Y is for Young Frankenstein

No Best Original Screenplays beginning with the letter Y, so I give you: Young Frankenstein that was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards (lost to The Godfather: Part II). It is a film from 1974 directed by Mel Brooks, and written by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder. The film is a comedy and a satire of the Frankenstein story that was written as the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and first published anonymously in 1818. The film bears little resemblance to the famous story of the mad scientist piecing together parts of dead bodies and bringing the sad individual back to life.

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder), a young neurosurgeon, is a descendant of the famous Dr. Victor von Frankenstein who lived and worked on his scientific experiments in Transylvania. Frederick is engaged to Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn), an interesting and slightly eccentric young woman. He takes leave of Elizabeth and his teaching career at the university to travel to the country where his grandfather, the famous Dr. Frankenstein, lived as he has inherited the man’s castle.

He has quite the journey ahead of him as he comes to know himself and his ancestors once he arrives. He acquires a beautiful lab assistant, Inga (Teri Garr), and has the hunchback servant Igor (Marty Feldman) also at his side. The evil seeming housekeeper Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman) is no friend to them. Frederick comes upon a diary/journal where Victor has described how he brought dead people back to life, and when a poor villager dies, the good doctor decides to bring him back to life using a brain he sends Igor to fetch for him from the morgue. This of course results in misfortune, for the wrong brain is delivered.

Peter Boyle is absolutely wonderful playing the Monster. As he awakens to his life, he is of course confused, runs off, and a truly hilarious bit occurs when he happens upon the Blind Man (Gene Hackman) who invites him into his cottage for a bite to eat. The Monster is mute and therefore has trouble communicating his thoughts and feelings to others, setting up all sorts of not so funny predicaments for him, but lots of humor for us!

The slapstick comedy doesn’t truly begin until about halfway through the film, and I confess that during the first half of the story, I was kind of bored, wishing it would move along. But when it does, it really moves!  Mel Brooks had a crazy sense of humor and the situations Dr. Frankenstein and his progeny encounter are inventive and very funny. Mel Brooks went on to create other innovative comedy films, such as Blazing Saddles.

The film is rated PG and is in black and white. I recommend you see Young Frankenstein if you are interested in comedy that goes a step beyond. It was truly groundbreaking in its time, the actors are great, and it’s a good way to spend an evening when you need a good laugh.

Young Frankenstein (1974) Official Trailer