Old Hollywood: Movies, Actresses, and Actors
Director James Whale and Ernest Thesiger (“Dr. Pretorius”)
One of the most popular and beloved classic horror movie is the 1935 The Bride of Frankenstein, directed superbly by James Whale. Whale also directed Frankenstein (1931) , The Old Dark House (1932) and The Invisible Man (1933). He clearly had a wonderful feel for the genre.
You can find The Bride of Frankenstein on dvd or Blu-ray or watch the classic horror on Prime Video.
Elsa Lanchester – The Bride of Frankenstein
Elsa Lanchester and Charles Laughton in Witness for the Prosecution
See the picture above? You’re looking at a little too much talent for one photograph to contain. The great Elsa Lanchester and the great Charles Laughton were as talented as talented comes. Every single performance, every single scene each ever gifted us with was mesmerizing perfection.
Witness for the Prosecution is just one of the gifts they left us and is it ever a masterpiece?! The 1957 Crime/Mystery/Drama was directed by Billy Wilder and also stars Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, John Williams, Una O’Connor, Norma Varden, Ian Wolfe, and Henry Daniell.
If you’ve never seen this outstanding movie, I hope you’ll find it SOON, it’s absolutely wonderful.
You can find the excellent Witness for the Prosecution on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the film on Prime Video.
Elsa Lanchester as The Bride of Frankenstein
Hollywood Yesterday wishes you a happy, fun, and safe Halloween. Funny how such a crazy, over the top, and “never grow up” holiday has somehow been made to be controversial, isn’t it?
I am a God-loving, Bible-reading Christian who doesn’t just pray everyday but prays throughout the day.
We prayer warriors must stay vigilant!
However, I see absolutely nothing evil or wrong about Halloween and I never have. My husband, our daughters, and the rest of our family gets a huge kick out of this time of year.
It’s innocent fun… sometimes people aren’t terribly innocent (or fun!) but isn’t that pretty much true every day of the year?
As far as I’m concerned, the more fun the better – so let the classic horror movies play (especially Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein!), dress up like you’re 10 years old, and by all means pass the candy bowl!
Have fun! Be safe! ~ Joi (“Joy”)
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Elsa Lanchester in her Iconic role as The Bride of Frankenstein
I have always considered Elsa Lanchester’s Bride of Frankenstein to be one of the most iconic characters in the history of film. Phenomenal when you consider…
And yet, the Bride and her phenomenally talented portrayer are as known as any of the monsters, present or past! The next time you watch The Bride of Frankenstein, pay close attention to her every movement and expression. With an extremely limited amount of screen time, she puts on an acting clinic. In the words of a very good song… Every little thing she does is magic.
You can find The Bride of Frankenstein on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.
Elsa Lanchester as The Bride of Frankenstein
Collin Clive, Elsa Lanchester, Boris Karloff, and Ernest Thesiger
Okay, admittedly, I have been obsessed with posting The Bride of Frankenstein pictures of the day this month but I simply cannot help myself. Elsa Lanchester’s Bride is my favorite movie monster of all time and I want everyone else to appreciate her and her iconic film as much as I do!
I know I’ve gone on record as saying I am (overall) somewhat disappointed in this film but I want to clear something up while I have the chance. The disappointment comes only from the fact that she wasn’t given more scenes. I SO wish her character had been introduced earlier in the film and that she and her intended had wreaked havoc together.
Having said all of that, I do love many things about this film. The makeup, acting, and directing are all perfection… right to their core. Perhaps that’s why I get a bit disappointed when I watch it – it’s the realization of how MAGNIFICENT it would have been with more of the wonderful Elsa Lanchester.
It’s an iconic film to be sure and it is absolutely one of my favorite horror films.
You can find The Bride of Frankenstein on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.
Elsa Lanchester and Colin Clive
I am so obsessed with Elsa Lanchester as The Bride of Frankenstein that I collect LITERALLY anything associated with the movie. It’s such a phenomenal character and the only female monster from the wonderful old Hollywood horror films.
The movie also stars Boris Karloff as the monster, Colin Clive as Dr. Frankenstein, and Valerie Hobson as Elizabeth.
You can find The Bride of Frankenstein on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.
Elsa Lanchester
Elsa Lanchester
I’m not sure I’ve ever published two photos of the day back to back of the same star (or even movie) before, but holy cats, it’s Halloween season and The Bride of Frankenstein is my favorite movie monster, so I can’t help myself.
I love this behind the scenes photo of Elsa. This iconic role was perfectly cast as a role could be cast – she was absolutely perfect in every way.
You can find The Bride of Frankenstein on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.
Elsa Lanchester, The Bride of Frankenstein
As I’ve already stated on the old Hollywood blog several times, I’m not the world’s biggest fan of the Frankenstein movies. My favorite is The Bride of Frankenstein but it’s only because of Elsa Lanchester. If she had been in the movie more, I’d have liked it a lot more.
I’m really not sure why I’m not a bigger Frankenstein fan – I LOVE the Dracula movies. Heck I’ve never met one of those I didn’t like.
The most peculiar part of me not liking Frankenstein films is this… Elsa Lanchester isn’t just one of my favorite actress, she’s one I “collect,” as in every photo, doll, or piece of memorabilia I can get my hands on. I particularly love to collect The Bride of Frankenstein figurines and collectibles.
What’s more, in spite of the fact I love Dracula, she is actually my favorite movie monster. She was spectacular.
And yet…. I have no love for the movie… only her!
