Movie Review – Dracula (1931)

In honor of Halloween, this month we’ll be taking a look at classic Halloween-type films, starting with the classic Universal Monsters.

Released on February 12, 1931, Dracula was one of the first official films to be based on Bram Stoker’s classic novel, Dracula.  While the 1922 silent film Nosferatu is technically the first film to loosely follow the Dracula story, German film maker F.W. Murnau did not have permission to use the story.  Stoker’s widow sued for plagiarism and copyright infringement, and all copies of Nosferatu were claimed to have been destroyed.  Of course, not all copies were destroyed, and the film is readily available today.  For the sake of argument, we’ll still consider the 1931 version of Dracula to be the first official film version of the novel.

Dracula tells the story of a vampire named Count Dracula and his relocation from a castle in Transylvania to an abandoned estate in London, England.  He can transform into a wolf or a bat, and Dracula can use hypnotic power to seduce women.  When Dracula tries to claim John Harker’s fiancée, Mina, Harker fights back with the help of Van Helsing, a monster hunter.  It’s a battle in London as Van Helsing and his assistants track and fight back against the deadly vampire.

Dracula was directed by Tod Browning and produced by Carl Laemmle, Jr.  The film stars Bela Lugosi in the title role of Count Dracula.  Co-starring in the film are Dwight Frye as Renfield, David Manners as John Harker, Edward Van Sloan as Van Helsing, and Herbert Bunston as Dr. Seward.  Helen Chandler plays the role of Mina while Frances Dade has the role of Lucy.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

Dracula begins as a businessman named Renfield (Dwight Frye) arrives in the eastern European country of Transylvania.  He’s on his way to meet Count Dracula, but the local villagers plead with him to spend the night in their village before continuing on his journey.  They’re not trying to get money from Renfield.  No, they’re terrified of the evil that takes place at night, from large wolves that run around and howl to large bats that terrify people.

Renfield insists on continuing to Count Dracula’s castle that evening, and one of the villagers gives him a crucifix to wear as protection.  He’s then driven to Borgo Pass where his carriage to Count Dracula’s home is waiting.  Renfield doesn’t realize it, but that’s Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi) himself driving the horse-drawn carriage.  Things get even more spooky when Renfield tries to ask the driver to slow down, but instead of a person driving the horses, it’s a giant bat.  That bat mysteriously vanishes when Renfield finally arrives at the castle.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

Count Dracula’s castle is a quiet an eerie place.  Cobwebs cover the interior.  It seems hard to believe that anybody could live there, let alone a count and person of royalty.  Count Dracula descends a stone staircase and introduces himself to Renfield.  They hear a wolf howling outside, but Dracula is more entertained of the sound rather than being frightened.

Dracula leads Renfield to his room upstairs in the castle.  They then look over the paperwork for Count Dracula’s acquisition of Carfax Abbey in London, England.  Dracula intends on leaving for London the next evening.  His only luggage will be three large containers.  As Dracula is showing Renfield his bed, Renfield accidentally cuts his finger on the paper.  The count is drawn to the sight of Renfield’s blood.  He creeps closer and closer to the man until Renfield’s crucifix falls and covers the wound.  Dracula pulls back in terror and leaves the man alone.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

After Dracula bids Renfield a good night, the door to Renfield’s room mysteriously opens.  Walking towards him are three women, the Brides of Dracula.  They enter the room and watch as Renfield opens a large window.  Suddenly a massive bat flies past the open window, and the sight of it causes Renfield to faint.  As the Brides of Dracula close in on Renfield, Count Dracula appears outside on the balcony.  He calmly enters through the open door, pushes away the women, and then proceeds to feed on the blood of Renfield.

Dracula then transitions to the schooner Vesta and its journey to England.

