# Gods and Monsters (film)

Gods and Monsters is a 1998 period drama film written and directed by Bill Condon, based on Christopher Bram's 1995 novel Father of Frankenstein. The film stars Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, Lolita Davidovich, and David Dukes. Its plot is a partly fictionalized account of the last days of the life of film director James Whale (McKellen), known for directing Frankenstein (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935). A veteran of World War I, the aged Whale develops a complicated relationship with his gardener, Clayton Boone (Fraser), a fictitious character originally created by Bram for the source novel.
An international co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, Gods and Monsters is produced by Paul Colichman, Gregg Fienberg, and Mark R. Harris; Clive Barker served as executive producer. As well as featuring reconstructions of the production of the Bride of Frankenstein, the film's title is derived from a scene in Bride of Frankenstein, in which the character Dr. Pretorius toasts Dr. Frankenstein, "To a new world of gods and monsters!"
Gods and Monsters was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Actor for McKellen and Best Supporting Actress for Redgrave, and won for Best Adapted Screenplay. Despite receiving positive reviews, the film was a box office failure. It was later adapted as a play of the same name which premiered in London at the Southwark Playhouse in February 2015.

## Plot

In the 1950s, James Whale, the director of Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein, has retired. Whale lives with his long-time housemaid, Hanna, who loyally cares for him but disapproves of his homosexuality. He has suffered a series of strokes that have left him fragile and tormented by memories: growing up as a poor outcast, his tragic World War I service, and the filming of Bride of Frankenstein. Whale slips into his past and indulges in his fantasies, reminiscing about gay pool parties and sexually teasing an embarrassed, starstruck fan. He battles depression, and at times contemplates suicide, as he realizes his life, his attractiveness, and his health are slipping away.
Whale befriends his young, handsome gardener, Clayton Boone, and the two begin a sometimes uneasy friendship as Boone poses for Whale's sketches. The two men bond while discussing their lives and dealing with Whale's spells of disorientation and weakness from the strokes. Boone, impressed with Whale's fame, watches Bride of Frankenstein on television as his friends mock the movie, his friendship with Whale, and Whale's intentions.
Boone assures Whale that he is straight and receives Whale's assurance that there is no sexual interest, but Boone storms out when Whale graphically discusses his sexual history. Boone later returns with the agreement that no such "locker room" discussions occur again. Boone is invited to escort Whale to a party hosted by George Cukor for Princess Margaret. There, a photo op has been arranged for Whale with "his Monsters": Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester from "ancient" movie fame. This event exacerbates Whale's depression. A sudden rainstorm becomes an excuse to leave.
Back at Whale's home, Clayton needs a dry change of clothes. Whale can only find a sweater, so Clayton wears a towel wrapped around his waist. Whale decides to try to sketch Clayton one more time. After some minutes, he shows his sketches to Clayton, disclosing that he has lost his ability to draw. After Clayton drops his towel to pose nude, Whale makes him wear a World War I gas mask and then uses the opportunity to make a sexual advance on Clayton, kissing his shoulder and neck, and forcefully reaches for his genitals. An enraged Clayton fights off Whale, who confesses that this had been his plan and begs Clayton to kill him to relieve him of his suffering. Clayton refuses, puts Whale to bed, then sleeps downstairs. The next morning, Hanna is alarmed when she cannot find Whale, prompting a search by Clayton and Hanna. Clayton finds Whale floating dead in the pool as a distraught Hanna runs out, clutching a suicide note. Clayton and Hanna agree that he should disappear from the scene to avoid a scandal.
A decade later, Clayton and his son, Michael, watch Bride of Frankenstein on television. Michael is skeptical of his father's claim that he knew Whale, but Clayton produces a sketch of the Frankenstein monster drawn by Whale, and signed, "To Clayton. Friend?". Clayton later walks down a street at night in the rain, miming the movements of Frankenstein's monster.

## Cast

* Ian McKellen as James Whale
** Brandon Kleyla as young James Whale
** Kent George as 25-year-old James Whale
* Brendan Fraser as Clayton Boone
* Lynn Redgrave as Hanna
* Lolita Davidovich as Betty
* David Dukes as David Lewis
* Kevin J. O'Connor as Harry
* Mark Kiely as Dwight
* Jack Plotnick as Edmund Kay
* Rosalind Ayres as Elsa Lanchester
* Jack Betts as Boris Karloff
* Matt McKenzie as Colin Clive
* Martin Ferrero as George Cukor
* Cornelia Hayes O'Herlihy as Princess Margaret
* Pamela Salem as Sarah Whale
* Amir Aboulela as The Monster
* Marlon Braccia as Starlet Elizabeth Taylor
* Jesse James as Michael Boone
* Arthur Dignam as Ernest Thesiger (uncredited)

