Gods And Monsters

Some movies manage to winkle out the wrinkles, most don't even bother to try. Gods And Monsters slips bitter sweetly into the human condition.

James Whale was a movie director who's greatest triumphs were Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein which were made in the mid 1930's. Skip to 1957. Whale (Ian McKellen) has had a stroke and has been beset with flashbacks to his younger years.

War time horrors, his films and a love affair he had with another soldier in the trenches begins to intrude into his world.

His monsters, particularly Frankenstein's monster played by Boris Karlof starts to inhabit his waking dreams. His loved one David, (a God?) stands watching. James Whale is close to death.

He invites the gardener Clayton (Brendan Fraser) in and asks him to sit for a portrait. Clayton is homophobic, working class and at one of life's loose ends.

Whale wants to talk and Clayton, fascinated by the stories, is pared to listen.

So two complex characters interact, heightened by terrific performances from McKellen and Fraser as well as from Academy Award nominated Lynn Redgrave as the disapproving, loving, long term housekeeper for Whaley.

I'm sure that Judi Dench who won the gong over Lynn Redgrave agrees that Hanna rather than Dench's Queen Lizzie should have been honoured.

The photography from Stephen M. Katz is outstanding as is the music from Carter Burwell. Lolita Davidovitch as Clayton's girlfriend and Jack Plotnick as the film buff are memorable.

The direction and screenplay from Bill Condon is superb. We have here a thought provoking, thoroughly delightful film.