One night the ship is fighting against a massive storm while out at sea.  As the crew members fight to keep the ship afloat, we see Renfield creep around in the cargo hold and awaken his master, Count Dracula.  Obviously, Renfield is now possessed and under the control of Dracula.  The count climbs out of his large crate and systematically attacks the crew.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

The Vesta is a derelict vessel by the time it reaches the shores of England.  How the ship managed to make it to its destination is a bit of a mystery.  The ship’s captain is one of the many dead crew members.  People find his corpse still tied to the ship’s wheel in one last act of trying to guide the ship to England.  There were reports of people seeing a large dog running away from the ship after it crashed on shore, but no evidence of it has been found.  Otherwise, the only surviving person on the Vesta is Renfield, though he’s a bit crazy.  Renfield is quickly hauled away and committed to Doctor Seward’s Sanitarium.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

Count Dracula now freely walks the streets of London at night.  We see him attack and kill an innocent girl trying to sell flowers.  We then see Dracula gain access to a prestigious symphony where many members of London’s upper class are in attendance.  He uses his power of hypnosis and has one of the theater girls summon Doctor Seward (Herbert Bunston) for a fake telephone call.  Dracula is standing there and uses the telephone call as an excuse for recognizing Seward’s name.

Dracula introduces himself and confirms that Dr. Seward runs the Sanitarium.  He informs the doctor that he has just leased Carfax Abbey, and it’s located adjacent to the mental hospital.  Dr. Seward then introduces Count Dracula to his daughter, Mina (Helen Chandler), her fiancé John Harker (David Manners), and their family friend, Lucy (Frances Dade).  Lucy appears to have a strange fascination with Dracula.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

That night, Lucy continues to tell Mina about her fascination with Count Dracula.  Mina laughs it off, thinking that Lucy just has a crush on the foreign man, and nothing else.  After Mina leaves, Lucy opens her bedroom window and settles down in bed.  A large bat appears outside of her window and it looks like Lucy falls into a trance.  We then see Dracula in her bedroom, and the count creeps next to the sleeping woman and then launches his attack.

The next day, Lucy’s body is in an autopsy theatre.  Dr. Seward remarks that somehow the girl had a natural loss of life after receiving several blood transfusions.  To make matters more interesting, it’s also noted that Lucy has two tiny marks on her throat.

Over at Seward Sanitarium, Renfield is just as crazy as when people discovered him at the wreck of the Vesta.  After eating ants and flies in an effort to drink their blood, Renfield has advanced to eating spiders.  He’s saddened when a worker catches him trying to eat a spider, and he tosses the arachnid out a window.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan) has been studying Renfield’s blood along with that of Lucy, and he believes that her death along with other mysterious deaths belong to that of a vampire.  He informs Dr. Seward that his patient, Renfield, is obsessed with eating living things so that he can feed on their blood and sustain his own life.  Dr. Seward is highly skeptical of such a mythological creature existing, so Van Helsing offers to bring him proof of his theory.

In his office at the sanitarium, Dr. Seward admits that Renfield has a history of escaping from his room and attacking small living creatures, but nothing human.  Renfield is brought to Dr. Seward’s office.  He claims to be feeling much better, but the men are suspicious of it being a trick.  He snaps when Van Helsing tries to get a closer look at his fingernails.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

Renfield suddenly changes his personality and pleads for Dr. Seward to send him away to a different location.  He’s concerned that his cries at night might disturb Mina and give her bad dreams.  It’s nearly sunset and a wolf’s cry is heard in the distance.  Dr. Seward is skeptical of there being wolves so close to London, but the hospital worker claims that he’s heard the wolves as well.  In fact, he even claims to have heard Renfield howl back and answer their cries, “talking” to the wolves.  This confirms some of Van Helsing’s suspicions.  When he shows Renfield a branch of wolf’s bane (a toxic plant used to kill wolves in older times), Renfield shrieks back in terror.  Renfield threatens Van Helsing and Dr. Seward as he’s being hauled back to his room.

Back in his room, Renfield goes to the window and sees Count Dracula standing in the courtyard.  Dracula sends Renfield telepathic messages to which Renfield pleads with him not to do what he’s telling him.  We then see Dracula standing in Mina’s bedroom.  The vampire creeps towards the sleeping woman and then drinks blood from her neck.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

The next evening, Mina tells John Harker about a strange dream she had the previous night.  It began when she was reading in bed and heard dogs howling off in the distance.  Her bedroom then filled with mist, and then she saw two red eyes staring down at her.  A white face then appeared and lowered itself to her face.  When she woke the next morning, Mina claims that it felt like all the life had been drained out of her body.  When Van Helsing takes a closer look at Mina, he discovers two tiny bite marks on her throat.

