The Wolf Man (1941)

Director:

George Waggner

Writer:

Curt Siodmak (writer)

Release Date:

12 December 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror

Tagline:

"His hideous howl a dirge of death!"

Plot:

A practical man returns to his homeland, is attacked by a creature of folklore, and infected with a horrific disease his disciplined mind tells him can not possibly exist.

Plot Keywords:

Werewolf | Wolf | Full Moon | Gypsy | Wolf Man

Cast

Claude Rains	...	Sir John Talbot
Warren William	...	Dr. Lloyd
Ralph Bellamy	...	Col. Montford
Patric Knowles	...	Frank Andrews
Bela Lugosi	...	Bela
Maria Ouspenskaya	...	Maleva
Evelyn Ankers	...	Gwen Conliffe
J.M. Kerrigan	...	Charles Conliffe
Fay Helm	...	Jenny Williams
Forrester Harvey	...	Twiddle
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	The Wolf Man / Larry Talbot (as Lon Chaney)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jessie Arnold	...	Gypsy woman (uncredited)
Caroline Cooke	...	Woman (uncredited)
Harry Cording	...	Wykes (uncredited)
Margaret Fealy	...	Woman (uncredited)
Gibson Gowland	...	Villager (uncredited)
Leyland Hodgson	...	Kendall (Talbot butler) (uncredited)
Olaf Hytten	...	Villager (uncredited)
Kurt Katch	...	Gypsy with bear (uncredited)
La Riana	...	Gypsy dancer (uncredited)
Connie Leon	...	Mrs. Wykes (uncredited)
Doris Lloyd	...	Mrs. Williams (Jenny's mother) (uncredited)
Ottola Nesmith	...	Mrs. Bally (uncredited)
Eddie Polo	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
Ernie Stanton	...	Phillips (member of search party) (uncredited)
Tom Stevenson	...	Richardson (the gravedigger) (uncredited)
Harry Stubbs	...	Rev. Norman (uncredited)
Eric Wilton	...	Chauffeur (uncredited)

Directed by
George Waggner

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Curt Siodmak		writer

Produced by
George Waggner	....	producer
Jack J. Gross	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Charles Previn		(uncredited)
Hans J. Salter		(uncredited)
Frank Skinner		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Joseph A. Valentine		(director of photography) (as Joseph Valentine)

Film Editing by
Ted J. Kent		(as Ted Kent)

Art Direction by
Jack Otterson

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

Costume Design by
Vera West		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Jack P. Pierce	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vernon Keays	....	assistant director

Art Department
Robert F. Boyle	....	associate art director (as Robert Boyle)

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound director
Joe Lapis	....	sound technician

Special Effects by
Ellis Burman	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
John P. Fulton	....	special effects (uncredited)

Music Department
Charles Previn	....	musical director

Other crew
Ellis Burman	....	property maker: Larry's Silver Wolf Head Cane (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1941) (USA) (theatrical)
• Film Classics (1948) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Screen Gems (1957) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Home Video (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Destiny (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

70 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-15 (2004) | Spain:13 | Australia:PG | Germany:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #7874) | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The first Universal picture since The Black Cat (1934) to introduce the major characters during the opening credits - and the actors playing them - with brief clips from the movie.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Larry looks through the telescope at the beginning of the movie, the image is shown is right-side up. Astronomical telescopes turn the image upside-down. While they can be fitted with a special prism to turn the image right-side up, they usually are not since usually there is no practical reason to do so.

Quotes:

Frank Andrews: I couldn't take my eyes off of his walking stick.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Clownhouse (1989)

The Werewolf as we know it...

Universal Studios had an impressive list of successes in the horror genre starting in 1931 with Tod Browning's "Dracula". The myth of the werewolf, was firstly adapted in 1935 in "Werewolf of London", but the movie failed to get the public's attention in the same way as the "Dracula" and "Frankenstein" series of movies. However, the moon shined for the wolf in 1941, when a second attempt was done with a completely new story. "The Wolf Man" had a great reception and soon was considered among the finest of the Universal Studios' movies of that era and it is probably the last of the Classics as the horror movies of the 40s started to have lower budget and production values.

"The Wolf Man" is a classic tragedy where a man becomes a beast that must kill every time the full moon shines on the sky. Lon Chaney Jr. is Larry Talbot, who returns home to Wales after spending years in the U.S.. Not only he'll have to adapt to the life in countryside and improve his relationship with his father (Claude Rains); now he'll face the curse of the werewolf after been bitten by the gypsy Bela (Bela Lugosi).

I have always thought that the previous "Werewolf of London" was a vastly superior film in terms of acting, direction and even make-up; however, the film's plot is not captivating and in the end not very attractive. On the other hand, Curt Siodmack's script for "The Wolf Man" is a brilliant masterpiece of horror and fantasy. So perfect that it makes up for all the film's other flaws, as it has an unnatural charm that is simply mesmerizing.

Like a Greek tragedy, the saga of Larry Talbot and his curse works in so many levels that is no surprise that it is the film that not only type-casted Chaney, but also serve as basis for all the future werewolf films. Siodmack basically creates the Werewolf myths out of thin air and gives them form with masterful care. Who can forget Maleva's (Maria Ouspenskaya) words? The "Wolf Man" rhyme is now one of the most famous quotes in film history.

Claude Rains is superb as Sir John Talbot, and gives the role the dignity that requires. Probably Lon Chaney Jr. had a limited range as an actor, but he was the perfect Larry Talbot with his sad looks and overall tragic appearance. Against all odds, Chaney embodied the wolf man and made the part almost mythical. The rest of the cast was definitely not as convincing as those great actors; however, Maria Ouspenskaya and Bela Lugosi are terrific as the gypsies who will play an important part in Talbot's future.

Jack Pierce's make-up is definitely the other star in this movie. The legendary monster maker created a piece that is now considered legendary. The wolf man's make-up is more beast-like and primal than the subtle one that Henry Hull used in "Werewolf of London", but that is because both werewolves are very different between them. While Hull's character was the darkest side of his persona, Chaney's wolf man is a beast that posses his body, and Jack Pierce captured that essence with the limited technology of his time, creating an immortal masterpiece in make-up history.

"The Wolf Man" may not be a perfect film, but the captivating storyline and the mystique surrounding it definitely have earned this movie a huge reputation as one of the best of the Universal Studios films of the 30s-40s era. While there may be better werewolf movies out there, this one will always be remembered as THE definitive werewolf classic. 8/10