Boris Karloff makes a frightening creature’s need to be understood feel as urgent as the threat he poses. We rate the patience of his acting, and the sympathy he earns without making danger disappear.
Fi1m perspective
In Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Boris Karloff makes the effort of speaking matter as much as the words. His Monster has a child’s urgency when he wants something, but there is anger in those demands too. We were moved by how little speech relieved his isolation: he could make himself heard and still seem desperately alone. The dialogue helps, but the feeling does not depend on it. This is acting worth seeking out, especially for anyone who thinks a monster costume leaves little for an actor to do.
Frankenstein (1931), directed by James Whale, made him a star after years of minor roles. His expressive eyes and physical acting could convey feeling beneath heavy make-up, an important skill for an actor whose collaborators included make-up artist Jack Pierce. The Mummy (1932), in which he plays Imhotep / Ardath Bey, extended his association with tragic figures in horror. The typecasting that followed Frankenstein narrowed his opportunities outside the genre. It also makes it tempting to discuss the creatures and forget the patient work that made them matter.
Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein is the clearest reason for us to resist that habit. Some of its broader humour presses too hard beside Karloff’s attention to the Monster’s feelings, and Elsa Lanchester deserves more time than the film allows her. Yet Karloff helps Whale make room for laughter without treating the creature as a joke. Neediness, anger and the possibility of violence can all be present at once, and he does not soften one to make another easier to accept. We can understand what the Monster wants without being reassured about what he might do.
The Body Snatcher (1945), a Val Lewton production, gave him a substantial role beyond the monster parts. In the late-career Targets (1968), he plays Byron Orlok in a performance that reflects on his horror legacy. Those films offer other points of entry, though our strongest recommendation rests with the speaking Monster. Start with Bride of Frankenstein, with a little patience for the jokes that are less carefully judged than his performance.
Biography
Boris Karloff, born William Henry Pratt, was an English actor. He emigrated to Canada in 1909 and began his career in theatre before moving into film, initially in minor roles.
Karloff became internationally known for his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein (1931). He reprised the role in Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and Son of Frankenstein (1939). Other notable horror performances include The Mummy (1932) and The Black Cat (1934).
Outside horror, he provided the narration and voice of the Grinch in the 1966 television special How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. He received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to film and television.
