Son of Frankenstein is a 1939 horror film, the third film in
Universal's
Frankenstein series. It stars Basil Rathbone as the eponymous son,
Bela Lugosi as Ygor and
Boris Karloff as
Frankenstein's Monster for the final time in his career.
A couple decades after the events of
Bride of Frankenstein, Dr.
Wolf von Frankenstein and his wife and son arrive in the town of Frankenstein (
previously known as Goldstadt) to claim his inheritance from his late father, namely the Castle Frankenstein. Terror of the Monster still fresh on their minds, the townsfolk shun Wolf but he keeps his mind open. He meets Dr.
Henry Heinrich Frankenstein's previous assistant Ygor, who survived a hanging attempt following his conviction for
grave robbing. Ygor reveals that the Monster is still alive, but is in bad shape due to being struck by lightning, and begs Wolf to help it. Wolf decides to restore the Monster
in the name of science, but Ygor has other plans in mind...
Son is considered to be Universal's last great
Frankenstein movie and Lugosi's portrayal of Ygor is often hailed as his career's high-point. Its basic concept and a number of ideas unique to it (eg Krogh's artificial arm) were specifically parodied by
Young Frankenstein.
The film was followed by
The Ghost of Frankenstein.
Son of Frankenstein contains examples of:
- Artificial Limbs: Krogh's wooden arm.
- Awesome McCoolname: Baron Wolf von Frankenstein.
- Broad Strokes: This film appears to be based on a scenario where Henry dies at the end of Bride, but Elizabeth survives (either while pregnant or already having sons). (the original ending of Bride where Henry dies would mean Elizabeth does, too) there are other things that don't quite gel with the previous film as well.
- Drop the Hammer: Ygor tries to do this to the Baron. It doesn't end well for old Ygor.
- Even Evil Has Standards: The Monster tries to drop Wolf's son into a sulfur pit as revenge for "killing" Ygor, but can't bring himself to go through with it.
- Fainting: Amelia faints at the sight of the Monster.
- For Science!: Wolf's reason to heal the Monster. He also hopes to clear his family name by fixing the monster's brain, proving that his father had the right idea and just made a mistake.
- Handicapped Badass: Inspector Krogh, full stop.
- Have a Gay Old Time
- High-Class Glass: Inspector Krogh wears one.
- The Igor: Ygor is the Trope Namer.
- The Man They Couldn't Hang: Ygor.
- My Nayme Is
- Organ Dodge: When the Monster tries to rip off Krogh's arm and grabs his wooden one.
- Revenge: Ygor has been using the Monster to get revenge on his accusers. Later on, after the Monster finds Ygor dead, he goes on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge that culminates in his attempting to kill the Baron's son by hurling him into a sulfur pit.
- Screaming Woman
- Torches and Pitchforks
- Überwald
- Villainous Friendship: Type III between the Monster and Ygor. The Monster cares about Ygor, but Ygor only seems to be using the Monster to his advantage.
- The Von Trope Family
- Would Hurt a Child: The Monster did this to Inspector Krogh in the backstory, ripping his arm out of its socket, and he tries to do it to the Baron's son in revenge for Ygor's death, although he hesitates at the last second.
- The X of Y
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