MovieChat Forums > The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) Discussion > The most fascinating part of this film i...

The most fascinating part of this film is the fans' hatred for Paul...

posted 10 years ago by Skye_Reynolds
10 replies | jump to latest

It seems a curious part of human nature that people are so quick to play Devil's Advocate. It's also quite interesting that, no matter how corrupt an individual is, people will generally feel sorry for them if they're given enough time to tell their side of the story. In case it isn't obvious, MAJOR SPOILERS ahead.

In this film, Frankenstein is a thoroughly wicked man. He murders to further his experiments and to cover up an illicit affair which results in the mistress becoming pregnant with his child. He's also shown to care very little for Elizabeth whom he neglects, cheats on, and endangers. Their relationship is essentially loveless, as it is an arranged marriage, and he treats her as little more than property.

Yet, the audience is prone to hate Paul for standing in the crazed doctor's way, "stealing" his fiancee, and "betraying" him. While it's clear that he cares more for Elizabeth than Frankenstein ever will, he puts their happiness ahead of his own. In his loyalty to his friend, Paul refuses to turn Victor in after two murders and only abandons him after becoming convinced that the doctor will continue to put Elizabeth in harm's way. Yet, the audience can't help but view things from Victor's perspective. They feel a sense of betrayal on the on a part of someone who is supposed to be there for them and they see that person as having stolen away with someone who belongs to them.

It kinda makes me think of the individuals who harbor oppositional views toward Jonathan and Van Helsing for coming between Dracula and Mina. Although I really don't think that this response was the intended one on the part of the film makers, it really highlights the way that the movie sold people on Frankenstein's views and perspective. They hate whom they should support and support whom they should hate all because of whose perspective we see the story from. To the villain, the hero is the antagonist.

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"In literature, it's called plagiarism. In the movies, it's homage" ~ Roger Ebert

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] namaGemo 10 years ago

I liked Paul, but I don't know why after being honest throughout the film, he finally turned and made Victor appear to be a crazy liar, unless he just felt it was time he payed for his crimes.

[–] GSPdude 10 years ago

Yes, that was why Paul turned his back on Victor in the end. Paul was a decent sort who put up with way too much crap by Victor, as many do with a close friend or relative, but finally realized, in spite of their friendship, it was only right and just that his old friend face the block.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] ElectricWarlock 10 years ago

I like Paul as well. I felt he truly had a guilty conscience and clearly established the difference between right and wrong in his mind, whereas there was no right or wrong to Victor. Everything no matter how depraved was good as long as it helped him to do his experiments. Nobody and nothing mattered to Victor at all except the monster.

Burn, witch! Burn, witch! Burn! Burn! Burn!

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] TheHungryAndAngryShow 8 years ago

I think the thing with this movie is that Frankenstein is an obvious jerk, he's cheating with the servant, buying illegal body parts and stealing corpses, and eventually becomes a killer. But his motives are for a good reason, he really truly believes he is doing a good thing for society with all of his bad actions, except of course diddling the servant girl.

Meanwhile Paul is short sighted when it comes to science, obviously very attracted to Frankenstein's niece/future wife, and very judgmental. At some point he decides to not help Frankenstein anymore, but still lives in his house, coveting his wife to be, under the guise of "protecting" her. All the while, from the first day she stepped foot in the house, going behind Frankenstein's back and asking her to leave. He is not the friend he pretends to be, and if he hadn't ruined the brain (regardless of the fact that it was obtained in a not righteous way, even though he had no absolute proof of that), that experiment might have been amazing and perfect. The dog seemed to have no brain issues, and if the later experiment had been done in a way that was proper, the guy who was killed, if he retained his memory, may have been delighted to have his brain put in a new body (I know I would).

Plus at the end of the film when he could have at the very least kept Frankenstein from the guillotine, he was much more content to steal his wife, and with it, his fortune and home! Maybe Frankenstein would have gotten manslaughter for the servant, and assault for the shooting of his wife, but there was no proof that he killed the old guy, so he would have gotten away with that. He sure would not have had his head cut off for the other things! But Paul was totally fine with letting him die, which makes him not only no better than Frankenstein, but actually WORSE, as he did it for personal gain, where as Frankenstein did actually have altruistic motives in some of his actions.

[–] phillipsdan83 (98) 2 years ago

Actually, in CURSE Frankenstein NEVER gives any explanation for his work past simply wanting to create life...he makes the claim that he's helping Mankind in the sequels (including FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED, where he's a wanker of such proportions that the Victor of this film is lovable in comparison). It's pretty clear that you're SUPPOSED to root for Paul. But the thing is Cushing conveyed such a delight in transgressing the laws of God and Man alike in this film that Paul looks like a wet blanket in comparison. ANY reason to like Victor in CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN is due solely to the charisma of Peter Cushing.

[–] HarlemEagle42 (16135) a year ago

It is an interesting dynamic. Could be that Peter Cushing is just a more charismatic and interesting actor than Robert Urquhart.

[–] pundit2006 (149) a year ago

Well in this film it seems the real villain was none other than Baron Frankenstein himself. He murdered that one professor whom he invited over, so that he could obtain what he considered a suitable brain for his creature.
For those who are down on Paul or hate him should remember one thing.
Paul actually saved Frankenstein's life when that creature of his turned on him, and came close to strangling the last breath out of him.
So this evil baron if anything owed his life to him.