## Reception

Gods and Monsters received positive reviews from critics, with McKellen's, Fraser's and Redgrave's performances singled out for particular praise. Time Out called it "not a complicated film, but warm and clever".
The film has a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 67 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The site's critical consensus states: "Gods and Monsters is a spellbinding, confusing piece of semi-fiction, featuring fine performances; McKellen leads the way, but Redgrave and Fraser don't lag far behind." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 74 out of 100, based on reviews from 32 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

## Accolades

| Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
| Academy Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Lynn Redgrave | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | Best Screenplay – Based on Material Previously Produced or Published | Bill Condon | Won |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Ian McKellen | Nominated |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | Bill Condon | Nominated |
| Bram Stoker Awards | Best Screenplay | Bill Condon | Won |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Lynn Redgrave | Nominated |
| British Independent Film Awards | Best British Film | Best British Film | Nominated |
| British Independent Film Awards | Best Director | Bill Condon | Nominated |
| British Independent Film Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Won |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Won |
| Chicago International Film Festival | Best Feature (Audience Choice Award) | Bill Condon | Won |
| Chlotrudis Awards | Best Movie | Best Movie | Won |
| Chlotrudis Awards | Best Director | Bill Condon | Nominated |
| Chlotrudis Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Won |
| Chlotrudis Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Brendan Fraser | Nominated |
| Chlotrudis Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Lynn Redgrave | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Picture | Best Picture | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen (also for Apt Pupil) | Won |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Best Picture | Best Picture | Nominated |
| Deauville American Film Festival | Grand Prix | Bill Condon | Nominated |
| Deauville American Film Festival | International Critics' Award | Bill Condon | Won |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Foreign Film | Best Foreign Film | Nominated |
| Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen (also for Apt Pupil) | Won |
| Ghent International Film Festival | FIPRESCI Prize | Bill Condon | Won |
| Ghent International Film Festival | Audience Award | Bill Condon | Won |
| GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Film – Wide Release | Outstanding Film – Wide Release | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Ian McKellen | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture | Lynn Redgrave | Won |
| Independent Spirit Awards | Best Feature | Best Feature | Won |
| Independent Spirit Awards | Best Male Lead | Ian McKellen | Won |
| Independent Spirit Awards | Best Supporting Female | Lynn Redgrave | Won |
| Independent Spirit Awards | Best Screenplay | Bill Condon | Nominated |
| International Horror Guild Awards | Best Movie | Best Movie | Won |
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Won |
| London Film Critics Circle Awards | British Supporting Actress of the Year | Lynn Redgrave | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Music Score | Carter Burwell | Runner-up |
| National Board of Review Awards | Best Film | Best Film | Won |
| National Board of Review Awards | Top Ten Films | Top Ten Films | 5th Place |
| National Board of Review Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Won |
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | 2nd Place |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Runner-up |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Won |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Drama Actor | Ian McKellen | Won |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Drama Actress | Lynn Redgrave | Nominated |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium | Bill Condon | Nominated |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Drama Ensemble | Best Drama Ensemble | Nominated |
| Online Film Critics Society Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Won |
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures | Paul Colichman, Gregg Fienberg and Mark R. Harris | Nominated |
| San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | Best Film | Best Film | Won |
| San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Won |
| San Sebastián International Film Festival | Golden Shell | Bill Condon | Nominated |
| San Sebastián International Film Festival | Special Jury Prize | Bill Condon | Won |
| San Sebastián International Film Festival | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Won |
| Satellite Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Ian McKellen | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Drama | Lynn Redgrave | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | Best Screenplay – Adapted | Bill Condon | Won |
| Saturn Awards | The President's Memorial Award | The President's Memorial Award | Won |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role | Ian McKellen | Nominated |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role | Lynn Redgrave | Nominated |
| Seattle International Film Festival | Best Director | Bill Condon | Won |
| SESC Film Festival | Best Foreign Actor (Critics Award) | Ian McKellen | Won |
| SESC Film Festival | Best Foreign Actor (Audience Award) | Ian McKellen | Won |
| Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Runner-up |
| Toronto Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actor | Ian McKellen | Won |
| USC Scripter Awards | USC Scripter Awards | Bill Condon (screenwriter); Christopher Bram (author) | Nominated |
| Voices in the Shadow Dubbing Festival | Best Male Voice | Sergio Graziani (for the dubbing of Ian McKellen) | Won |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Screenplay – Based on Material Previously Produced or Published | Bill Condon | Nominated |

## Real life basis

James Whale had several men (and women) pose nude for him, and some of these are shown in the making-of featurette. Several of his paintings were bought by a collector and loaned to the studio for the making of this film.
Whale suffered from strokes towards the end of his life, which affected his mental abilities, and he was found dead in his pool. There were rumours that this was a homicide, but the evidence only pointed at suicide.
In the documentary included on the DVD and in interviews, novelist Christopher Bram explains that the character of Clayton Boone is completely fictitious.