Son of Frankenstein

- Ain't you afraid?

- Of old Ygor? No.

- I say that I, for one, will not.

- Enough!

He'll be met exactly as arranged.

Now, friends, on his deathbed...

the old Baron Frankenstein

gave me this chest of papers...

to deliver to his son,

and deliver it I shall.

Haven't we had enough of that name here?

There was a time when our village

was prosperous and happy. Look at it now.

Forsaken, desolate,

shunned by every traveller, and why?

Because of these Frankensteins.

We live in the black shadow

of that cursed place up on the hill...

where only that crazy Ygor,

with his broken neck, dares to stay.

And now we go to the railway station

to welcome another Frankenstein.

This one is probably

just as bad as his father...

who created a monster

in the devil's own image.

It's in the blood, I tell you.

We've said these same words

a thousand times, and they get us nowhere.

Fine talk, Herr Inspector.

But Baron Frankenstein

does arrive tonight to claim his heritage.

- And then what?

- Yes, what then?

That's true, but he'll find

no friends here.

Nothing but locked doors

and darkened windows...

locked hearts and bitter hatred.

Let that, too, be a part

of the Frankenstein heritage.

Come, gentlemen.

We'll be there soon, darling.

That's good. So I can see Amelia.

That's right. Amelia will be there

waiting for you, and so glad to see you.

What strange-looking country.

Not much like America, is it?

On my first trip to Europe,

I was prepared for anything...

but I'm glad

we went to London and Paris first.

We must be getting close

to the village now.

It's exciting, isn't it?

Out there in the darkness,

a new life lies before us.

No more college classrooms

or faculty meetings.

- I feel rather like an explorer.

- That's what it is.

We're going to explore

something so foreign to us...

we can't even imagine

what it'll be like.

A medieval castle.

I wonder if there's a moat.

And a drawbridge,

and a great tall, dark tower.

And battlements.

Perhaps there's a haunted room.

Yes, there's sure to be a haunted room.

The castle itself is supposed to be haunted.

- Because of...

- Yes.

Because of the things

my father did there.

I remember the stories Mother used to

tell me when I was quite young in England.

It wasn't my father's fault

that the being he created...

became a senseless, murderous monster.

He was right.

You understand that, don't you, dear?

He was right.

It was the unforeseen blunder

of a stupid assistant...

that gave his creation the brain

of a killer instead of a normal one.

And how my father was made

to suffer for that mistake.

His name has become synonymous

with horror and monsters.

Why, nine out of ten people...

call that misshapen creature

of my father's experiments...

Frankenstein.

- Herr Baron Frankenstein?

- Yes.

I will see that madam and the bags

are placed in the car.

The Burgomaster's on the platform

waiting for you.

Thank you.

- Herr Baron Frankenstein?

- Yes.

I am Burgomaster of the village.

It's a great pleasure to see you,

Herr Burgomaster.

These are the gentlemen of the council.

We come to meet you, not to greet you.

I deliver you these,

on the instructions of your late father.

Thank you.

The large box contains certain papers

pertaining to the estate.

- The small one, the key that will open it.

- Thank you, I...

It is unfortunate that we cannot offer you

a more cheerful welcome.

But we can't.

Herr Burgomaster,

gentlemen of the council, villagers.

I quite realise

that it was my father's misfortune...

to be the unwilling,

unknowing cause of tragedy.

I'm so sorry

that I don't remember him...

because I've been told

that he was a good man.

And I know how greatly your tragedy

must have weighed upon his mind.

I can't undo

the wrongs that you've suffered...

but I beg of you,

let the dead past remain buried.

My wife and I, and our son...

we want so much to be your friends.

There is a car waiting, Herr Baron.

Thank you. Thank you for your courtesy.

- There's my little darling!

- Amelia!

I am glad to see you, Benson.

- Thank you, sir. Should I take this?

- No, just take my coat, will you?

I'm so glad to see you.

Bless you.

What a comfort to find you here.

- Welcome, madam. Good evening, sir.

- Good evening, Amelia.

Peter had better go right to bed.

It's been a long trip.

Come along, darling.

Amelia, are the bedrooms cheery?

Yes, madam, quite cheery.

I think you'll be surprised.

It's medieval.

It's exciting, exhilarating.

You really feel that you

belong here already?

Yes, I think I do.

Why? Don't you like it?

It all seems so unreal,

but I'm excited, too.

Good night, Daddy!

Daddy, look at me.

I'm way up here on a mountain.

Good night, son.

I'll go and freshen up a bit

and see that Peter is put to bed.

I'm terribly glad you're here with me.

Amelia, wait for me.

I don't want to get lost.

Where did you get those other servants?

They look like Tyroleans.

They are. None of the people

of this province would serve here...

no matter what I offered to pay them.

Strange, superstitious creatures.

- Where's the library, if there is a library?

- Here it is, sir.

I think you're rather

like your father, sir.

If only I could have

some small portion of his genius.

Think of it, Benson.

Here, in this very study...

the luminous facets of his brilliant mind

conceived his outstanding theory...

of the source of life.

Here, he planned a miracle...

and saw it come to pass.

A miracle that the good people

of Frankenstein called a monster.

They call it a lot worse than that, sir.

Such stories as I've never heard.

- Would you like a brandy, sir?

- Yes, thank you, Benson.

"My son.

"Herein you will find my faiths,

my beliefs, and my unfoldments.

"A complete diary of my experiments,

charts, and secret formulas.

"In short, the sum total

of my knowledge, such as it is.

"Perhaps you will regard my work

with ridicule or even with distaste.

"If so, destroy these records.

"But if you, like me,

burn with the irresistible desire...

"to penetrate the unknown, carry on.

"Even though the path

is cruel and torturous, carry on.

"Like every seeker after truth...

"you will be hated, blasphemed,

and condemned.

"But mayhap where I have failed,

you will succeed.

"You have inherited the fortune

of the Frankensteins.

"I trust you will not

inherit their fate."

To you, sir.

Our Father...

help me be a good little boy,

and bless Mummy and Daddy. Amen.

Good night, my darling.

I'll close the curtains, madam,

so the lightning won't bother him.

Please don't close them,

'cause I like lightning.

He isn't afraid

of anything, is he, madam?

His father has taught him

never to be afraid, and he isn't.

Do you think he'll be all right here?

Yes, madam. Nothing can happen to him.

I'll leave my door open.

Please do.

Why do you suppose they ever built in

these beds in this strange position?

An old superstition.

"If the house is filled with dread,

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