BLACK FRIDAY
US, 1940, 70 minutes, Black-and-white.
Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Stanley Ridges, Anne Nagel, Anne Gwynn, Virginia Brissac.
Directed by Arthur Lubin.
Black Friday is worth a look. While it is announced with co-stars, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, Bela Lugosi has a small role as, rather unconvincingly, an American gangster. On the other hand, Boris Karloff is a respected surgeon who is experimenting on the brain and the possibility of brain transplants.
He is very friendly with a literature Professor at the University, played by Stanley Ridges. The Professor has a devoted wife. The surgeon has a loving daughter.
The Professor has a stroke and dies. In the meantime, a group of gangsters are in the town, pursuing another gangster who they feel has betrayed them and has money. They shoot him. His body is taken to the surgery and the surgeon decides to transplant the Professor’s brain into the criminal. It has to be said that Stanley Ridges is effective as the Professor but also quite credible, and quite different, as the gangster.
The surgeon decides that with the gangster’s brain inside the Professor, he will send him to New York to recover the money which can be used for further brain surgery research. This is what happens, the surgeon becoming more deeply involved in criminal activity, the Professor becoming the gangster and killing his rivals. The Professor’s wife in the surgeon’s daughter also come to New York – leading to a showdown and a confession.
The film is directed by Arthur Lubin who directed quite a number of the Abbott and Costello comedies as well as some of the Francis films.
The premise has been used in other thrillers but, with Boris Karloff, this one is of greater interest.
1. The blend of drama and horror? The star vehicle for Boris Karloff? Lesser vehicle for Bela Lugosi? A two-to-force by Stanley Ridges? Audience expectations?
2. The title, Friday the 13th, Fate, superstition?
3. The American city, prison, execution room, laboratories, university classrooms, crashes, laboratories, the details of the city? New York city, hotels, restaurants, the criminal world? The score and the songs?
4. Boris Karloff vehicle, his strong presence, statue, voice, dignity, preparing for execution? His book, his giving into the journalist who supported him? Prepared to die? His final message? Justification for what he had done?
5. The flashbacks, the doctor and his work, experimenting on the brain, laboratory, his lover’s daughter, Professor Kingsley as his friend, the criminal attack and the injuries? Kingsley is pleasant, his students affirming him, love of literature and quoting? The issue of his brain, the doctor making decisions, the criminal being dead, the transplant to the Prof? The motivation for getting the criminals cash and a grant for experiments?
6. The Prof, his charm, getting the criminal brain, himself but… The reaction of his wife, his strangeness, differences?
7. The doctor’s idea to going to New York, not having the Prof’s wife with him? The doctor and wanting to recover the money, their travelling together, going to the hotel, settling
in, the doctor and his care, leading the professor and his awareness, taking into the restaurant, his girlfriend’s singing?
8. The physical transformation, the Jekyll and Hyde touch, the change in his appearance, face, hard lines, hair? His manner of talking, behaviour? Tough? Threatening the girlfriend? And the criminals, led by Eric Marney? His wanting ventures killing them?
9. The criminals, the money, Chase, wanting to get rid of the criminal? The girlfriend, consulting her, her fear? The criminal in the various confrontations, deaths? Atmosphere of
suspense?
10. The effect on the professor, his wife coming to New York, with the doctor’s daughter, their concern? The doctor arguing his case?
11. The doctor engrossed, yet his fears, the effect of the killings, the professor waking up?
12. The murders, coming to arrest the criminal, the doctor, his explanations? His crime for the benefit of the human race? Experiment on transplants? Yet the greed motivation and ruthlessness? And the Professor finally being himself?
