The 1931 film Frankenstein was a box office smash, despite being released during the Great Depression. It served as a form of dark escapism for people suffering from economic hardship.

This 1931 version of Frankenstein is based on Mary Shelley’s classic novel, but it is considered a very loose adaptation of her work.

Bela Lugosi was originally offered the role of Frankenstein’s monster but turned it down because he felt the part lacked decency and dignity—a decision he would later regret.

Boris Karloff ended up playing the monster instead. His real name was William Henry Pratt. Director James Whale cast him after noticing his imposing physical presence in a cafeteria.

In a rare move for the film industry, James Whale was given almost total creative control over the movie.

There is no assistant named Igor in this film; the character was actually named Fritz. It would be later Frankenstein productions that popularized the name Igor.

Due to various factors, Universal Pictures came somewhat close to canceling the movie entirely.

Jack Pierce was the makeup artist who created the iconic look of Frankenstein’s monster. The makeup process was lengthy and grueling, taking several hours each day.

Surprisingly, the movie is only 70 minutes long, which is quite short for a full-length feature film. But rather average run time for its era.

Because the story centers on a man “playing God,” some of the film’s dialogue was censored for decades. The state of Kansas even banned the movie entirely for this reason.