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Friday, September 8, 2023

The Older I Get, The More Convinced I Become That "Frankenstein" Is Not A Movie For Children!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


                                   Even if Mae Clarke had taken a grapefruit in the face that year, or, herein, wears the longest wedding train in film history!  Not even Julie Andrews' magnificent wedding gown, designed by Dorothy Jeakins for "The Sound Of Music" can approach it in length.



                                     "Frankenstein" opens with death.  A cemetery, weeping mourners, a loved one being laid to rest, all with poetic, visual artistry by James Whale and his crew of designers, but death, nevertheless, demonstrating there is nothing pretty about it.


                                        The same with the famous drowning scene of little Maria, played by Marilyn Harris.  When Karloff throws her in the water, we the audience get it; nevertheless, the murder is shocking. And, before this scene was restored, as it was originally cut by many state censors. the scene of her father carrying her corpse through the village filled me with horror, as it does to this day.


                                         Yet, in the mill, when the board falls on the Monster and traps him, I only feel sympathy.


                                          "Frankenstein" is an intense, emotionally engaging movie that I think is better left for adults than children.   After ninety years its power to spellbind remains undiminished.


                                              All you single girls--see if your wedding train can outmatch Mae Clarke's!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

2 comments:

Victoria said...

I feel sorry for Mae; she will always be known for The Grapefruit Scene.
Also she just had a rough life.
At one point she was even in a mental hospital.

The Raving Queen said...

Victoria,
I had no idea Mae Clarke had such a rouh life.
I really know nothing about her.