The Wolf Man (1941)
Every time I view Universal Studios’ The Wolf Man I enjoy it a little bit more. As a film from the '40s, it might take a moment to get used to its style but for its influential status, for what it does right, and for the way it truly “gets” the werewolf curse, it's a great watch.
Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney, Jr.) returns to his childhood home for his brother’s funeral. While on a date with Gwen Conliffe (Evelyn Ankers), he is bitten by a wolf, though the wound heals abnormally fast. Soon after, Larry begins transforming into a werewolf at night.
Keen-eyed viewers will notice several continuity errors and at least one big unanswered question regarding the wolf who bites Larry. Maybe if the film lasted more than 70 minutes director George Waggner could've addressed them. When you look at the big picture, those are small issues. Although this wasn't the first werewolf movie made, this film's influence is undeniable. It's surprising how many issues The Wolf Man avoids while its "descendants" fall prey to. Pick any random werewolf movie. Ever notice how frequently the full moon rises? Either the lunar cycle is all out of whack, or the plot has to take place throughout several months. In The Wolf Man we don’t have that issue. The full moon is never seen. The monster simply appears at night “at certain times of the year”. Another aspect that garners attention is the “curse” aspect. Larry grieves over the people he’s killed and knows ahead of time who his next victim will be but cannot do anything to stop the beast he transforms into. On top of this, he must deal with his brother's death/funeral, his estranged father, his status as an outsider, and the townspeople who are spreading rumors about his mental state. They think his story about what happened the night of the wolf attack proves he's nuts. If only they knew they actually do have a reason to fear him...
Lon Chaney, Jr. is very good in the principal role. There’s something about the man that exudes sadness. You can feel the pain and torment swirling inside him just by the look on his face. You feel bad for the guy; you hope a cure comes and that he can have a happy ending with Gwen. More than a silly monster movie in which a werewolf goes on the loose and kills people willy-nilly until some scientist reads a book and produces a silver bullet to save the day, this is a sophisticated story that develops the characters’ emotions.
Part of the Universal Monsters' original cannon, this movie is iconic. There’s monster’s design, the Romani fortune teller (Maria Ouspenskaya as Maleva), and even Bela Lugosi in a small role. Let's not forget the iconic poem either:
Even a man who is pure in heart, and says his prayers by night; May become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.
Other lycanthrope films have big effects-heavy transformations, nightmarish sequences, and can leap right into the action, but only because The Wolf Man paved the way for them. In my book, that makes it a must-see for fans of the horror genre or those passionate about film history. (On Blu-ray, February 17, 2017)
