The Invisible Man (1933)

Please don't spend money on this.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Had this film been released a year later, the Production Code would have considerably tamed the ferocity of this film's anti-hero and probably have obscured references to the fact that he spends most of the film naked (which would have cramped his ability to ride a bicycle, while his ability to run rings round people would have been considerably trickier barefoot).Stylishly photographed and designed, the film moves at a fine old lick while the special effects emphasise the novelty and comic possibilities of the story, but the brutal way Griffin kills seemingly just for the hell of it sits rather uneasily with the whimsical tone of much of the rest of the film, and more accurately reflects the bleakness and cruelty of H.G.Wells' original novel.

Scientist Dr. Jack Griffin (an excellent performance by Claude Rains) tries to reverse an experiment that has caused him to become invisible. Unfortunately, the drug Griffin used for said experiment has also made him dangerously unstable.Director James Whale, working from a clever script by R.C. Sheriff, offers a flavorsome evocation of the rural village setting and its colorful inhabitants, keeps the absorbing story moving along at a brisk pace, ably crafts a strong gloomy atmosphere, stages the exciting climax with skill and aplomb, and tops everything off with inspired moments of dark humor. Rains, who acts primarily with his rich and commanding voice alone, does a remarkable job of making Griffin an alternately pitiable and frightening tragic character. Moreover, there are sturdy supporting contributions from Gloria Stuart as Griffin's concerned fiancé Flora Cranley, William Harrigan as Griffin's reluctant partner Dr. Arthur Kemp, Henry Travers as the equally worried Dr. Cranley, Forrester Harvey as the meek Herbert Hall, Holmes Herbert as the huffy Chief of Police, and E.E. Clive as the bumbling Constable Jaffers. Una O'Connor provides hilarious comic relief as feisty innkeeper Jenny Hall. The ingenious special effects still hold up quite well. Kudos are also in order for Arthur Edeson's crisp cinematography and Heinz Roemheld's robust'n'rousing score. Worthy of its classic status.

I don't care how old this film is, "The Invisible Man" from 1933 is still a masterpiece of acting, direction, writing and special effects.Claude Rains made the leading character his own - even though he is only seen briefly at the end. His distinctive voice gives the character of Jack Griffin much depth. Una O' Connor is delightful as the hysterical pub landlady. The director James Whale had to contain his laughter whilst her scenes were filmed.One of the key scenes in this film, is when Griffin's colleagues make a disturbing and startling discovery when they search his laboratory.There is a good sense of humour that goes hand in hand with the more horrific details.Boris Karloff was originally offered the leading role for "The Invisible Man" but he turned it down when he discovered he was going to be bandaged for most of the film.The suspense never lets up and the running time rushes by - thanks to a strong narrative.The special effects hold up very well, considering the age of this film.The final scene packs quite a jolt.Enjoy this film, you won't be disappointed.

Claude was excellent as always! This was creepy and kept me on the edge, as a Dr. discovered transparency....why didn't he teach that trick to the president? Anyways, this had some intense and disturbing parts for its time, but it is a horror flick. Overall it was well done and moved at a good pace. The acting and story line were very good and compelling. This is of course one of those Universal Studio creep shows about a scientist and his associates that stumble on to something new and dangerous. As Claude uses his to gift to get what he wants, he eliminates those in his way. This is somewhat to quite entertaining and it qualifies for a rainy day movie for those who like suspense, surprises, and of course, murder!