Gods and Monsters (1998)

Director:

Bill Condon

Writers (WGA):

Christopher Bram (novel)
Bill Condon (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

The last days of Frankenstein director James Whale are explored.

Plot Keywords:

Frankenstein | Friendship | Gardener | Homosexual | Stroke

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 32 wins & 23 nominations

Cast

Ian McKellen	...	James Whale
Brendan Fraser	...	Clayton Boone
Lynn Redgrave	...	Hanna
Lolita Davidovich	...	Betty
David Dukes	...	David Lewis
Kevin J. O'Connor	...	Harry
Mark Kiely	...	Dwight
Jack Plotnick	...	Edmund Kay
Rosalind Ayres	...	Elsa Lanchester
Jack Betts	...	Boris Karloff
Matt McKenzie	...	Colin Clive
Todd Babcock	...	Leonard Barnett
Cornelia Hayes O'Herlihy	...	Princess Margaret
Brandon Kleyla	...	Young Whale
Pamela Salem	...	Sarah Whale

Also Known As:

The Father of Frankenstein (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual material and language.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Iceland:12 | Singapore:R(A) | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Germany:12 | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | South Korea:18 | New Zealand:M

Filming Locations:

Arbor Mansion, Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Lions Gate Films

Trivia:

As of 2007, one of only three films since the advent of the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar to win the award without receiving a Best Picture nomination as well. The first was The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), the second was Sling Blade (1996).

Goofs:

Continuity: Before starting his line about James wanting "to draw him like a statue" Clayton tosses away his towel. James turns from the window and Clayton punctuates the end of his line by tossing his towel away again.

Quotes:

James Whale: [about the Frankenstein monster] He's noble. Noble and misunderstood.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Innocent (2005)

Soundtrack:

Bride of Frankenstein

Not always easy to watch, but worth it...

I resisted seeing this film at first, but agreed to see it at a second run house with a group of people. At the film's conclusion, I found that I liked it much more than any other person I went with. I found "Gods and Monsters" to be a thoughtful, intelligent, sensitive-yet-harsh study of later life and the reflections one experiences as death approaches. I was also very pleased to see the film draw Whale's Great War experiences into focus (although in less detail than I would have liked), and make them the central point to his life and career, and, as he is dying, his misery. The rather exquisitely torturous method of his wasting lends veracity to his ultimate actions. The film is also an excellent rumination on the vagaries of fame, artistic or professional control of one's work, and the value of work. Whale also bitterly recalls his youth and the feeling of being trapped in the English caste system in several scenes during a prior "family values" generation.

The film is well-filmed but slow in spots, contains some cliches or scenes that are too "easy", but is highly rewarding, and is driven by excellent performances from Redgrave and McKellan and, to a lesser extent, Fraser. The film's final scene is great, too. I eagerly awaited the premiere of "The Thin Red Line", and having seen it, I would say that this film addresses the issues of individual humanity, social decay, and the horror of war much better. This film should be an Oscar sleeper. 8* out of 10*.