Seventh and last Universal Studios picture with The Frankenstein Monster. The Monster is barely in this one as it revolves around Dracula and The Wolf Man seeking cures for their afflictions.
Dracula (John Carradine) flies into Dr.Edlemann’s (Onslow Stevens) castle. His coffin just happens to be in the basement. Edelmann thinks he may be able to help him. He’ll start with a blood transfusion from himself to Dracula.
While that’s going on Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney, Jr.) shows up. Nurse Miliza says the doctor is busy and Talbot runs out. When Edelmann comes upstairs he gets a call from Inspector Holtz (Lionel Atwill). He has a crazy man in jail. It’s Talbot. Edelmann and his nurse watch him change into the Wolf Man. He thinks he can help him too.
At the castle he shows him some plants. He says it’ll take a while for the mold to grow before he can help him. Since the full moon will rise again that night Talbot jumps off a cliff into the raging water.
That night Edelmann has himself lowered down into a cave where he thinks Talbot may be hiding. There he is. He changes and attacks the doctor but doesn’t kill him. They explore the cave and see more plants and then…..it’s The Monster. Looks like the quicksand in the last movie, 1944’s “House Of Frankenstein”, didn’t kill him as a spark of life is left. Dr.Niemann wasn’t so lucky as his skeleton is all that’s left.
They take The Monster (Glenn Strange) back to the castle. Edelmann wants to bring him back. Meanwhile Dracula is working his magic on Miliza. The other nurse, the hunchback Nina tells Edelmann what’s going on. He has an idea. Another transfusion. This time Dracula gets up and fools around with the transfusion equipment.
I wouldn’t have wanted anyone to tell me what happens now so I’ll leave it here. The movie isn’t as good as those that came before but still worth seeing especially by fans of the series.
Onslow Stevens was Frank in 1933’s “Secret Of The Blue Room.”
In 1946 the movie was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. The winner was “The Picture Of Dorian Gray.”
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