The Invisible Man Returns

source: The Invisible Man Returns

It's certainly challenge to bring back a character when he dies in the original. Often some contrived plot manipulation is used and it doesn't satisfy. Why not do it the way they do here. In this, a respected man, played by Vincent Price, is convicted of a murder he didn't commit. At the eleventh hour, he escapes after being visited by a scientist who knows the secret of invisibility. An injection is used and when the guards open the door to see where he is, he rushes out, taking refuge in the home of his fiancée. The unfortunate reality is that the scientist has not found an antidote so he is trapped in his invisibility, facing the side effect of madness after a period of time. He is also pursued by a determined detective from Scotland Yard. His only option is to recognize his fate, and bring to justice the two men who committed and framed him for murder. There are some really delightful scenes here. This is a very young Vincent Price and he hasn't developed that characteristic voice yet. A very sound sequel.

I don't know if this constitutes "blasphemy", but as far as the Universal horrors go, I found this film to be just as enjoyable, if not better than the original "Invisible Man" picture with Claude Rains. Vincent Price--who had yet to have his name become synonymous with horror--turns in a fantastic performance as the "Invisible One." His voice and delivery are almost on par with Rains, as Price's character has to take on the burden of invisibility because he's been wrongly accused of murder. Price's slow descent into madness is fun to watch--i.e. the dinner table scene when he's going on about how he can rule the world. I also enjoyed Cecil Kellaway as the Scotland Yard Agent, especially some of his witty banter to some of the fumbling policemen we see throughout this picture. There's also a great exchange between 2 policemen who are talking about the Invisible One and the supernatural as one of them says "I don't hold with no spiritualism." And the photographic effects by the great John P. Fulton are top notch. Overall, "The Invisible Man Returns" rates to me as one of the finer films from Universal's 2nd wave of horror during the 1940s. 8/10

Dr. Frank Griffin, is the brother of Dr. Jack Griffin (Rains). Geoffrey Radcliffe (Price) has been framed for the murder of Jack and is sentenced to death by hanging. Dr. Frank Griffin is a good friend of Geoffrey's and helps him to escape prison with invisibility. Can Radcliffe prove his innocence with the police hot on his trail? Can Dr. Griffin find an antidote to help Geoffrey before he goes completely insane? Yes the story and casting in this sequel is great - just as good as the original 'Invisible Man (1933)' with Claude Rains. In 'The Invisible Man Returns (1940)' is it the late great Vincent Price who plays Geoffrey Radcliffe, the Invisible Man. This is a sequel worth watching. Just like the original film, there is drama sprinkled with comedy - quite enjoyable to watch. 9.5/10

Vincent Price (Radcliffe) is under prison guard and hours away from being hanged when he gets a visit from his doctor friend John Sutton (Griffin). Sutton is the scientist brother of the original Invisible Man and knows some tricks! Price then spends the film seeking justice for his own brother's murder. I found this film more funny than creepy. I couldn't take Price's invisible threats seriously and just laughed through most of his dialogue. And, unfortunately, he decides to ham it up when playing someone in the throes of going mad. His maniacal laughter is hilariously bad. As are his sudden outbursts to keep the dogs quiet early on in the film. I also found the foreman Alan Napier (Spears) unbelievable. Not in that his acting is to be faulted, I quite enjoyed his performance, but his accent is atrocious. That accent does not exist anywhere in the North of England or in Scotland or whatever he was trying to do. Shame he didn't just talk properly. Apart from the above silliness, the film moves at a good pace. Some of the effects are good, for example the Invisible man's outline being revealed when Police Inspector Cecil Kellaway blows cigar smoke in his direction. There is also an involving chase sequence when the invisible Price comes after his evil relative Cedric Hardwicke (Cobb). The film keeps the attention and I think it won't disappoint those who are fans of this genre.