Just as John Harker questions Van Helsing about Mina’s bite marks, Count Dracula arrives in the room.  Van Helsing is introduced to Dracula, but the two men keep their distance.  Perhaps they know more about each other than what we’re being told.  Mina tells Dracula about her recent dream, and the count suggests that it might be from a story that he recently told the woman.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

When John Harker opens a cigarette box, he and Van Helsing make a startling discovery.  The box has a mirror, and while they can clearly see Mina and Dr. Seward, Count Dracula does NOT have a reflection.  After Mina is sent upstairs to bed, Van Helsing tries to confront Dracula and show him a mirror.  Dracula suddenly becomes enraged and destroys the mirror.  He then apologizes and claims that he does not like mirrors.

Count Dracula knows that Van Helsing is on to him.  He leaves the house and disappears in the yard.  When John Harker tries to find him, he only sees a large wolf running away from their building.  Van Helsing explains that Count Dracula is the mysterious vampire who has been killing people.  In addition to being a human, he can also take the form of a wolf or a large bat.  That’s also why Dracula did not cast a reflection in the glass and why he smashed the mirror.

While the men are debating this theory inside the house, Mina walks outdoors and spots Count Dracula standing beside a tree.  She answers his telepathic call and allows for the vampire to drink her blood once again.

Van Helsing goes on to explain that vampires need to drink the blood of the living to maintain their immortality.  They also need to sleep in the Earth where it was originally buried.  When Dr. Seward counteracts this and claims that Dracula would need to return home to Transylvania each day, Van Helsing informs him that Dracula could have brought his native Transylvanian dirt with him to England.  Dr. Seward remembers that Dracula brought three such large crates with him to his new home in Carfax Abbey.

Renfield suddenly appears inside of Dr. Seward’s home.  It seems that the patient has escaped from his room at the sanitarium once again.  Renfield warns Dr. Seward that Van Helsing is speaking the truth.  He tries to warn them that Mina is in danger, but a large bat hovering by an open window begins squeaking loudly.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

Suddenly a maid rushes into the room and warns the men that Mina is lying dead outside on the lawn.  As they rush to her aide, the maid catches sight of Renfield making a sinister smile.  She faints in terror and we see Runfield slowly approach her body.  Miss Mina, meanwhile, is still alive.  John Harker carries her back inside the house.

Newspapers report that a mysterious woman in white has been spotted attacking local children.  The reports claim that she entices them with promises of chocolate, takes them to a secluded spot, and then bites them on the neck.  Word amongst the people is that it’s the work of a vampire.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

When Van Helsing interviews Mina about her encounter with the “woman in white,” she claims that it was none other than Lucy, her friend who died the other day.  Mina is aware that Lucy is under some kind of spell, and she has a feeling that she is going to be in the same situation.  She begs Van Helsing to find a way to save Lucy’s soul after her death and to save herself as well.  Mina then tells her fiancé that their relationship has to end.  She’s powerless against the control of Count Dracula.

John fears greatly for Mina’s safety and he wants to take her with him back to London.  Van Helsing convinces Mina to stay there as her room has been prepared with wolf’s bane, and Dracula cannot harm her.  She’s reluctant to stay, but her father convinces her that it’s the right thing to do.  To help ensure Mina’s safety, Van Helsing gives specific instructions to Nurse Briggs, informing her to have Mina wear a wreath of wolf’s bane and make sure that the windows stay locked tight during the night.

The sun sets below the horizon and we see Count Dracula rise from his crate in the basement of Carfax Abbey.  Now that it’s once again dark in that part of the world, the deadly vampire is free to use his powers.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

Van Helsing continues discussing vampire lore with Dr. Seward and John Harker.  He tells them his theory about Count Dracula being a vampire.  This time he also mentions that the way to kill him is by driving a wooden stake through his heart.  Once again Renfield suddenly appears in Dr. Seward’s house.  He warns them that Dracula has great strength.  He also claims that Dracula appeared outside of Renfield’s room and promised him things such as thousands of rats and the infinite life he would have by drinking their blood.

