Frankenstein
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1931 |
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Dr. Frankenstein creates a simple creature from various body parts. The creature turns into a monster when Dr. Frankenstein rejects him. Sticking close to the original novel, we are guided through the story of Frankensteins quest for knowledge, and his search for his 'father'.
Cast:
Colin Clive....Dr. Frankenstein
Mae Clarke.... Elizabeth
John Boles .... Victor Moritz
Boris Karloff .... The Monster
Edward Van Sloan .... Dr. Waldman
Frederick Kerr....Baron Frankenstein
Dwight Frye .... Fritz
Lionel Belmore .... Herr Vogel, the Burgomaster
Marilyn Harris .... Little Maria
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Born: August 16, 1907 in Philadelphia, PA
Died: April 29, 1992 in Woodland Hills, CA
A nightclub dancer in her teens, Mae Clarke rose to
prominence on the Broadway musical stage of the 1920s. In films, Mae
nearly always seemed predestined for tragedy and abuse: she played
the long-suffering bride of the title character in Frankenstein
(1931), the self-sacrificing trollop Molly Molloy in The Front Page
(1931), and the suicidal streetwalker protagonist in Waterloo Bridge
(1931). Mae's most famous film role was one for which she received no
on-screen credit: she was the recipient of Jimmy Cagney's legendary
"grapefruit massage" in 1931's Public Enemy. Mae went on to
co-star with Cagney in such films as Lady Killer (1933) and Great Guy
(1936); though the best of friends in real life, Cagney and Mae
usually seemed poised to bash each other's brains out on screen. For
reasons that still remain unclear, Mae's starring career plummeted
into bit roles and walk-ons by the 1950s. Her most rewarding work
during that decade was on television: it was Mae who portrayed a
middle-aged woman undergoing menopause on a controversial 1954
installment of the TV anthology Medic. Even during her career low
points, Mae retained her sense of humor. When applying for a role on
one TV program, she advertised herself as a comedienne, listing as a
"qualification" the fact that she was at one time married
to Fanny Brice's brother. Mae Clarke continued accepting minor film
roles until 1970, when she retired to the Motion Picture Country Home
at Woodland Hills, California. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide