Themes: Unrequited Love, Servants and Employers, Unlikely Friendships
Main Cast: Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, Lolita Davidovich, Kevin J. O'Connor
Release Year: 1998
Country: US
Run Time: 120 minutes
Plot
Gods and Monsters was promoted from the outset as an artistic drama, but the publicity tended to play coyly on the possibility of a homosexual romance between the retired film director James Whale, played by Ian McKellen and his hunky gardener Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser). While the film does involve romance, the central relationship between the director and his gardener is about the development of a genuine friendship between two outwardly dissimilar but inwardly kindred spirits. In the story, Whale has been living for many years in peaceful, if not entirely contented retirement, under the loving and watchful eye of his contentious and argumentative Hungarian housekeeper (Lynn Redgrave). His earlier celebrity as the director of the original Frankenstein movie and its sequel, The Bride of Frankenstein, results in his being visited occasionally by disagreeable young men who have come to bask in the reminiscences of this creator of two "camp" classics. His reputation as a fairly outrageous homosexual comes into play here, when one particularly unpleasant and effeminate young man comes by seeking cinematic tidbits: the director challenges the boy to a game of stripping off one article of clothing for every revelation he shares about his moviemaking past. He had gotten the boy down to his briefs when he is stricken with one of his ever-recurring bouts of epilepsy, the result of a series of strokes. By way of contrast, while he is clearly interested in his gardener as a sex-object, gradually luring him into ever closer association, the openness and vulnerability of this awkwardly aggressive heterosexual boy inspires him to reveal the history of his heart. It turns out that, like the young man who is modeling for his supposed artworks, he came from a poor and difficult background. By the time naïve gardener learns of the director's homosexuality from the housekeeper, he has been drawn too deeply under the man's spell to stay away from their meetings for long. While the tension between the men never departs, a genuine relationship of caring develops between them. Meanwhile, Whale has been clearly observing the progressive deterioration of his mental faculties, and is increasingly being overwhelmed by vivid memories and visions. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
Review
Based on the life of legendary filmmaker James Whale, Gods and Monsters is a wonderfully affecting portrait of friendship, loss and regret. Whale's confidence and indulgence belied his vast reserve of pain and melancholy, and Ian McKellan, with his expressive eyes, captures those emotions perfectly. As the hunky groundskeeper who's the object of Whale's affection, Brendan Fraser reveals a high degree of emotional intelligence and vulnerability. The role was an important one for Fraser, who was previously better-known for lighter fare, such as 1997's George of the Jungle. The movie was also a great success for writer-director Bill Condon, who was previously best-known for the B-movie sequel Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995). Condon won the Best Adapted Screenplay award for his work; and a nearly unrecognizable Lynn Redgrave earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination as Whale's eccentric, conflicted maid. The combined efforts make Gods a film that is both tender and tragic, a sparkling portrait of two seemingly diverse misfits whose lives unexpectedly intersect. ~ Matthew Doberman, All Movie Guide
David Dukes - David Lewis; Brandon Kleyla - Young Whale; Jack Plotnick - Edmond Kay; Jesse James - Michael Boone; Kent George - James Whale [age 25]
Credit
Valorie Massalas - Casting, Bruce Finlayson - Costume Designer, Bill Condon - Director, Virginia Katz - Editor, Clive Barker - Executive Producer, Stephen Jarchow - Executive Producer, Carter Burwell - Composer (Music Score), Richard Sherman - Production Designer, Stephen M. Katz - Cinematographer, Paul Colichman - Producer, Gregg Fienberg - Producer, Mark R. Harris - Producer, Shawn Holden - Sound/Sound Designer, Bill Condon - Screenwriter, Christopher Bram - Book Author
There was no need for Gary Lucas to make an album just to prove that he could play everything from folk ditties to bebop and rap, but on Gods and Monsters he came pretty close to doing just that. The album starts off with a pair of cheery acoustic pieces that are relatively simple except for the nervous, jittery guitar lines. From there on things get more complex and generally harder, with more edgy original tunes and covers of tunes by Miles Davis, Suicide, and Syd Barrett. Psychedelia and blues influences thread through almost every piece, and Lucas' own style is distinctive enough to make almost every piece his own. Most of the album is excellent indeed; standout tracks include the bright, acoustic "Fool's Cap," the terrifying version of "Astronomy Domine," and the extraordinary progressive metal jam that closes the album. The only dud track, "The Crazy Ray," suffers from being ordinary and overlong in the midst of an album of work that is extraordinary and concise. ~ Richard Foss, All Music Guide
