Review of The Wolf Man

So says one of the characters in "The Wolf Man," and they're right: Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney), heir to a prestigious estate, is an easygoing, nice guy. He flirts with local shopkeep Gwen (Evelyn Ankers), and, one fateful night, is bitten by a werewolf. Let the interweaving threads of superstition, religion, and psychology commence! A full decade after "Frankenstein" shows Universal's formula for success in full swing, with an end product that is arguably better (and somehow even more tragic). I've never been a big werewolf fan (I think "The Howling" is one of the most overrated horror films ever), but Chaney's tragic downfall mixed with a good deal of insight and sympathy makes for a brilliantly realized performance. Claude Rains ("The Invisible Man") and Ralph Bellamy ("Rosemary's Baby") provide strong support as Larry's father and the town constable, respectively. And Bela Lugosi (as a gypsy named Bela) is fantastic in a small yet crucial role. Curt Siodmak's original screenplay crafts a convincing mythology that has since become the industry standard, and George Waggner's direction renders its German-Expressionist cues with fog-heavy style and skill. "The Wolf Man" is an excellent piece of work that holds up extremely well today.