Now long-retired and suffering from ill-health , the openly gay James Whale (Ian McKellen) lives quietly in L. A. at aluxurious mansion . James Whale has burned his bridges with the Hollywood community in that they have abandoned him , the possible exception being his continuing friendship with former lover David Lewis (David Dukes) . Whale lives with his protective housekeeper Hanna (Lynn Redgrave) and does enjoy the company of his new gardener - hunky , hetero ex-Marine Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser)- but a stroke has left the director with a confusing sense of reality , returning him to his soldiering days in WWII and Frankenstein re-creations .
A good film dealing with the painful last years of his life in Hollywood, where Whale was one of the few celebrities to live openly acknowledging his homosexuality , being well depicted by Ian McKellen and professionally directed by Bill Condon . Adapted from Christopher Bram's novel, this is an agreeable fiction-alised biographical tribute to James Whale who died mysteriusly at his swimming pool . Whiling away his early Hollywood retirement in incapacitated general lechery , lapsing into nostalgic reveries prompted by the visit of a young would-be biographer . Ian McKellen's Whale latches on Brendan Fraser's hunky but determinedly straight garderer , desperately seeking solace as his past glories and horrors start crowding around and haunting him. It is superficially reminiscent of 'Love and Death on Long Island' , only less crusty , with McKellen giving a terrific acting as the tormented old bugger and the inserts from his past steadly and lucidly sound echoes of the Frankenstein themes and characters . Along with the main actors -Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser , Lynn Redgrave- giving over-the-top acting , appearing other nice secondaries , such as : Lolita Davidovich , David Dukes , Kevin J. O'Connor , Martin Ferrero , Arthur Dignam , Matt McKenzie , Mark Kiely , Jack Plotnick , Rosalind Ayres , Jack Betts , most of them playing classic Hollywood characters , such as : Boris Karloff , Elizabeth Taylor , George Cukor , Elsa Lanchester , David Lewis , Colin Clive , Ernest Thesiger , Jack Pierce .
There're several biographic remarks in this stunning film . James Whale served as an infantry officer in the British Army during World War I where he was captured by the Germans and held as a POW. While imprisoned he became actively involved, as an actor , writer , producer and set-designer, in the amateur theatrical productions that took place in the camp, finding them "a source of great pleasure and amusement". Although British director Whale has a varied , if short , Hollywood career in the 30s and 40s , his name rested on his wonderful Universal horror films . Four of his films were nominated for AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills: Frankenstein (1931), The Invisible Man (1933), Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and The Man in the Iron Mask (1939). "Frankenstein" made the list at #56 . Because Whale's status as a director at Universal under the Carl Laemmle regime grew until he was given total control over his films, many of his films carry the credit "A James Whale Production", even though Whale never actually produced his films ; the producing chores were always handled by someone else and being personally responsible for selecting Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster. James Whale wrote a suicide note before jumping into his pool . Its exact contents are not known, as it was withheld by the person who found it, and the full note was never shared, even after that person's death, when it's existence was revealed . The motion picture was well directed by Bill Condon (Mr. Holmes (2015) with Ian McKellen again, Dreamgirls (2006) , Gods and monsters (1998) , Kinsey (2004)). Not a complicated movie , but clever , enjoyable and warm.
A good film dealing with the painful last years of his life in Hollywood, where Whale was one of the few celebrities to live openly acknowledging his homosexuality , being well depicted by Ian McKellen and professionally directed by Bill Condon . Adapted from Christopher Bram's novel, this is an agreeable fiction-alised biographical tribute to James Whale who died mysteriusly at his swimming pool . Whiling away his early Hollywood retirement in incapacitated general lechery , lapsing into nostalgic reveries prompted by the visit of a young would-be biographer . Ian McKellen's Whale latches on Brendan Fraser's hunky but determinedly straight garderer , desperately seeking solace as his past glories and horrors start crowding around and haunting him. It is superficially reminiscent of 'Love and Death on Long Island' , only less crusty , with McKellen giving a terrific acting as the tormented old bugger and the inserts from his past steadly and lucidly sound echoes of the Frankenstein themes and characters . Along with the main actors -Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser , Lynn Redgrave- giving over-the-top acting , appearing other nice secondaries , such as : Lolita Davidovich , David Dukes , Kevin J. O'Connor , Martin Ferrero , Arthur Dignam , Matt McKenzie , Mark Kiely , Jack Plotnick , Rosalind Ayres , Jack Betts , most of them playing classic Hollywood characters , such as : Boris Karloff , Elizabeth Taylor , George Cukor , Elsa Lanchester , David Lewis , Colin Clive , Ernest Thesiger , Jack Pierce .
There're several biographic remarks in this stunning film . James Whale served as an infantry officer in the British Army during World War I where he was captured by the Germans and held as a POW. While imprisoned he became actively involved, as an actor , writer , producer and set-designer, in the amateur theatrical productions that took place in the camp, finding them "a source of great pleasure and amusement". Although British director Whale has a varied , if short , Hollywood career in the 30s and 40s , his name rested on his wonderful Universal horror films . Four of his films were nominated for AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills: Frankenstein (1931), The Invisible Man (1933), Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and The Man in the Iron Mask (1939). "Frankenstein" made the list at #56 . Because Whale's status as a director at Universal under the Carl Laemmle regime grew until he was given total control over his films, many of his films carry the credit "A James Whale Production", even though Whale never actually produced his films ; the producing chores were always handled by someone else and being personally responsible for selecting Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster. James Whale wrote a suicide note before jumping into his pool . Its exact contents are not known, as it was withheld by the person who found it, and the full note was never shared, even after that person's death, when it's existence was revealed . The motion picture was well directed by Bill Condon (Mr. Holmes (2015) with Ian McKellen again, Dreamgirls (2006) , Gods and monsters (1998) , Kinsey (2004)). Not a complicated movie , but clever , enjoyable and warm.