Cameo (Turntables), Keith LeBlanc (Drums), Keith LeBlanc (Programming), Gary Lucas (Guitar), Gary Lucas (Arranger), Gary Lucas (Voices), Gary Lucas (Producer), Gary Lucas (Main Performer), John Azelvandre (Engineer), Michael Blair (Percussion), Michael Blair (Drums), Harold Burgon (Engineer), Johnny Byrne (Engineer), Greg Calbi (Mastering), Jon Langford (Guitar), Jon Langford (Voices), Skip McDonald (Engineer), Tony Maimone (Bass), Francis Manzella (Engineer), Jared Michael Nickerson (Bass), Chuck Valle (Engineer), Mary Margaret O'Hara (Voices), Rolo McGinty (Bass), Rolo McGinty (Keyboards), Rolo McGinty (Voices), Rolo McGinty (Drums (Snare)), Michael Knuth (Executive Producer), Anton Corbijn (Photography), Stephen Byrum (Art Direction), Stephen Byrum (Design), Paul Now (Bass), Paul Now (Sampling), K Rob (Voices), Tony "Thunder" Smith (Drums)
The film features reconstructions of the filming of Bride of Frankenstein, a movie Whale directed. The title comes from a line in Bride of Frankenstein, in which the character Dr. Pretorius toasts Dr. Frankenstein, "To a new world of gods and monsters."[3]
It is more than a decade after James Whale (McKellen), director of Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein has retired and lives with his loyal housemaid, Hanna (Redgrave), who disapproves of his gay lifestyle. Whale has suffered a series of strokes that have left him fragile and tormented by memories of his past, growing up as a poor outcast, his World War I service and filming The Bride of Frankenstein. Whale indulges in his fantasies, reminiscing of gay pool parties and toys with a starstruck fan who comes to interview him. Whale also battles depression knowing his life is slipping away and the diagnosis that his stroke damage grows worse, at times contemplating suicide.
Whale befriends gardener, former Marine Clayton Boone (Fraser) and the two begin a sometimes uneasy friendship as Boone poses for Whale's sketches. The two bond while discussing their lives and dealing with the spells of disorientation and weakness from the strokes. Boone, impressed with Whale's fame, watches The Bride of Frankenstein on TV as his friends mock the movie, his friendship with Whale and Whale's intentions. After impressing on Whale he is straight and receiving assurance from Whale he has no interest in him, Boone storms out when Whale graphically discusses his sexual history. Boone later returns with the agreement that no such discussion occur again. Boone escorts Whale to a party hosted by Princess Margaret where a photo op has been arranged with Whale and "His Monsters", Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester. Whale realizes he is but a footnote in cinematic history, which only exacerbates his depression and uses a sudden rain storm as an excuse to leave.
Back home Whale persuades Boone to pose nude for him, however, uses the opportunity to make a brazen advance on Boone, kissing him and grabbing his penis. Boone becomes predictably enraged and attacks Whale, who confesses that this had been his plan and begs Boone to kill him to relieve him of his suffering. Boone refuses, puts Whale to bed then sleeps downstairs. The next morning Hanna is alarmed when she can't find Whale, prompting a search by she and Boone. Boone finds Whale floating dead in the pool, as a distraught Hanna runs out clutching a suicide note.
The film closes roughly a decade in the future as Boone and his son watch The Bride of Frankenstein on TV. His son is skeptical of his father's claim that he knew Whale and is impressed when shown a sketch of the Frankenstein monster signed, "To Clayton. Friend?".
Real life basis
James Whale did have several men (and women) pose for him nude, and some of these are shown in the making-of featurette. Several of his paintings were bought by a collector and loaned to the studio for the making of this film.
James Whale did suffer from strokes towards the end of his life, which affected his mental abilities, and was found dead in his pool.[4] There were rumors that this was a homicide, but the evidence only pointed at suicide.[5] It is a matter of speculation if Whale had any assistance in his suicide.
Whale's household might have hired a male gardener, but what sort of relationship he had with his employer is in the realm of speculation. In the documentary included on the DVD and in interviews, novelist Christopher Bram admits that the character of Clay Boone is completely fictitious.[6]
