The Invisible Man (1933)

100% of critics liked it
(31 reviews)
79% of users liked it
(9,432 ratings)

A mysterious stranger, his face swathed in bandages and his eyes obscured by dark spectacles, has taken a room at a cozy inn in the British village of Ipping. Never leaving his quarters, the stranger demands that the staff leave him completely alone. Working unmolested with his test tubes, the… More A mysterious stranger, his face swathed in bandages and his eyes obscured by dark spectacles, has taken a room at a cozy inn in the British village of Ipping. Never leaving his quarters, the stranger demands that the staff leave him completely alone. Working unmolested with his test tubes, the stranger does not notice when the landlady inadvertently walks into his room one morning. But she notices that her guest seemingly has no head! The stranger, one Jack Griffin, is a scientist, who'd left Ipping several months earlier while conducting a series of tests with a strange new drug called monocane. He returns to the laboratory of his mentor, Dr. Cranley (Henry Travers), where he reveals his secret to onetime partner Dr. Kemp (William Harrigan) and former fiancee Flora Cranley (Gloria Stuart). Monocane is a formula for invisibility, and has rendered Griffin's entire body undetectable to the human eye. Alas, monocane has also had the side effect of driving Griffin insane. With megalomanic glee, Griffin takes Kemp into his confidence, explaining how he plans to prove his superiority over other humans by wreaking as much havoc as possible. At first, his pranks are harmless; then, without batting an eyelash, he turns to murder, beginning with the strangling of a comic-relief constable. When Kemp tries to turn Griffin over to the police, he himself is marked for death. Despite elaborate measures taken by the police, Griffin is able to murder Kemp, considerately taking the time to describe his homicidal methods to his helpless victim. After a reign of terror costing hundreds of lives, Griffin is cornered in a barn, his movements betrayed by his footsteps in the snow. Mortally wounded by police bullets, Griffin is taken to a hospital, where he regretfully tells Flora that he's paying the price for meddling into Things Men Should Not Know. As Griffin dies, his face becomes slowly visible: first the skull, then the nerve endings, then layer upon layer of raw flesh, until he is revealed to be Claude Rains, making his first American film appearance. So forceful was Rains' verbal performance as "The Invisible One" that he became an overnight movie star (after nearly twenty years on stage). Wittily scripted by R.C. Sherriff and an uncredited Philip Wylie, and brilliantly directed by James Whale, The Invisible Man is a near-untoppable combination of horror and humor. Also deserving of unqualified praise are the thorouhgly convincing special effects by John P. Fulton and John Mescall. With the exception of The Invisible Man Returns, none of the sequels came anywhere close to the quality of the 1933 original. Trivia alert: watch for Dwight "Renfield" Frye as a bespectacled reporter, Walter Brennan as the man whose bicycle was stolen, and John Carradine as the fellow in the phone booth who's "gawt a plan to ketch the h'invisible man." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 12 min.
Directed By: James Whale
Written By: R.C. Sherriff
Genres: Horror, Classics, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy

In Theaters: Nov 13, 1933 Wide
On DVD: Aug 28, 2001
Studio: Realart Pictures Inc.

