
What we need is a female victim of sudden death. Can you do it?
If you promise me a thousand crowns.
It will be well worth it, and the baron will pay.
- Yes, yes. Go and get it. - I'll try.
There are always accidental deaths occurring.
Always.
I'll get your heart.
I'll go into that room, I'll go into that room and I'll take my knife out.
I'll get her. I'll hold her down and there she'll be.
Where, I ask you? Where will she be?
A thousand crowns.
It's beating perfectly. Just as in life.
- Oh, if only I can keep it going until... - It was a very fresh one.
Where did you get it?
I gave the gendarme 50 crowns.
- What gendarme? - It was a...
- police case. - Yes, very sad.
Only, we can't bother about that now. Can I do anything?
No, no, no! I can work better alone.
- Work. - Where's Elizabeth?
- Have you brought her? - She wait. I wait.
I'm exhausted. I must get sleep.
Work. Finish. Then sleep.
But I can't work like this. He must go away. Send him away.
I'll settle him for a little while.
Drink.
Good.
That'll keep you quiet.
Elizabeth - she's dead.
Elizabeth is alive and she is well.
- I don't believe you. - I have proof.
- Proof? - In a few moments from now,
she will speak to you from where she is through this electrical machine.
- Where is she? - Not far from here.
Speak, and she will hear you and answer.
Yes, yes, this is Henry.
Henry, yes, I'm safe. But, oh, Henry, how long? Come for me. I'm in...
Elizabeth? Elizabeth!
- She's gone. - That is all now. But you heard her.
Yes, she's alive.
As soon as our work is completed she will be returned to you.
The heart is beating more regularly now.
Yes, it's been beating for nine hours.
Not yet, but soon...
- And the brain? - Perfect and already in position.
- Then we are almost ready. - Almost.
Shall we put the heart in now?
- Yes. - Ludwig.
It's beating quite normally now.
Bring it over.
- The storm is rising. - All right.
The air is heavy with electricity.
It's going to be a terrific storm.
We shall be ready.
Isn't it amazing, Henry, that lying here within this cowl
is an artificially developed human brain?
Each cell, each convolution ready, waiting for life to come.
Look. The storm is coming up over the mountains.
- It will be here soon. - The kites. Are the kites ready?
- Yes. - Send them up as soon as the wind rises.
- Hurry, hurry! - The kites, the kites, get 'em ready.
Ludwig!
He wants the kites!
Stand back.
Careful on the roof!
The big diffuser!
Wires! Slip down your wires!
All right. Stop your winches. I'm coming up!
- Now, off with the kites! - You take number two, Ludwig.
- Have you made your connections? - Yes.
Stand by!
Let go of number one!
Let her go!
It's coming up!
Go back. Go back down!
Go back!
No! Get away! Frankenstein!
Get away! Get away!
Don't come near me!
Get away! Don't! No! No!
Don't! Don't!
Raise the cosmic diffuser.
Remove the diffuser bands.
She's alive! Alive!
The bride of Frankenstein.
Friend?
Stand back. Stand back.
She hate me. Like others.
- Look out! The lever! - Get away from that lever!
You'll blow us all to atoms.
Henry!
Open the door! Henry!
- Get back! Get back! - I won't unless you come!
But I can't leave them! I can't!
Yes, go! You live!
Go!
You stay.
We belong dead.
Darling, darling.