Cinema Revisited: Werewolf of London (1935)

Directed by Stuart Walker. Cast: Henry Hull, Warner Oland, Valerie Hobson, Lester Matthews, Lawrence Grant, Spring Byington, Clark Williams Charlotte Granville, Ethel Griffies, Zeffie Tilbury. Released May 13, 1935. Running time 75 minutes.

“Werewolf of London”, Universal’s first foray into the story of the a man who suffers from something called lycanthropy, where he changes into a werewolf upon a full moon, is decidedly inferior to their later effort, The Wolf Man (1941). As a result, watching this film with the knowledge of the later movie, it comes off as disappointing. However, if we take it in the context of its time, being the first film to offer this story, it is quite effective under its own terms.

The story deals with English botanist Dr. Glendon, who is attacked by a creature while searching for an elusive species of flower called the mariphasa. The beast who attacks him is identified as a werewolf. A doctor named Yogami tells Glendon that because he has been bitten by a werewolf, he has now become one. However the elusive flower sample that Glendon brought back to London from Tibet is noted to be an antidote that works on a temporary basis.

The way Glendon begins to discover the truth of Yogami’s claims is when he sees his hand start to evolve and grow fur under the moon lamp in his laboratory. A blossom from the mariphasa halts the transformation. It is then revealed that Yogami is also a werewolf, and breaks into Glendon’s lab, stealing the remaining mariphasa flowers, except for one that has not yet bloomed, and, thus, is not yet effective. As a result, Glendon transforms into a werewolf upon the full moon and kills a young girl. The next day, he is remorseful because he remembers what he’s done, and realizes he is powerless against the desire to do so when the werewolf curse is in full effect.

When the third flower blooms, Glendon catches Yogami trying to steal it and realizes it is he who was the werewolf that attacked him in Tibet, giving him this curse. Because the werewolf seeks to destroy whom he loves most, Glendon goes to the home of his fiancée. He has her cornered, but is killed by Colonel Forsythe of Scotland Yard and, as he lies dying, he thanks the Colonel for ending his torment. Once he dies, he returns to his human form.

The makeup that Jack Pierce designed for the werewolf originally resembled the beastly quality that would later be utilized by Lon Chaney, jr. for The Wolf Man. However, actor Henry Hull, who played Glendon, objected to the makeup being so animalistic, and wanted it to seem more human like so his face would be recognized by the other characters as per the narrative. Pierce refused to alter his original vision, so Hull went to Junior Laemmle, who agreed with the actor and ordered the change. Hull further humanized the character by having him don a hat and scarf as he left on one of his bloodthirsty killing sprees. However, the howls used on the soundtrack were more realistic than what would be presented in the later film, said to be a combination of actor Hull’s own voice and that of an actual timberwolf.

The lesser makeup can be considered as being more effective for a character like this, who can venture out among people with less chance of being noticed, but who isn’t any less deadly. Perhaps Hull felt he was able to give a more expressive performance without as much makeup. His anguish at his condition and the terrible things he’s done is more evident in his face.

The film is slow moving with some dull stretches, and despite having essentially the same running time as the previous Universal monster movies, it appears to run much longer. However, this does not mean “Werewolf of London” is a complete misfire. Hull was a good actor and does a nice job in the role, and he benefits from strong support by Warner Oland as Yogami. Bela Lugosi was originally requested to play this role, but he was involved with shooting "Mark of the Vampire" at MGM. However, Hull is more a competent journeyman than he was the sort of actor who defined the role as Chaney would six years later.

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The special effects used to show Glendon’s transformation are effective when one realizes the limitations of a 1935 film with a budget under $200,000. The director usually shoots the initial changes to Glendon’s face, then pans down to show the transformation of his hands, before panning up to reveal his face has fully transformed. Within its context, it is effective enough.

One of the most effective aspects of the Pierce makeup that was retained was the beast’s underbite. This is a particularly scary part of his ensemble in that it causes the viewer to conclude that unlike the upper fangs of Count Dracula that pierce the arteries so he can suck blood, these sharp lower teeth would effectively tear apart the hapless victims in a most vicious and painful manner.

There are some comic scenes with the two fluttery spinsters played by Ethel Griffies and Zeffie Tilbury in an attempt to break up the seriousness of the story, but comic relief is not what “Werewolf of London” needs. It would have benefited more from a truly standout performance by its star, and Hull’s competence is limited by his lacking the charisma to pull that off. He was not at the level of Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, or Claude Rains.

Still, “Werewolf of London” was a box office success and pleased critics.