Critic Reviews

, TIME Magazine
In his first cinema role, which must have been easy for him to play since it amounts to very little more than an offstage noise, Claude Rains gives an alarming performance, almost as frightening when he is present as when he is not.
Variety Staff, Variety
The strangest character yet created by the screen [from the novel by H.G. Wells] roams through The Invisible Man.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
James Whale's 1933 film plays more like a British folk comedy than a horror movie; it's full of the same deft character twists that made his Bride of Frankenstein a classic.
Mordaunt Hall, New York Times
It is hardly necessary to dwell upon the performances of the cast beyond saying that they all rise to the demands of their parts. As for the settings, they seem very real, and the direction and acting of the uniformed police force are unusually good.
Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle
The many special effects -- some retouched on film by hand -- are quaint by today's digital standards, but that only makes them all the more fun.
Kim Newman, Empire Magazine
Rains, whose expressive gestures are also vital to his performance, recognised it as a career-making opportunity, a whole film that builds up to the revelation of his face.
, Film4
Rains, with his silky, slightly superior-sounding voice, emerges as pathetic not grandiose, and the film clips along with boundless energy.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Rains, with his clear, sensitively inflected voice, was lucky: it made him a star.
Stefan Birgir Stefansson, sbs.is
Overacted but holds on pretty well though.
Jay Antani, Los Angeles Alternative
Terrific entry in the James Whale horror canon
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide
The commentary is thorough, detailed and worth hearing all the way through, especially if you enjoy old-time monster movies.
Gerry Shamray, Sun Newspapers of Cleveland
Great black & white fantasy film.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
By turns hilarious, haunting and horrific.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Repleto de momentos deliciosamente bem-humorados (obra de James Whale), o filme tem bons efeitos visuais - mesmo para os padrões atuais - e uma performance marcante, mesmo que "invisível", de Claude Rains.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jeff "

The Invisible Man based on the novel by H.G Wells is a stunning horror classic that is a benchmark in cinema. A brilliant film that has stunning special effects, considering that this was made in 1933. This is a brilliantly directed film. The cast here is terrific and they all deliver… More
The Invisible Man based on the novel by H.G Wells is a stunning horror classic that is a benchmark in cinema. A brilliant film that has stunning special effects, considering that this was made in 1933. This is a brilliantly directed film. The cast here is terrific and they all deliver great performances. I especially thought that Charles Rains performance as Jack Griffin / The Invisible Man was one of a kind. His performance as the title character is one of the best performances in the early years of horror. Along with other horror classics such as Dracula and The Mummy, The Invisible Man is a definite classic and the story and special effects are astounding. Though the film is quite short, the film does move along at a steady pace, and director James Whale effectively builds the tension on-screen as we see The Invisible Man go from scientist to psychopath. The film is phenomenal and is a definite must see for horror fans seeking to broaden their knowledge of horror films. The Invisible Man is a solid piece of horror history and remains a favorite of the genre. If you want a solid horror classic, then give this one a shot. This film has superb acting and directing. The special effects are astounding and will leave you in awe. This is by far the best in the series, as the sequels always fail to capture the magic of the first. The Invisible Man is not only a classic of horror, but is a classic of cinema as well. A superbly well acted film that every serious film buff should see.
danny d

one of the best of the early universal monster films, the film is full of scientific and philosophical intrigue. there are many iconic images and interesting stunts and the story is as good as it gets. rains is great as always. a must see classic.
KJ P

ONE OF THE BEST FILMS I HAVE EVER SEEN! I am so upset for waiting this long to watch it. This movies shows the true heart of filmmaking, with a brilliant story and a lovable cast. This film truly is a masterpiece for it's time. If this film is ever to be remade, it better just be… More
ONE OF THE BEST FILMS I HAVE EVER SEEN! I am so upset for waiting this long to watch it. This movies shows the true heart of filmmaking, with a brilliant story and a lovable cast. This film truly is a masterpiece for it's time. If this film is ever to be remade, it better just be remade and shot the exact same way, because any other way would ruin this entire story. I am very anxious to see the sequel! I had no idea how amazing this film was going to be, but I made a big mistake. This is literally filmmaking in it's finest hour. Not long at all, but just enough to keep this story alive to be a minute-by-minute masterpiece. I LOVE THE INVISIBLE MAN and far beyond. Words cannot really describe how much I love it, not to mention how real it actually looks! AMAZINGLY BRILLIANT!
Michael E

drags on at a snails pace, has a good sense of humor though ill give it that, but just falls flat and a huge disappointment for an adaption of great book if not the best book ever made and it just doesnt do the book justice.
AJ V

If you've read the book, you will enjoy seeing it in this great classic movie. I loved Claude Rains.
Conner R