The writer of the summary needs to watch the movie again- Vincent Price is NOT related to the Invisible Man Griffin, nor his brother. His character name is Radcliffe.Personally, I don't think that Price was doing that much over-acting- when the part called for him to be deranged,it seems that his portrayal was accurate. Nan Grey plays her part well- and is as lovely as she was in "Dracula's Daughter." I find Cecil Kellaway's Inspector Sampson to be a little too self-assured in parts, but Alan Napier shows a depth of characterization far beyond that which he would show in his role of Alfred the butler in the 1960s "Batman" television show. Though this sequel is not as impressive as Claude Rains "Invisible Man"-it remains a worthy sequel- far better than "Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man."

This is a very watchable sequel seven years after the original. This version is less dark and dreary and even contains a little comedy. Vincent Price plays Geoffrey Radcliffe, wrongly convicted of murder and makes use of invisibility to find the real murderer of his brother. This is Price's fifth movie early in his career. His face is seen very little in this sci-fi drama, but his distinct and haunting voice will prove to help him gain stardom. A very good supporting cast includes: the legendary Cedric Hardwicke, Cecil Kellaway and Nan Grey. Miss Grey is the stunning love interest. Kellaway usually plays a light comedic role, but this time he plays the part of a Scotland Yard inspector. Hardwicke is more or less that character you can't seem to put your full trust in. In other minor roles are John Sutton, Leyland Hodgson and Ivan Simpson. The special effects help this oldie keep its charm. My favorite scene is still when Grey faints after Price unravels his bandages. Still a hoot to watch.

I had watched this twice as a kid on Italian TV and remember loving it; however, as was the case with THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942), when I caught up with it again as an adult via DVD, it proved something of a let down! Mind you, it's still a pretty good film and John P. Fulton's trick work is as brilliant as ever. And yet, I felt that it tried a bit too hard to duplicate those elements which made the original so successful to begin with: the eccentric Englishness so unique to Whale's work, for instance, comes off as somewhat heavy-handed this time around; the very young Vincent Price has yet to come into his own as a horror icon and his lapses into madness are overdone, not matching Claude Rains' menacing delivery. Besides, the identity of the villain is no mystery here! Still, while I particularly missed the wit of the original, Joe May's expert handling and Milton Krasner's effective lighting give the film a suitably Germanic feel at times. Ultimately, I feel that of all the first sequels to the original Universal monster films (BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN [1935], DRACULA'S DAUGHTER [1936], THE MUMMY'S HAND [1940] and FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN [1943]), this one is perhaps the least impressive - as all the others seemed to go in different directions.

Considering that this is the sequel to one of the all time greats, it's very disappointing. Slow and dull, it has very little suspense. Apart from the still excellent special effects, there isn't much to recommend this movie. I'd skip this one and watch the first one twice.

THE INVISIBLE MAN RETURNS is really the story of Frank Griffin's brother, Geoffrey (VINCENT PRICE), who is wrongly accused of murder and imprisoned. Helping him escape is a doctor (JOHN SUTTON) who injects him with a serum to make him invisible. Griffin then sets about trying to get to the bottom of who the real murderer is. That's the only weak spot in the story. The identity of the real murderer is known much too soon rather than stalling the revelation for better suspense. Lovely NAN GREY (who resembles blonde Brenda Joyce in so many scenes), is excellent as the love interest. She gives a warm and natural performance as the woman who sympathizes with Griffin's plight. VINCENT PRICE is fine until he has to show madness and descends into overacting with his maniacal laughter. SIR CEDRIC HARDWICKE and ALAN NAPIER set the standard for good acting among the supporting cast. Napier is especially effective as a man tormented by the Invisible Man in a scene that takes place in a lonely wooded area. There are times when the character of Frank Griffin is written in a way that is most unsympathetic and mean spirited and Price is especially nasty in conveying this aspect of his role. In other words, there's a touch of villainy in his performance. But the story is a clever one, standing apart from the original INVISIBLE MAN that starred Claude Rains and is well done. Some of the special effects may be a bit creaky but understandably so, and nevertheless the film is a fine example of how far those effects had advanced technically by the '40s. Well worth watching, especially if you're a fan of Universal's horror films.