Gods and Monsters (1998)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

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 | Director | 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: Making movies is the most wonderful thing in the world. Working with friends - entertaining people - yes, I suppose I miss it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Clive Barker: Raising Hell (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Bride of Frankenstein

More than just gay vs. straight.

Originally, I thought this would be a film of gay man versus straight man. It is. But much more than that, it is a film that speaks of human strengths and weaknesses, one that studies with quirky charm and quiet strength the scenario of man versus man.

Without getting maudlin or preachy, "Gods and Monsters" goes about telling its story about ignorance, frailty, and unconditional love, the very themes that ran throughout most of James Whale's life and films.

Bill Condon has created a poetic masterpiece, a wonderful answer to the question "Can't we all just get along?". Ian McKellen as James Whale is fascinating and absorbing, his facial expressions and body movements mesmerizing. He does not give a stereotypical "queen" performance. Rather, his James Whale is a dignified, yet tortured man. Lynn Redgrave is comical for the most part as Whale's maid, though she does lend a certain down to earth quality. It is Brendan Fraser, though, who steals this film. As Clay Boone, Fraser holds his own in McKellen's formidibal shadow. He does not provide a stereotypical performance either. Boone prooves to be as dignified and monstrous as Whale.

The few problems I had with the film where two gimmicky scenes, one showing Boone's surrender to a request of Whale's that he pose "like a statue", the other a dream sequence that has Whale walking among his fallen comrades in the trenches of World War one, and one flashback on the set of "Bride of Frankenstein", a scene tainted by Arthur Dignam's awful portrayal of Ernest Thesiger.

Eventually, "Gods and Monsters' proves two things: that we are all at once superhuman and sub-human, and that Hollywood can still show this in a beautiful way.