The Invisible Man (1933)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Let's be realistic.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Claude Rains' performance will you leave you chuckling as much as it leaves you looking behind your shoulder expecting someone with a knife.

I'm a big fan of H. G. Wells' books, and when I saw that they made a film based on The Invisible Man I got excited. The Invisible Man is an amazing book, and I wanted to see if the movie was as good as the book. It wasn't, but it still is a great film.First of all: the special effects (and especially the invisibility) is mind-blowing. Griffin actually ís invisible, and no matter how good you look, you don't see some lines of an actual body. Nowadays it ain't special anymore, but this is 1933! When I finished the movie, I checked how they did it and it turned out that they used the technique that's now with a green screen. But in 1933 that method wasn't common. Points for that at least!The acting is different per character. The acting of Claude Rains (Griffin/Invisible Man) is quite good. In modern terms it is average, so that is quite good in 1933. However, the acting of Una O'Connor (Jenny Hall) is typical 1930-style: bad over-overacting. In this movie that's quite funny actually. Gloria Stuart (Flora Cranley) acts just bad, but whatever. The rest of the cast acts not quite bad, but also not great.At last the story. James Whale changed some things for the movie, which can be understood. Wells' books are quite hard to film, because a lot of his books contain talking about the science behind the subject, in this case invisibility. Also Whale made Griffin a little bit more human; in the book Griffin has barely any emotions. In this movie Griffin is a lot more dangerous, but his romance makes him more human to the audience. I like that feature. Furthermore, the story is not too slow and not too fast, Whale found a great balance between drama and action. I think this movie is a lot more fun if you've read the book. But even if you haven't read the book, just admire the amazing looking special effects and enjoy the terrifying deeds of The Invisible Man. If you think all the movies from before 1940 are too slow for you, this movie proves you wrong. I give this movie 8,5/10. A must-see.

As I write this review I'm noting that there is a planned remake for The Invisible Man that will star Johnny Depp. It will have to go some in taking on what I believe is an impossible task of trying to duplicate Claude Rains in the unseen role.Carl Laemmle at Universal Pictures knew that instinctively that one would have to have one special voice that could hold the attention of the audience as half of the actor's tools, body language and facial expressions are not available to one playing the part. Laemmle certainly got his money's worth in obtaining the services of Claude Rains for the lead. Rains was possessor of one of the great classically trained voices ever on the screen.In this film based on the H.G. Wells story Rains working on his own while employed by Henry Travers on the secret of transparency. The secret ingredient is some Hollywood invented stuff called Monocane which does render living things transparent. It also drives them mad as Travers learns when he translated some German experimentation. But Rains doesn't know that as he takes some rooms at an inn to work in isolation. When the curious led by landlady Una O'Connor get too much he lets them in for more than they bargained for. The Invisible Man is unleashed on the world. By the way Una O'Connor is worth seeing this film alone for with her reactions to Rains.Both Travers and his daughter Gloria Stuart are truly concerned for Rains. Stuart is truly frightened as is Travers's other assistant William Harrigan who also likes Stuart. Stuart is frightened for Rains and the world as Rains explains the possibilities of what invisibility allows him to do.Harrigan has an interesting role and doesn't get enough praise for it. I'm sure he's not a person of any great courage. But he certainly isn't a villain here. Rains forces himself on Harrigan because he needs a confederate and one with scientific training certainly helps. But it's precisely because he is also a scientist that Harrigan is frightened of him. He may act cowardly, but I dare say not too many of us would react differently. I think his part as Doctor Kemp might have been William Harrigan's career role.James Whale best known for directing Frankenstein and Showboat got the most out of his fine ensemble, but especially with Rains whom you feel sympathy for as his experiment has truly isolated him from the human race.The Invisible Man holds up well today and this was one auspicious beginning in the film career of Claude Rains whom we never see till the very end.

Claude was excellent as always! This was creepy and kept me on the edge, as a Dr. discovered transparency....why didn't he teach that trick to the president? Anyways, this had some intense and disturbing parts for its time, but it is a horror flick. Overall it was well done and moved at a good pace. The acting and story line were very good and compelling. This is of course one of those Universal Studio creep shows about a scientist and his associates that stumble on to something new and dangerous. As Claude uses his to gift to get what he wants, he eliminates those in his way. This is somewhat to quite entertaining and it qualifies for a rainy day movie for those who like suspense, surprises, and of course, murder!