The Bride! Review: Frankenstein’s Gothic Wife Channels Her Inner Violent Gangster In A Twisted Tale

‘Frankenstein’ dates back to 1818 when English author, Mary Shelly penned the novel, Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus. The Gothic novel tells the story of a young scientist who created a sentient creature from different body parts in an unorthodox scientific experiment. However, while the book became a hit and was adapted into a movie, there were several aspects of the experiment, the scientist and the monster itself that were not yet explored. Nonetheless, before we dive into the story of his beloved, did you know that ‘Frankenstein’ wasn’t actually the name of the monster?

Yes! You heard that right, the name actually belonged to the mad scientist who created him. However, there have been many misconceptions about the same, because of films like The Bride of Frankenstein, which seems to have created this monstrous misconception, because the idea of a middle-aged Swiss scientist getting married isn’t all that shocking. Now, taking inspiration from both the OG novel and the films, Maggie Gyllenhaal has returned with another chapter in the realm, The Bride!

A Legacy of misnaming explored in The Bride!?

With the sensational ‘Frankenstein’ sequel, the tale of the mad scientist’s creation was explored with Boris Karloff returning as the monster, Elsa Lanchester as his bride and Mary Shelley, a doubling that may have inspired this new riff on the monster’s other half. However, now, after years of misnaming who the bride actually was, there’s another barnstorming performance from Jessie Buckley as the sinister spouse, leaving savage bite marks all over the scenery and on her gallant co-star, Christian Bale. 

When Gothic camp met Gangster noir in The Bride!

The new monster’s wife tale is a rickety, violent black comedy with heavy doses of Rocky Horror and extended tributes to the top-hat-and-tails sophistication of Mel Brooks’ much-loved film, Young Frankenstein. What’s further interesting to note is how it also feels like a hearty gangster joyride from the roaring 20s and 30s, with ‘Mr Frankenstein’ and ‘Mrs Frankenstein’ being reimagined as a kind of post-death ‘Bonnie’ and ‘Clyde’. The film is a perfect representation of the idea that ‘Mary Shelley’ was an angry ghost, done with the mediocre menfolk who surrounded her in life. She was filled with contempt because of the lack of female representation in the literary world and longed for a suitable living woman to insinuate herself back into.

Possession in the prohibition era

In the film, The Bride! ‘Mary Shelly’ lands on ‘Ida’ (Jessy Buckley), a tough yet slinky broad who hangs out at the Chicago joint owned by a wise-looking guy named ‘Mr Lupino’ played by Zlatko Buric. However, when ‘Mary’ enters ‘Ida’ one night, her body convulses with possession, gibbering and jerking and free-associating in ‘Mrs Shelley’s’ British tones, like a cross between ‘Regan MacNeil’ in The Exorcist and a very posh version of the cult comedian, Charlie Chuck.

On the other hand, ‘Lupino’ has ‘Ida’ rubbed out. However, things change pace when ‘Frankenstein’s’ monster himself shows up. He poignantly appears at the office of scientist ‘Dr Euphronious’ (Annette Bening), asking for a mate to salve his loneliness and conjugal frustration. Listening to ‘Frankenstein’s’ pleas, the doctor digs up ‘Ida’ and zaps her back into life. Nonetheless, the shock leads ‘Ida’ to undergo some pivotal changes, including frizzy hair, a black tongue, and inky black marks on her lips.

How ‘Frankenstein’s’ loneliness led to the birth of a different kind of monster

Christian Bale has done an immaculate job playing his role. However, his monster is very different from Jacob Elordi’s romantic hottie in Guillermo del Toro’s more intricately tasteful account. From visual differences like he has the Munster-ish stitches in his forehead and his face is battered and bruised like a punch-drunk old boxer, to the fact that there is something at first diffident and almost fatherly in his concern for ‘Ida’, the character is a spectrum apart from what we have known so far.

Additionally, his idea of masculine style is the dapper Hollywood star, ‘Ronnie Reed’, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. The young lovers bump off a couple of “good for nothings”, then escape together, pursued by careworn Chicago cop, ‘Jake Wiles’ (Peter Sarsgaard) and his assistant, who happens to be a better detective, ‘Myrna Mallow’ (Penelope Cruz). The film keeps us entertained. However, there are some missed opportunities that fans couldn’t miss.

What did The Bride! miss?

The Bride! was most definitely a quality watch. However, it didn’t stand its ground completely, leaving spaces that could have been filled. One such situation was the lack of a wedding ceremony, which would have sharpened the satire and given Jessie Buckley’s ‘Mary Shelley’ a voice, which is very funny, but fades after the first act as Maggie Gyllenhaal appears to lose interest in the conceit. Nonetheless, while it was a pity, Jessie did give the role such outrageous craziness which left the fans fully entertained.

Jessie’s pairing with Christian Bale was another commendable aspect of the film. Especially when they launch into uncontrolled jerking and twitching choreography with fellow revellers at a classy white-tie event. Without Jessie Buckley, this would have been lacking; with her, it’s a bizarre and darkly enjoyable spectacle of married bliss.

What are your thoughts on The Bride!? Let us know.

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