As Renfield is taken away the men realize that Count Dracula is inside of Dr. Seward’s house.  Dracula confronts Van Helsing and advises him to return to his home country.  Van Helsing refuses so that he can protect people against the wrath of the vampire.  Dracula tells Van Helsing that he’s too late as his blood has already mixed with Mina’s, and she’ll be his slave for a countless number of years.  Van Helsing threatens to tear down Carfax Abbey, locate Dracula’s secret crate, and then drive a stake through his heart.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

Dracula tries to use his hypnosis on Van Helsing, but it’s not effective against his strong willpower.  When Dracula tries to attack him, Van Helsing pulls out not wolf’s bane but instead a crucifix.  The vampire flees Dr. Seward’s home in horror.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

Upstairs, John hears the nurse trying to convince Mina to return to bed.  When he asks the nurse what happened, the nurse informs him that she felt lightheaded and the next thing she knew, Mina was dressed and outside on the terrace.  John steps onto the balcony and talks to his future wife.  It seems that Mina isn’t quite feeling like herself as she talks about how much she likes the night and fog.  A large bat flies around them but Mina doesn’t seem to mind.  When John sits next to her on a bench, Mina tries to attack him.  Van Helsing stops the attack by using a crucifix.

Mina breaks down and tells John that Van Helsing is speaking the truth.  She’s really under the control of Count Dracula.  He opened a vein on his arm and made her drink his blood.

Later that night, Mina is asleep in bed when Count Dracula takes control of her mind.  She has her hand remove the wolf’s bane from around her neck.  He also takes control of Nurse Briggs and has her open the bedroom windows.  Dracula then enters the bedroom and drinks more of Mina’s blood.

At the Carfax Abbey, Van Helsing and John notice Renfield sneaking around the building.  They secretly follow Renfield and discover a secret opening into the structure.

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

Inside the Abbey, we see that Dracula has control of a possessed Mina.  As Renfield runs up a staircase to greet his master, we hear John call for Mina.  John and Van Helsing are looking inside through a window.  Furious that Renfield led the men to his home, Dracula kills Renfield and tosses his body down the staircase.

Dracula carries Mina into another chamber as John and Van Helsing rush into the basement of the Abbey.  They hear Mina scream, but by the time that they break into the locked room, neither Dracula or Mina can be found.  Van Helsing locates the three crates, and sure enough, Count Dracula is resting inside one of them.  Daylight is approaching and the vampire was forced back into his hiding place.  He’s powerless in this state.  But where is Mina?

Dracula (1931) – (c) Universal Pictures

As John searches for Mina we hear Van Helsing pound a wooden stake through Count Dracula’s heart.  Dracula groans in pain and then dies.  As soon as he’s dead, Mina is free of his spell.  She comes out of her hiding place and embraces John.  She tells him that she was under Dracula’s control and unable to speak or call for help.

Dracula ends as John and Mina climb the stairs.  Sunlight is pouring in through the windows and we hear church bells in the distance.  For some reason unknown, Van Helsing elects to remain behind in the Abbey.

So is 1931′s version of Dracula a good movie?

Considering the time period and the general introduction of horror films to theater audiences, this version of Dracula is a pretty good horror film.

For starters, Bela Lugosi’s version of Count Dracula is simply amazing . . . and rather creepy.  The way he pronounces his lines and those horrific stares give him a lasting impression on your mind.  This is definitely a fantastic character and a great movie monster.

One must not also forget the characters of Renfield and Mina as well.  Dwight Frye does a great job showing an ordinary man going insane and being a devoted follower of Count Dracula.  The same goes for Helen Chandler as she is bitten by the vampire numerous times, and we see the transition as she becomes more and more under his control.

Dracula also has really creepy introduction music that sets the mood extremely well.  It’s just a shame that we don’t hear any more of it, but that was not common for films from that period of time.

So where does Dracula fail?

Fans of Bram Stoker’s novel will be greatly disappointed at the numerous plot changes from the lack of John Harker’s character in Transylvania to the ending not taking place in Transylvania.  It’s almost like the film makers grabbed a few plot elements, made some changes to make the film faster and cheaper to film, and then just threw it all together.

Don’t get me wrong.  This version of Dracula works and it tells a great story, but it’s just lacking many elements from the source material.  Bram Stoker’s novel wouldn’t get a really great rendition until the 1992 version of Dracula.

Dracula (1931) – movie trailer

In the end, the 1931 version of Dracula is still a great film and a must-watch for lovers of horror and the classic Universal monsters.  The film may not be anywhere nearly as spooky or gruesome to today’s standards, but it still has plenty of charm and some excellent acting from the early 1930′s.

Count Dracula – “I am . . . Dracula.”

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Renfield – “Aren’t you drinking?”
Count Dracula – “I never drink . . . wine.”

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Renfield – “You know too much to live, Van Helsing!”