The Invisible Woman (1940)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

A. Edward Sutherland

Writers:

Curt Siodmak (story) &
Joe May (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 December 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

IT'S A Ghost-to-Ghost HOOK-UP!

Plot:

An attractive model with an ulterior motive volunteers as guinea pig for an invisibility machine.

Plot Keywords:

Invisibility | Model | Revenge | Professor | Invisible Woman

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Virginia Bruce	...	Kitty Carroll
John Barrymore	...	Professor Gibbs
John Howard	...	Richard Russell
Charles Ruggles	...	George (as Charlie Ruggles)
Oskar Homolka	...	Blackie
Edward Brophy	...	Bill
Donald MacBride	...	Foghorn
Margaret Hamilton	...	Mrs. Jackson
Shemp Howard	...	Frankie
Anne Nagel	...	Jean
Kathryn Adams	...	Peggy
Maria Montez	...	Marie
Charles Lane	...	Growley
Mary Gordon	...	Mrs. Bates
Thurston Hall	...	Hudson
Eddie Conrad	...	Hernandez
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry C. Bradley	...	Want-Ad Clerk (uncredited)
Kernan Cripps	...	Postman (uncredited)
Sarah Edwards	...	Showroom Buyer (uncredited)
Kay Leslie	...	Model (uncredited)
Kay Linaker	...	Showroom Buyer (uncredited)
Kitty O'Neil	...	Mrs. Patten (uncredited)

Directed by
A. Edward Sutherland

Writing credits
Curt Siodmak		(story) (as Kurt Siodmak) &
Joe May		(story)
Robert Lees		(writer) &
Frederic I. Rinaldo		(writer) (as Fred Rinaldo) &
Gertrude Purcell		(writer)

Produced by
Burt Kelly	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Frank Skinner		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Elwood Bredell

Film Editing by
Frank Gross

Art Direction by
Jack Otterson

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman		(as R.A. Gausman)

Costume Design by
Vera West

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph A. McDonough	....	assistant director (as Joseph McDonough)

Art Department
Richard H. Riedel	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound supervisor
Joe Lapis	....	sound technician (as Joseph Lapis)

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special photographic effects
David S. Horsley	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Roswell A. Hoffmann	....	optical cinematography

Music Department
Charles Previn	....	musical director

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1940) (USA) (theatrical)
• Realart Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Universal Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

72 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #6945) | Finland:S

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

In March 1941, Universal Pictures was distributing this film on a double bill with Trail of the Vigilantes (1940).

Goofs:

Continuity: When the butler trips down the stairs he throws the tray twice.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Attorney: Where is he? Where is he? Get up! Get up!
George: I am up. I was up. And I've been up all night. I would have stayed up if you hadn't knocked me down.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Son of Svengoolie: The Invisible Woman (1940) (#1.63)" (1980)

Barrymore meets Bruce

Agreeably played for low farce by a most accomplished cast led by those supreme farceurs Charlie Ruggles (who has all the best lines) and John Barrymore (who just manages to snare all the best "business" from Ruggles—who gives him a great run for his money), The Invisible Woman is smoothly directed with lots of great visual effects for those who dote on this sort of thing. Adding to the fun, Charles Lane has a colorful role which he makes the most of, but Maria Montez is along purely for decorative value as part of an eye-appealingly feminine crowd and doesn't have a single line, alas. Not one! It's the lovely Virginia Bruce who makes all the running, while John Howard stands on the sidelines, looking nice and stylish as the straight man. Comic gangster Oscar Homolka and other players do a few turns with three stooges (Shemp Howard, Ed Brophy and Donald MacBride), but the film's funniest scenes occur in the middle section of the movie when the invisible Virgina tangles with the irascible Lane.