Sigh. Be that as it may, I enjoy her immensely every single year from about mid-September all the way up to October 31. I break out my Bride of Frankenstein decorations and watch her movie 3-4 times…. admittedly only watching her the final two times.
Even her short scene at the front of the film is outstanding. How could the people in charge not see how magical she was and featured her MORE in the film!?
Okay. Rant, officially over.
For now.
You can find The Bride of Frankenstein on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.
Elsa Lanchester, Pal, and Donald Crisp
A few days ago, I was thinking about Roddy McDowall. As someone who lives with one foot in old Hollywood, it isn’t even remotely unusual for me to have one of its stars on my mind. I was thinking, isn’t it strange that his name isn’t brought up more often when we’re talking about exceptional child stars? We (understandably!) reel off Shirley Temple, Natalie Wood, Elizabeth Taylor, Jodie Foster, Jackie Coogan, Drew Barrymore, etc… but Roddy was as wonderful as anyone.
He, along with Elsa Lanchester, Elizabeth Taylor, and Donald Crisp (and Pal!) make Lassie Come Home (1943) such a wonderful movie – and one that’s as entertaining the 10th time you watch it as it was the first time.
The beautiful collie who portrayed Lassie in this film was Pal, his one-year old-male. He retired at the age of five. All subsequent Lassie movies used his direct descendants.
You can find the wonderful family movie Lassie Come Home on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video.
Roddy McDowall, Pal, and Donald Crisp
Elsa Lanchester as The Bride of Frankenstein
As I’ve said before on Hollywood Yesterday, I am one of the only people in the world who doesn’t like The Bride of Frankenstein.
Like… at all.
For one thing, Frankenstein’s monster, himself, simply doesn’t do it for me. I hated the book and wasn’t remotely fond of the first Frankenstein film. However, these aren’t the only reasons I have such contempt for The Bride of Frankenstein. The greatest reason I don’t like it has to do with the lovely monster you see here…. the big lug’s bride.
With the absolutely, devastatingly wonderful Elsa Lanchester in the role, they had the opportunity to make possibly the greatest movie ever made and create one of the greatest stories ever told. Had she been presented early in the movie and had she actually been the star (or at the very least, the co-star) of the movie – it would have been sensational. Even her makeup is extraordinary!
As it is, she is on screen for mere minutes (minutes which are, without a doubt, the best part of the whole movie).
Mind you, these are only my opinions and, yes, I’m very aware that I’m in the minority with this one. Heck, I may even be a minority of one!
It is what it is, though, and I will forever wish this film had been handled differently. This was one of the greatest, most talented actresses of all time and she would have been extraordinary in her own film. I’ll never forget the first time I saw this movie. I kept waiting for the movie’s namesake to show up… I waited, and waited, and waited… then there she was – in spectacular glory! – right before the movie ended.
Years later, I rewatched the movie – thinking that maybe, knowing how little she was in the film, I’d give the rest of it a fair chance.
Nope. Still didn’t like it.
I’ve tried, probably 8 times over the years to see if it, I don’t know, grows on me. Never has. I simply do not like it, I guess. Which is crazy because I am a huge fan of Boris Karloff and I absolutely LOVE Elsa in the role!
Elsa Lanchester as the Bride of Frankenstein
My main goal with Hollywood Yesterday is to keep the names, faces, and films of the stars that mean so much to me shining brightly. When I’m guilty of focusing more time on my personal favorites (such as Olivia de Havilland) than other stars, I hope you’ll forgive me. I am, by all indications, very human!
Also, please know that I try to keep my posts (except for book reviews) short and to the point, so you can enjoy the pictures, grab the information, and get back to your life. I don’t appreciate anything that’s overly wordy, so I don’t want to do that to others. For better or worse, I write as I talk, so if you ever feel like you’re reading the words of someone who’s a cross between Lucy Ricardo, Daisy Duck, and a Jerry Lewis character, that’s just because you are!
Wait. What did I just admit to??
Another personal absolute favorite of mine is Barbara Stanwyck. Not only was she beautiful and outrageously talented, she was exceptionally bright, charismatic, and colorful. This growing collection of Barbara Stanwyck Quotes will give you an idea of just how colorful she was!
There’s nothing quite like watching a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Whether it’s a Musical, Western, Comedy, Romance, Film Noir, or Drama – if it’s on, I’m not too far away… with popcorn and raspberry tea in hand and a couple of cats nearby.
Below are a few Old Hollywood movie reviews I’ve done on the blog. There are, as you’d imagine, a lot more to come. – Joi (“Joy”)
We’re in the Money (Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell)
The Naked Spur (James Stewart, Janet Leigh)
The Prince and the Showgirl (Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier)
The White Sister (Helen Hayes, Clark Gable)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn, Julie Newmar)
Rio Bravo (John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan)
El Dorado (John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Charlene Holt, Michele Carey)
Rio Grande (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara)
Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein (What is it With Me and These Movies??)
The Stooge (Jerry Lewis’ favorite Lewis and Martin Movie… for good reason.)
Critic’s Choice (Hilarious movie starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball)
To Please a Lady (Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck team up in a fast track movie)
Grand Hotel (Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore)
Hearts Divided (Marion Davies, Dick Powell)
The Quiet Man (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald)
More Old Hollywood Movie Reviews
Find out just how much I (truly) Love Lucy in the Lucille Ball category. I’m warning you, I call it an obsession for a very good reason…
