November 13th marks the 90th anniversary release of Universal Studios/James (Frankenstein/The Old Dark House) Whale's ambitious, screen adaptation of H.G. Well's science-fiction masterpiece, The Invisible Man.
For the most part, movie is faithful to Wells' source, thanks to screenwriter, R.C. (Journey's End) Sherriff's meticulous attentiveness, with Claude (The Wolf Man/Phantom of the Opera) Rains portraying mad scientist, Dr. Jack Griffin, who appears in both creepy, bandaged/goggled guise and through taunting transparency. Griffin is distinguished, above all, by his florid voice. Through Rains' penetrating elocution, Griffin projects an air of superiority, but also sorrowful regret. (The doctor, after all, meant well in concocting his invisibility formula, but he's unable to retract its physiological snags.)
Joining Rains on the strange journey is Gloria (The Old Dark House/Titanic) Stuart as Griffin's fiancée, Flora Cranley; Henry (It's a Wonderful Life/The Bells of Saint Mary's) Travers as her father, Dr. Cranley; William (G Men/Steel Town) Harrigan as Dr. Kemp; Una (The Bride of Frankenstein/Werewolf of London) O'Connor as inn-owner, Jenny Hall; Forrester (Tarzan the Ape Man/The Invisible Man Returns) Harvey as her husband, Herbert; E.E. (Dracula's Daughter/Bulldog Drummond) Clive as Constable Jaffers and Dudley (The Emperor Jones/The Mayor of Hell) Digges as the Chief of Detectives. (Universal staples, Dwight Frye and John Carradine, hold memorable cameos.)
The film's effects are astounding and more than hold up with later, state-of-the-arts, invisibility attempts. Such embellishing wonderment inspired a number of sequels, spinoffs, remakes (official and unofficial) and television shows, plus a plethora of visible collectibles.
I love Universal's The Invisible Man, as much as I love Well's book, and if you're reading this post, you're probably of the same inclination. Revisit this "fantastic sensation" today (or at least sometime this month) and relish its strange, perennial splendor.
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