GODS AND MONSTERS
US, 1998, 94 minutes, Colour.
Ian Mc Kellen, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, David Dukes, Kevin J. O' Connor, Lolita Davidovitch.
Directed by Bill Condon.
Gods and Monsters is Bill Condon's adaptation of the novel about director James Whale by Christopher Bram, The Father of Frankenstein. Condon won an Oscar for Best Screenplay Adaptation for this film. Condon also wrote the screenplay for the Oscar-winning Chicago.
James Whale was a British director who came from a poor background, served in World War One, emerged as an artist during the 1920s and director the classic play about World War One, Journey's End. He went to Hollywood where he directed Frankenstein and The Bridge of Frankenstein as well as other films including the first version of Showboat with Irene Dunne and Paul Robeson.
However, he fell out of favour, withdrew from the industry, still living in the United States. A homosexual, he scandalised some people by his lifestyle.
The film focuses on the last weeks of James Whale's life while giving a lot of flashbacks to his life in England, the war in the trenches as well as scenes of his directing The Bride of Frankenstein. In fact, Condon uses the themes from the Frankenstein movies as symbols for his characters - Whale as Dr Frankenstein, Clayton Boone, his gardener, as his own creation and Hannah, his housekeeper, as the bride of Frankenstein. This gives a depth to the portrait of the director as well as interest in the relationship between movies and real life.
Ian McKellen? gives an excellent performance as Whale. It is significant that the dialogue discusses issues of homosexuality and homophobia, especially as Ian Mc Kellen came out early in his career and became a spokesperson for issues of sexuality and identity. Brendan Fraser, often in comedies like Bedazzled and Blast from the Past as well as action adventures like the Mummy series, shows his dramatic side (School Ties) and portrays very sympathetically the gardener who helps Whale in his last weeks. Lynn Redgrave gives a rather mannered performance as a seeming dragon-lady housekeeper.
The film recreates the atmosphere of Hollywood in the 1950s, has aspects of gossip, especially about George Cukor who hosts a garden party for Princess Margaret - this scene seems quite odd and Princess Margaret is made to look like an exaggerated rather twittish member of the Royal Family (however true or false this may be).
1. The reputation of James Whale and his films, the classic horror films? This presentation of his last weeks as a blend of fiction, realism and interpretation?
2. The title, the line from the film - "an age of gods and monsters"? The use of the Frankenstein theme, power, creation, fate, the results of this kind of interaction?
3. The re-creation of Hollywood in the 50s, Whale's home, the Californian climate, the social world, the party for Princess Margaret? The re-creation of the studios, the 30s, The Bride of Frankenstein? The musical score?
4. The insertion of the flashbacks: Whale's childhood, his home, relationship with his parents, the close-ups of Whale as a boy? The trenches of World War One, Barnett, the discussions with him, his death and his being impaled on the wires?
5. Quality of the screenplay, its winning an Oscar? The blend of
biography, fiction and interpretation?
6. The strength of the performances, the symbolism with James Whale as a Dr Frankenstein figure, Clayton Boone as his creation, Hannah as a kind of bride of Frankenstein? A benign interpretation of the symbols?
7. Whale in the 1950s, outside the film industry, his reputation for his films, his withdrawing from society? His homosexuality (and Ian McKellen? as portraying Whale and uttering the lines about homosexuality, homophobia)? The discussions about homosexuality in Hollywood? George Cukor and the other directors, lifestyle? The difference between the 30s and the 50s?
8. The portrait of James Whale: as a young boy, the close-ups on his expression and watching, his place in the family, the lies that he told about his father being a teacher, descended from Vickers, his admitting the truth to Clayton? The war in the trenches, his command, his attraction towards Barnett, their talking, Barnett's trust in him and love for him, Barnett being killed, his being impaled on the fence, the callous remarks made by the soldiers? (The memories of Barnett, his reappearing in Whale's dreams, fantasies, at the end, Wale and his wandering the trenches, finding love and peace?) His work with Journey's End? Going to Hollywood, his success, his disdain of the directors of Frankenstein and other films? Life passing, affluence, his home, his relationship with David, David leaving for New York, the farewell, the discussions about having freedom as well as love? Hannah, her years of looking after Whale, his submitting to her regime yet his harsh comments to her? Her view of him as being corrupt and going to hell? The men passing through the house, the flashback to the swimming-pool party? His illness, the interview with the young film buff, his stroke, going to hospital? His predatory aspects, the young man with the interview, answering the question and his stripping? The going to the party at George Cukor's? Meeting Princess Margaret, her thinking he was Cecil Beaton because of the hat, his courtesy and manners? His being reunited with Elsa Lanchester, his personal attitude towards Boris Karloff as a boring person, their meeting again at the party? His interest in Clay, watching him work in the garden, attracted towards him, saying that he was not attracted? The work, having tea, dinner? Asking him to pose, his sketches and his inability to draw, showing Clay the sketches and their worthlessness? Being able to talk and tell stories to Clay, his listening, his being upset at all the trips down memory lane, the emotional upset? the discussions about homosexuality, homophobia? Clay helping him, showing him to the party, his being introduced to the guests? The rain, going home, sitting and talking, Clay beginning to understand him better, offering to pose for him like a statue? Whale's coming on to Clay, touching him, kissing him, the fight and the struggle, a set-up so that Clay would kill him? His illness, the deterioration of his brain, wanting to die? Drowning himself in the swimming pool?
9. Hannah, serving Whale as her life's work, her work in the house, the meals, protecting him, warning strangers? Her theology of hell and death? Her own marriage, being a widow?
10. David, companionship, leaving, at the party? The memories of the men in the house?
11. The interviewer, his brash enthusiasm, the interview, the proposal to strip, the discussions about George Cukor, the irony that he was invited to Cukor's party because Cukor had fired the young man? The young man engineering their reunion?
12. The character of Clayton, his work in the yard, in the house, having a cup of tea, talking with Whale, being persuaded to pose so that his head could be sketched? His attitude towards homosexuality, the discussions with Hannah in the kitchen, her warnings, her saying that Whale would go to hell? His own attitudes, emphasis on his heterosexuality, his declaration of "live and let live"? His relationship with Betty, going to the bar, watching the TV and in admiration for the film while the others mocked it? Betty's breaking off with him? His group of friends? His going back to the house, continuing to work? Listening to Whale's stories, Whale revealing so much of himself? His going to the party, watching the people, Princess Margaret? The rain, the return home, his telling the truth about himself, his burst appendix, his father's disappointment in him and having to leave the Marines, laughing at him? His offering to pose? Whale's advances, his angry reaction, realising that Whale wanted him to kill him? Hannah and himself taking the body out of the pool, putting it back in again? The postscript sequences with his family, the souvenir of the original sketch of Frankenstein, his son in admiration? The effect of James Whale on his personality, life?
13. The themes of destiny, fate, interactions with people and people's ability to transform each other?
14. The movie world, the world of art, creativity, the horror genre, horror with humour? Life mirroring the movies?
15. Clay and the ordinary world, the 50s, repressed, live and let live, homophobia? Tragedy?
16. The character of James Whale, people judging him on the surface and superficial, the opportunity for him to explore something of his memories, deaths, real feelings?