An amazing story and one of H.G. Wells' best. This is one of my favorite examples of of classic Universal horror movies. It is essentially the ramblings of an insane man along with a lot of murder. I love how morally warped and brutal it is for a 30s movie. Even though Griffin is… More
An amazing story and one of H.G. Wells' best. This is one of my favorite examples of of classic Universal horror movies. It is essentially the ramblings of an insane man along with a lot of murder. I love how morally warped and brutal it is for a 30s movie. Even though Griffin is completely evil, he's still an incredibly lovable character.
Kyle F

"The invisible man is just so much fun to watch. It isn't to complicated and it will have you laughing if not worrying for the characters. Even though it doesn't use the spectacular ending in the book, it is a very satisfying adaptation.
Randy T

Most films that are long on special effects are short in other areas, not James Whale's <i>The Invisible Man</i>. True to his unique style, Whale delivers a motion picture rich in character depth, narrative and substance. That is not to say that John Fulton's… More
Most films that are long on special effects are short in other areas, not James Whale's <i>The Invisible Man</i>. True to his unique style, Whale delivers a motion picture rich in character depth, narrative and substance. That is not to say that John Fulton's effects aren't astounding, they most certainly are, but Whale was never one to rest on someone else's laurels. Add to that the genius of R. C. Sherriff's screenplay and the boundless talent of star Claude Rains and you've got a movie that's timeless. A true classic.
Stella D

claude rains is the man!
Pierluigi P

Fantastic narration by James Whale from the equally great story by visionary writer H.G Wells. Veteran universal pictures craftsman John P. Fulton's visual effects are amazing, even for today's standards. Delightful parable about the corruption of power. The always… More
Fantastic narration by James Whale from the equally great story by visionary writer H.G Wells. Veteran universal pictures craftsman John P. Fulton's visual effects are amazing, even for today's standards. Delightful parable about the corruption of power. The always outstanding Claude Rains incarnates (well, almost entirely with his voice) the scientist who uses his remarkable power to damage society.
Veronique K

one of the earliest movies about the egonomaniac scientist who abuses his knowledge as the accessory gadget of personal ambition. claude rains conceals his face until the end credit, so mostly he gives a performance mainly based on vocal vibration and body languages. the most… More
one of the earliest movies about the egonomaniac scientist who abuses his knowledge as the accessory gadget of personal ambition. claude rains conceals his face until the end credit, so mostly he gives a performance mainly based on vocal vibration and body languages. the most laughable scene would probably be the hotel registration turns into a conspicuous tumult while the nosy hotress yells outloud in panic that arouses your deeepest beastly desire to slap her violently. more of a comic episode to brighten the atmosphere..you'd encourage rains' outrage while he throws pieces of disguised clothing to the police and tavern hoster. then the flick proceeds to tackle into his progressive deterioration of insanity by magnifying his relentless ambition or the hunger for power, partially due to chemically poisonous side-effects. then the invisible man incurs the inevitable doom induced by his tragic flaw, even nuanced with consalce of love at last.
xGary X

The original and best. Claude Rains is the ONLY invisible man, and some of the effects are still impressive even now. Hollow Man looks very hollow indeed in comparison.
Michael G

A true classic. Claude Rains is amazing in this film even though you don't see him.
Byron B

I can't say I like the camp humor that Whale tries to put in this sci-fi/horror story. I thought Stuart and Harrigan only provide melodramatic nonsense (these two characters have more in common with Whale's Frankenstein love triangle involving the mad scientist, than… More
I can't say I like the camp humor that Whale tries to put in this sci-fi/horror story. I thought Stuart and Harrigan only provide melodramatic nonsense (these two characters have more in common with Whale's Frankenstein love triangle involving the mad scientist, than anything from the book). I did not find O'Connor amusing in this one. She only succeeded in being irritating with all her screaming. The cops trying to catch the invisible man provide more slapstick than I expected after reading the novel. A young Claude Rains provides a good voice for the megalomaniac invisible man (Jack Griffin). The atmosphere makes this invisible man movie the only one of the series that can legitimately be called a horror movie. It sticks fairly close to the book. However, just because characters run and scream, often in comic fashion, doesn't mean that it is that strong of a horror genre contender. The special effects are pretty good for a movie of the early 30's. The fx are about the only things that make this really worth while. And from the one special feature that comes in the Legacy Collection, you learn how they make a person invisible. Before blue screens and green screens, the black and white movies used black velvet to cover body parts and filmed them against a black background. It works well and then with some other automation effects and props flying around on wires you have it.
Matthew Y

A legendary film from a great story by the grandfather of Science Fiction. The Invisible Man goes far beyond the simple gimmick of a man that is invisible. It explores the pros and cons of forever being out of sight in just about every way possible. The main character beings to… More
A legendary film from a great story by the grandfather of Science Fiction. The Invisible Man goes far beyond the simple gimmick of a man that is invisible. It explores the pros and cons of forever being out of sight in just about every way possible. The main character beings to suffer from the stress, isolation and delusions of grandeur that the condition brings upon him, and really who can blame him. The invisible effects work is a relatively simple cinema effect that George Melies discovered back in the 1890's but I bet it was still very effective to 1933 audiences.
Suneel J

A classic tale of a scientist's experiment gone awry and the events that follow. James Whale translates his stellar directing from the Frankenstein series over to the story of the invisible man. The film displays unusually good special effects for the time period along with the… More
A classic tale of a scientist's experiment gone awry and the events that follow. James Whale translates his stellar directing from the Frankenstein series over to the story of the invisible man. The film displays unusually good special effects for the time period along with the dark tone of the plot. The actors are all solid, but the character of Jenny Hall, played by Una O'Connor, is the most annoying and overacted person you will ever see. Many of the other characters like the first police officer are actually quite funny and enjoyable to watch. The film generally features plenty of hilarious moments at the appropriate times. The title character, played by Claude Rains, puts on a commanding performance, accentuated by his domineering voice. It is great to see how crazy he gets and how he evades capture for so long on his crime spree. The end is rather sudden, but is fitting for the circumstances. The film is highly immersive and comes out another winner in the line of Universal's monster movies.
Danny R

Despite its age of over three quarters of century this horror classic from Universal Studios which is based on H.G. Wells novel and brilliantly directed by James Whale, still captures the imagination, Claude Rains delivers a magnificent performance in his sensational screen debut, as… More
Despite its age of over three quarters of century this horror classic from Universal Studios which is based on H.G. Wells novel and brilliantly directed by James Whale, still captures the imagination, Claude Rains delivers a magnificent performance in his sensational screen debut, as a chemist Dr. Jack Griffin who has discovered a serum that has successfully made him invisible, but unknown to him the formula has a serious side effect which is eroding his sanity, until he has become a murderous megalomanic with a mad desire to rule the world, after Griffin assaults an inn keeper by throwing him down a flight of stairs, he begins to commit increasingly more heinous acts, which includes murdering a policeman and throwing two men of a cliff, as well as derailing a entire passenger train into a river which caused 100 deaths, the police are helpless in trying to stop Dr.Griffin, who is now roaming the countryside murdering people at will. Outstanding supporting performances by Gloria Stuart, Henry Travers, William Harrigan, E.E. Clive, Forrester Harvey and Una O'Connor who is a standout in a superbly hysterical performance as a excitable tavern keeper, who has a scream that can wake the dead, she is the films great comic relief, Claude Rains is invisible throughout the film or wrapped in bandages and wearing oversized sunglasses, we only see his face for a few seconds at the films final moments, Rains rich distinctive and dramatic voice is his only acting tool, which lends both authority and panache to his role, the then groundbreaking special effects by John P. Fulton are excellent and still effective, a intelligent, sophisticated well-crafted horror drama from a bygone era. Highly Recommended.
Brandon K

Claude Rains is out of his mind in this! I would watch it over and over just to hear that laugh.
Anthony V

Claude Rains is great as the scientist losing his mind. Some of the special effects hold up today.